By Brandis Roush 
I know what you’re thinking.
Why mess with perfection.
Why would anyone want to change a good, meaty burger? I will tell you why. You can make and freeze these. You can eat them if you’re avoiding wheat/gluten/carbs. Kids love them (yes, my kids love burgers, too, but kids and finger food, ya know?). And really, they’re delicious. I love a restaurant burger but anytime I try to do it at home I end up with bland beef on a soggy bun. These meatballs taste much more like a gormet burger.
And they’re fairly simple. The only not-super-fast-and-easy thing about them is that you have to precook the bacon. You really have to. I’ve tried not doing it, it doesn’t go well.
Bacon Burger Balls
Ingredients
- 8 strips bacon
- 1/2 finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Cook the bacon. Whether you cook it in strips and then chop or chop and then cook is up to you. The main aim is to render out some of the fat and to slightly caramelize the meat to enhance the flavor. After the fat has been rendered out add the finely chopped onion and cook until onion is soft. Remove this mixture, drain, and cool.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, paprika, salt and pepper, and cooled bacon/onion mixture. Do not overmix!
- Form mixture into one inch balls- I use a medium cookie scoop, firming the balls up with my hands as I go. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
- Serve with burger sauce (you know, either mayo and ketchup or thousand island dressing) and a simple relish made from chopped tomato, red onion, and pickle .
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