• prep: 40 min
• cook: 2 hr
• total: 2 hr 40 min

servings:

In our never-ending quest for the best burger, we think we've hit on an outstanding version that requires nothing more than a trip to the supermarket and a short sojourn in the freezer for the bacon. Sure, there are those DIY purists who are going to buy several different beef cuts from a high-end butcher—if not butcher the beef themselves from their own grass-fed steer—then coarsely grind it with their own sterilized meat grinder, but most of us just want an easy recipe for a really great backyard burger. Burger-meisters might be shocked, but this burger does best by being cooked a bit more slowly, over indirect heat. So sit back, pop open a cold one, and let these burgers baste themselves into a sublime place. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for Burger Bash. Menu also includes Homemade French Fries with Five Dipping Sauces and Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake.

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds onions (2 large), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 pound sliced bacon, frozen 1 hour
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 to 8 thin slices extra-sharp Cheddar
• 4 hamburger buns or alternatives such as kaiser or brioche rolls
• Sliced tomato
• Soft-leaf lettuce leaves or baby arugula
• An instant-read thermometer

Click Here For Step-By-Step Instructions