Bacon rarebit burger Recipe

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This Bacon rarebit burger is a savory and cheesy recipe, which is made with beef mince and a quick Worcestershire cheese sauce. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in just 15 minutes.

Bacon rarebit burger Ingredients

A gourmet combination for a seriously flavor-packed burger.

125g higher-welfare beef mince
2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
3 chestnut mushrooms
25g Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 soft burger bun
2 heaped teaspoons soured cream
1 gherkin
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make a Bacon rarebit burger

A step-by-step guide to this incredibly fast and delicious burger.

Cook the Mushrooms and Form Patties: Place trimmed chestnut mushrooms cut-side down in a large, dry non-stick frying pan over a high heat. While they cook for 5 minutes, season the beef mince with salt and pepper. Divide the mince into two equal balls and flatten them into very thin patties. Press one rasher of bacon firmly onto the top of each patty.
Fry the Burgers: Flip the mushrooms in the pan. Place the burgers into the hot pan, bacon-side down. Fry hard and fast for 2 minutes, pressing down with a spatula to get the bacon nice and crispy. Flip the burgers and cook for just 1 minute on the other side.
Stack and Toast: Move the cooked mushrooms on top of the burger patties in the pan. Halve the bun and toast it in the pan alongside the burgers until lightly golden.
Make the Rarebit Sauce: Remove the toasted bun to a serving board. Move the burgers to the side. Off the heat, coarsely grate the Cheddar cheese into a pile on the cleanest side of the hot pan. Pour the Worcestershire sauce directly on top of the cheese. Tilt the pan and stir the cheese and sauce together vigorously for about 30 seconds until it melts into a thick, oozy, pourable sauce.
Assemble and Serve: Spread the soured cream on the bottom bun. Stack the burgers and mushrooms on top, then add a few slices of gherkin. Pour the hot rarebit sauce all over the burger stack. Place the top bun on and devour immediately.

Recipe Tips

For the gooiest, most flavorful rarebit burger.

How to get the bacon crispy? By making the beef patties very thin and pressing the bacon onto them, you can cook them bacon-side down first. Pressing them with a spatula helps render the bacon fat and ensures it gets direct, high heat for maximum crispiness.
What is “rarebit”? A traditional Welsh rarebit is a savory sauce of melted cheese and seasonings served over toasted bread. This recipe creates a quick, “deconstructed” version in the pan for a deeply flavorful and gooey burger topping.
Why make the cheese sauce off the heat? Taking the pan off the direct heat when you add the cheese prevents it from seizing, burning, or becoming greasy. The residual heat of the hot pan is all you need to melt the cheese and Worcestershire sauce together into a perfect, oozy consistency.
Can I use a different kind of cheese? Yes. A sharp, mature Cheddar is classic for a rarebit flavor, but a good melting cheese like Red Leicester, Double Gloucester, or even a strong Gruyère would also be delicious.

What To Serve With a Bacon rarebit burger

Classic sides to complete this indulgent meal.

This rich and savory burger is a meal in itself, but it’s fantastic when paired with:

Crispy, chunky chips or skinny french fries
A simple, crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette to cut the richness
Onion rings
A cold, dark ale or a pint of stout

How To Store Leftovers

This burger is best enjoyed immediately.

Best Eaten Fresh: Due to the nature of the melted cheese sauce and the textures involved, this burger is best made and eaten fresh. Storing and reheating is not recommended as the textures will change significantly.

Bacon rarebit burger Nutrition Facts

An estimated guide per burger.

Calories: 750 kcal
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Protein: 40 g
Fat: 50 g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Can I cook this burger on a barbecue?

Yes, you can cook the mushroom and bacon-topped patties on a hot barbecue. You would need to make the rarebit sauce separately in a small, heatproof pan on the side of the grill or on the stovetop just before serving.

What if I don’t have soured cream?

Mayonnaise or a creamy horseradish sauce would be a great substitute for the soured cream, adding a similar creamy texture and tangy flavor to the bun.

Can I make a double patty version?

Absolutely! This recipe already creates a double-patty stack. If you want an even bigger burger, you could use more mince to make four patties and stack them high, layering the mushrooms in between.

Try More Recipes:

Jamie Oliver 15 Minute Meal Steak, Liver & Bacon
Jamie Oliver Brussel Sprouts With Bacon
Jamie Oliver Turkey And Bacon

Course: DinnerCuisine: British-AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

750

kcal

An incredibly quick and savory gourmet burger, featuring two thin beef patties with crispy bacon, topped with pan-fried mushrooms and a rich, gooey Worcestershire and Cheddar “rarebit” sauce.

Ingredients

125g beef mince
2 rashers smoked streaky bacon
3 chestnut mushrooms
25g Cheddar cheese
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 soft bun
2 tsp soured cream
1 gherkin

Directions

Sear trimmed mushrooms cut-side down in a hot, dry non-stick pan for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, form the mince into two very thin patties and press a rasher of bacon onto each.
Flip the mushrooms. Add the patties to the pan, bacon-side down, and cook for 2 minutes, pressing to crisp the bacon. Flip and cook for 1 more minute.
Stack the mushrooms on the burgers in the pan. Toast the bun alongside them.
Remove the bun. Off the heat, make the rarebit sauce by melting the grated cheese and Worcestershire sauce together in a clean spot in the hot pan, stirring for 30 seconds until oozy.
Assemble the burger: spread soured cream on the bottom bun, then stack the burgers, mushrooms, and sliced gherkin.
Pour the hot rarebit sauce over the stack, top with the bun lid, and serve immediately.

Notes

Making the beef patties very thin ensures they cook quickly at the same time as the bacon.
Using the residual heat of the pan to make the rarebit sauce is the key to a perfect, non-greasy melt.
This is a very fast recipe, so have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking.
A sharp, mature Cheddar will give the most authentic and tangy rarebit flavor.