I probably eat fast food about 2-3x yearly, not out of choice but of necessity, usually declining blood sugar that needs to be stabilized ASAP and when I don’t have the patience to either fix something myself or pick something up from a respectable food establishment. And I pay the price for it – my body is not used to processed, preservative-laden frankenfood.
In my early 20’s when I was working two jobs and going to college full-time, I really splurged – I probably ate fast food 2-3x a month! It was around that time that I discovered the Carl’s Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger. This to me, was the ultimate burger: Meat, cheese, crispy onion ring, bacon & BBQ sauce. What’s not to love about that?
Yesterday, I had a craving for…you guessed it: a Western Bacon Cheeseburger. But I wasn’t going to Carl’s to get one, I decided to make one myself. This isn’t the first time I’ve made one, however, I have been eyeing grass fed beef at the market of late, and though this would be the perfect excuse to try some. And it’s not cheap – it’s $7.99 a lb, but I was in the mood to splurge.
Before I go any further, please forgive the quality of some of the photos in this post – I was too tired and lazy to bring out my DSLR, so I just used my Iphone.
So here’s what I brought back from the store:
Next, I unpacked the beef and made two patties:
Then seasoned them generously with Lawry's and fresh cracked black pepper:
Then onto the grill indirect with some oak for smoke flavor:
Meanwhile, The Missus worked on the onion rings. She made a slurry using some Lefty's before they were dropped in the hot oil:
Then, I moved the burgers closer to the fire to finish:
Now added cheese - The Missus wanted American on hers(rt burger) while I had two slices of Cheddar(left burger):
Bacon at the ready:
I then began the process of burger construction, starting with the bottom bun and a slather of mayo:
Then added the cheddar cheese patty and put the onion ring on top:
Then came the bacon:
Then generously anointed the whole thing with Stubbs BBQ sauce:
And finally, the top bun:
Then smooshed and sliced:
Cheese up close:
And finally what was left of one half:
It was truly spectacular, and without question, one of the best burgers I've ever eaten, for two reasons: The combination of all those fresh ingredients beats the commercial version by a landslide, but more importantly, the flavor of that beef! It had a richness and depth I've never tasted before, even compared to fine USDA prime chuck. It was simply out of this world. I think we'll stick with the grass fed ground beef moving FW.
In my early 20’s when I was working two jobs and going to college full-time, I really splurged – I probably ate fast food 2-3x a month! It was around that time that I discovered the Carl’s Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger. This to me, was the ultimate burger: Meat, cheese, crispy onion ring, bacon & BBQ sauce. What’s not to love about that?
Yesterday, I had a craving for…you guessed it: a Western Bacon Cheeseburger. But I wasn’t going to Carl’s to get one, I decided to make one myself. This isn’t the first time I’ve made one, however, I have been eyeing grass fed beef at the market of late, and though this would be the perfect excuse to try some. And it’s not cheap – it’s $7.99 a lb, but I was in the mood to splurge.
Before I go any further, please forgive the quality of some of the photos in this post – I was too tired and lazy to bring out my DSLR, so I just used my Iphone.
So here’s what I brought back from the store:
Next, I unpacked the beef and made two patties:
Then seasoned them generously with Lawry's and fresh cracked black pepper:
Then onto the grill indirect with some oak for smoke flavor:
Meanwhile, The Missus worked on the onion rings. She made a slurry using some Lefty's before they were dropped in the hot oil:
Then, I moved the burgers closer to the fire to finish:
Now added cheese - The Missus wanted American on hers(rt burger) while I had two slices of Cheddar(left burger):
Bacon at the ready:
I then began the process of burger construction, starting with the bottom bun and a slather of mayo:
Then added the cheddar cheese patty and put the onion ring on top:
Then came the bacon:
Then generously anointed the whole thing with Stubbs BBQ sauce:
And finally, the top bun:
Then smooshed and sliced:
Cheese up close:
And finally what was left of one half:
It was truly spectacular, and without question, one of the best burgers I've ever eaten, for two reasons: The combination of all those fresh ingredients beats the commercial version by a landslide, but more importantly, the flavor of that beef! It had a richness and depth I've never tasted before, even compared to fine USDA prime chuck. It was simply out of this world. I think we'll stick with the grass fed ground beef moving FW.
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