Cowboy Burger Recipe

A Cowboy Burger may cause you to unhinge your jaw - This mammoth burger is full of spicy smoky flavors and piled high with bacon and onion rings for an incredible burger you won't soon forget!

A big burger needs big bold flavors.  That's why this giant Cowboy Burger starts with some spicy shredded cheese mixed right into the ground beef before grilling. 

Then we add our Cowboy Steak Rub with a mixture of seasonings and spices light cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, ground coffee and garlic bring the heat and smokiness. Loading on the bacon and onion rings puts this baby over the top, don't you think?

🧂 Ingredients

• Cowboy Steak Rub
• ground beef
• spicy shredded cheese such as pepper jack
• Worcestershire sauce
• BBQ sauce (I love using this BBQ Sauce recipe, but store bought will do also)
• cheddar cheese
• bacon
• onion rings

Equipment

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• Gas Grill
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cup

Optional:

• Burger Patty Press which helps you to make perfectly shaped burgers, and even stuffed burgers. This is one of my favorite 'extras' in the kitchen.
• Weber iGrill Mini to check the internal temperature

Why do burger patties shrink when cooking?

It's not just ground beef, all meat shrinks in size and weight during cooking.  How much your meat shrinks depends on a number of factors including fat and moisture content, the temperature at which the meat is cooked, and how long it is cooked. Cooking hamburgers at moderate temperatures not only helps to reduce shrinkage but also retains juices and flavor better.

🔪Instructions

This is meant to be a brief overview of the recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below or Jump to Recipe.

• Start by frying the bacon until crispy, then set aside on paper towels.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high.
• Add 1 cup Cabot Shredded Fiery Jack or Pepper Jack cheese to the ground beef.
• Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions and form into patties - I used a burger press to get uniform patties.
• Sprinkle the Cowboy Steak Rub on both sides of the burgers, about ¼ teaspoon per side.
• After that, sprinkle the burgers with 1 tablespoon Worcestershire on each side.
• Place the burgers on the grill and brush with the BBQ sauce. Cook for 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, start cooking your onion rings. I love my air fryer for this.
• Flip the burger and brush the other side with BBQ sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes for medium.
• Add the slices of cheese on top of the burgers. Close the lid and let them the cheese melt, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from the grill onto buns.
• Top with onion rings, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and additional BBQ sauce.

How long do I cook burgers?

The USDA recommends cooking hamburgers to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160 °F (71.1 °C). Use a food thermometer to check that they have reached a safe internal temperature.  I personally use the Weber iGrill Mini because it's super easy to use.

Here are approximate times for cooking burgers:

• Rare: 6 minutes
• Medium rare: 7 minutes
• Medium: 8 minutes
• Medium-well: 9 minutes
• Well-done: 11 minutes

📖 Variations

• Instead of BBQ sauce, try our Spicy Ketchup Recipe.
• For a less spicy burger, use shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese instead of pepper jack.
• Use Ranch Seasoning Mix instead of the Cowboy Rub for a ranch burger!
• Try our sweet and savory Cherry BBQ Sauce.

🍴 Serving Suggestions

These delicious sides can be prepped or fully made ahead of time and will be a great compliment to the burgers:

1. Popular Cowboy Caviar or our Corn and Avocado Salsa are both super easy and can be scooped up with chips or served as a side dish.
2. You can also make up a big bowl of Grilled Corn Salad the day before.
3. Our Rainbow Veggie Kabobs are simple to put together and are as delicious as they are beautiful.
4. Greek Quinoa Grilled Zucchini Boats are full of flavor and easy to make in about 30 minutes.

😋 Similar Recipes

• Cheese Stuffed Burgers
• Unbelievable Butter Burger
• Three Cheese Sliders

📋 Recipe

With spicy shredded cheese incorporated into the ground beef and our Cowboy Steak Rub for added kick, they burgers are perfect for those that like the heat!

Not ready to make our cowboy burger recipe yet? Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later! When you do make it, please be sure to tag me on Instagram @jugglingactmama or #jugglingactmama – I’d love to see your pictures! And finally, if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!

Cowboy Burger

These zesty burgers are seasoned with spicy shredded cheese and our signature Cowboy Steak Rub, then slathered with tangy BBQ sauce and grilled to perfection, topped with more cheese and piled high with bacon and onion rings.

5 from 13 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cowboy burger, cowboy burger recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 burgers

Calories: 664kcal

Author: Ang Paris

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment

• Gas Grill
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cup

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef I use 85% or 90% lean
• ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons Cowboy Steak Rub
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• ½ cup BBQ Sauce
• 4 slices cheddar cheese
• 4 burger buns
• salt and pepper, to taste

Toppings

• lettuce
• tomatoes, sliced
• 8 strips cooked bacon
• onion rings

Instructions

• Start by frying the bacon until crispy, then set aside on paper towels.
  
  
• Preheat the grill to medium-high.
  
• Place the ground beef into a large mixing bowl.
• Add ½ cup Pepper Jack cheese to the ground beef. Do not over mix.
• Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions and form into patties.
  
• Then, sprinkle the Cowboy Steak Rub on both sides of the burgers, about ¼ teaspoon per side.
  
  
  
• After that, sprinkle the burgers with 1 tablespoon Worcestershire on each side.
  
• Place the burgers on the grill and brush with the BBQ sauce. Cook for 4 minutes.
  
• Flip the burger and brush the other side with BBQ sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes for medium.
  
• Meanwhile, start cooking your onion rings. I love my air fryer for this.
• Add the slices of cheese on top of the burgers. Close the lid and let them the cheese melt, about 2-3 minutes.
  
• Remove from the grill onto buns. Top with shredded firey jack cheese, onion rings, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and additional BBQ sauce.
  

Notes

Cowboy Steak Rub Recipe

Get the full recipe for Cowboy Steak Rub here.

Cooking Tip:

Cooking hamburgers at moderate temperatures not only helps to reduce shrinkage but also retains juices and flavor better.

How long should I cook my burgers?

• Rare: 6 minutes
• Medium rare: 7 minutes
• Medium: 8 minutes
• Medium-well: 9 minutes
• Well-done: 11 minutes

Food Safety Tip:

The USDA recommends cooking hamburgers to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160 °F (71.1 °C).

Optional Equipment:

• Burger Patty Press which helps you to make perfectly shaped burgers, and even stuffed burgers. This is one of my favorite 'extras' in the kitchen.
• Weber iGrill Mini to check the internal temperature of your grilled meats. This is the exact model I have and love!

 

Nutrition

Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1190mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 318mg | Iron: 4.7mg

Tried this recipe? Pin It for Later!Mention @jugglingactmama or tag #jugglingactmama!

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Please Note: I am not a registered dietician. Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.