Reading Time: 3 minutesI don’t usually cry out in delight while eating. It tends to throw off my fellow diners (and no matter what the occasion, moaning while chewing is a habit best kept to oneself). Luckily, I was by myself, sampling the output of this recipe, the last time I did it.
If you’re not familiar with the 50/50 Bacon and Beef Burger, you’ve likely never been to Slater’s in San Diego.
This burger is their whole game, a huge menu of bovine and porcine combinations smothered in every accouterment ever put on a patty — eggs, coleslaw, french fries, barbecue sauce — an entire universe of hedonic toppings (nested atop a hedonic burger, wrapped in a hedonic bun). It’s worth the trip.
Unfortunately, the possibility of leaving Slater’s without violating the tenets of a healthy diet are slim to none, and so I set about making a burger that would replicate the experience of Slater’s without the drawbacks, memories of that temple of excess nonetheless firmly in my mind.
50/50 Bacon and Beef Burger
I set about making a burger that would replicate the experience of San Diego's famed Slater's burger without the drawbacks.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. 90% ground beef
- 1 lb bacon nitrate and sugar free
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 2 tomatoes
- Olive oil
Optional Ingredients:
- Dill pickles
- Organic mustard
- WLC-compliant mayonnaise see notes for link
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Patties
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Using a food processor, turn your bacon into ground bacon. Prior to grinding, I put the bacon in the freezer (for about a half hour) to prevent it from sticking to the blades of my processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can ask your butcher to grind the bacon for you prior to leaving the store.
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Combine ground beef, bacon, almond flour, and egg. Using a large bowl, work the ingredients together until blended. The almond flour and egg will help the ground beef and bacon stick together.
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Divide your meat into four equal amounts and hand pack into patties.
Step 2: Pan Fry and Prep
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Put a saute pan on medium heat and add a bit of olive oil. Once up to temperature, begin cooking the burgers.
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Due to the high fat content from the bacon, you'll want to flip the burgers frequently to avoid burning.
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While the burgers cook, prepare your butter lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. The butter lettuce will serve as your "bun," while the tomatoes add a nice, cool contrast to the finished burgers (and pickles speak for themselves). Be sure to keep the butter lettuce leaves whole, and slice tomatoes and pickles so they'll lay flat.
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I recommend you cook the burgers to 160 degrees ("medium"). Because of the high bacon content, you won't lose juiciness.
Step 3: Plate and Serve
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Put a piece of butter lettuce on each plate and place a burger on top. Leave a little lettuce showing underneath the burger, as this will fold up and protect your guests from renegade drips of bacon fat.
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Put tomato slice, pickles, and dressings on the burger. I recommend organic mustard and homemade mayonnaise if you want to keep things healthy.
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Finish with another piece of butter lettuce on top of the burger.
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I sent this meal to the table with a bit of mashed sweet potato on the side. You could do the same, or pick another favorite side.
Recipe Notes
This recipe can be compliant on all levels depending on your bacon, so double check your ingredients.
Click here for a WLC-compliant mayo recipe.
Previously, he founded Again Faster Equipment, a functional fitness equipment company created to serve the CrossFit community. Established in 2006, Jon took the Company global in 2012, twice landing on the Inc. 500/5000 list of America’s fastest growing private companies.
From 2007 to 2013, he served as a Senior Lecturer for CrossFit, Inc., training aspiring CrossFit trainers at over 100 seminars, including engagements in Iceland, Afghanistan, Moscow, Holland, the United States, and Canada. Jon also served on the CrossFit L1 Advisory Board, helping establish policy for the organization’s training efforts from 2011 to 2013.
He’s also done stints in state government, gym management, and consulting — and currently teaches classes at CrossFit City Line.
Jon graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2003, summa cum laude, with a B.A. in Psychology. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Finance and Control from the Harvard Extension School, 2006, and has completed coursework in data analytics.
