When PB&J meets bacon cheeseburger, you get an interesting flavor combination that keeps you chomping til it’s gone!

A few months ago, I came across this overly delicious (dangerously delicious) peanut butter whiskey. It wasn’t sold locally yet, but it is now! Luckily, shortly after I tried it, we traveled a few hours away for a family event.  On our way home, I found it on the shelf and went all Garth Brooks, “BRING ME TWO……….”.  With each hand gripping a bottle of the peanut butter nectar, my wheels were spinning about the night’s plans.  I now had this delicious drink and hadn’t had supper.  So, I called the fam with the jams and we worked out a plan.  PB&J Burgers!!!! I had never made them and none of us had eaten them, but with this new drink and Marley’s Jams, it just made sense. 

We all gathered round the table and were each probably halfway through the burger before we made a decision.  We loved them! It’s kind of like that weird friend that you love because, despite their weirdness (uniqueness), they’re awesome in their world……..and yours! That is the best way I can describe it, strangely amazing.

The Burger

The are a couple key considerations in creating this concoction.  Those are seasoning and ratios.  My preference and advice is to keep the peanut butter and jam as underlying flavor notes. Otherwise, it dominates and makes you feel more like you’re eating a sandwich than a burger.  But again, you do you! Same goes with the patty size. There has been some debate about 1/4 lb vs 1/3 lb, but both are good.  This is simply a matter of preference.  

The seasoning, however, is key.  You can season your meat with your preference but keep in mind that this is what brings cohesion to the burger. I’ve tried a few different ways and the two best seem pretty funky.  They are, actually, but they work.  You’ve seen both brands here before and they are Manitou Trading Company’s Five Spice Powder and Flavor God’s Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. I’ve found that for dark jams, like grape or blackberry, the five spice powder works great.  For red jams, like strawberry or raspberry, the jerk seasoning is the way to go.  They just work! I’ve done blind challenges for people to choose their favorite to confirm, too. 

PB&J Burger

Print

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/3 lb hamburger patty
• 1 slice smoked cheddar
• 1 tsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp jam
• 1 1/2 slice of bacon
• 1 brioche bun

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon to your preferred crispiness. I like to put some fresh cracked pepper on mine.
2. Season the burger and sear each side in a cast iron for approximately 60-90 seconds. You want a crisp char on each side. Then place in the oven for about 8 minutes.
3. About half way through, top the burger with cheese, allowing the cheese to melt.
4. Place the bun face down on a buttered cast iron over medium heat to toast. Be careful not to burn.
5. Spread the peanut butter on the bottom half of the bun and the jam on the top half.
6. Place the burger on the bun, top with bacon, and complete. With this setup, the bite should go: nutty, beefy, smoky, savory/peppery, then sweet. With so much flavor, you'll be halfway through the burger before you have it all figured out!

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving:

For other great burger ideas, see The Triple Stack Burger and The Funky Java Burger.