If you’ve never had a Jack Daniel’s burger, you’re in for a treat.
It’s thick, juicy, and fully loaded with bacon, melty cheese, and plenty of zippy glaze.
The pineapple juice and brown sugar add sweetness, the whiskey adds depth and richness, and the cayenne adds heat.
It’s a mouthwatering, iconic restaurant favorite you can make in your own kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Jack Daniel’s Burger
Taste Sensation: There’s whiskey in the burger and even more in the sauce.
So you can really taste it in every bite!
Budget-Friendly Indulgence: As good as a restaurant-made burger is, it’s usually expensive. Luckily, this Jack Daniel’s glazed burger gives you all the indulgence without breaking the bank.
Fun to Make: Lots of recipes taste great, but not all of them are actually fun. This one is. The process of making the sauce and grilling the burgers is enjoyable. Moreso if you turn it into a couples or family activity.
Ingredients
- Jack Daniel’s: A shot in the burgers helps with moisture and brings on the boozy taste. It’s also a key element in the sweet and sticky glaze.
- Ground Beef: Select a package with an 80/20 lean/fat ratio. If you get lean or extra lean ground beef, it won’t be as flavorful.
- Salt & Black Pepper: To season the beef.
- White Onion: Grated into the burger meat, it brings plenty of flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese: A sharp, creamy cheese that’ll melt beautifully over the hot patty.
- Veggies: You can use whatever burger toppings you like best. I typically stick to fresh lettuce, tomato slices, and red onion.
- Bacon: Because honestly, what burger doesn’t taste better with some bacon thrown on it?
- Hamburger Buns: Pick up whatever brand you like best.
- Jack Daniel’s Glaze: This sweet-and-tangy sauce is made with several ingredients: water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, onion powder, Jack Daniel’s whiskey, and cayenne.
How to Make a Jack Daniel’s Burger
I was going to call this one “Better Than TGI Friday’s Jack Daniel’s Bacon Cheeseburger” – but it felt like a bit of a mouthful.
That said, it’s totally true! This homemade version blows the OG out of the park.
Why? Because you can tailor it to your tastes!
Not a fan of garlic? Leave it out. Want more heat? Add some hot sauce.
Check out how easy this burger is to make:
1. COMBINE. Mix all of the glaze ingredients in a saucepan.
2. SIMMER. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thick. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. COOK: Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove to a plate but leave the bacon grease.
4. MIX. Combine the burger meat, Jack Daniel’s, salt, pepper, and grated onion. Portion into patties and press your thumb in the center.
5. GRILL. Cook the patties for 4-5 minutes, flip, and brush with the glaze. Cook for 2 minutes then add the cheese and put the lid on. Cook for another couple of minutes then remove from the pan and set aside to rest.
6. ASSEMBLE. Toast the buns then spread some of the glaze over the tops and bottoms. Place the lettuce on the bottoms and top with the burgers. Add more glaze, if desired, then top with the bacon, tomatoes, onions, and top buns.
Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Jack Daniel’s Burger
I really can’t recommend this Jack Daniel’s bacon cheeseburger recipe enough.
It’s so flavorful, you’ll never want a plain old cheeseburger again.
Of course, when dealing with burger recipes, there are a few tips you should always remember.
I’ve included those here, as well as a few specific to this recipe.
- Don’t overwork the patties. Handling and shaping them too much will leave them flat and dry. Try to touch them as little as possible, stopping as soon as you’ve formed them into a decent shape.
- Bigger is better. Burger patties tend to shrink as they cook. If you make them slightly larger than the buns while raw, they should be perfect after cooking.
- Indent the patties. Press gently into the center of each patty with your thumb. Making an indentation will keep the patties from doming while they cook.
- Flip only once. Burger patties are like pancakes. For the best results, only flip them once. Over-flipping them will cause them to dry out and become tough.
- Make the sauce ahead of time. You can use it right away (after some cooling so you don’t burn your tongue!). But if you don’t want to wait 20 minutes for it to cook, make it in advance. This will give the flavors time to blend, making it even tastier!
- Bake the bacon. Though not required, it’s the best way to ensure it’s super crispy. If you’re a big bacon fan, you may also want to use thick-cut bacon for a heartier flavor.
- Try variations & serve with sides. Swap out the cheddar for your favorite type of cheese. Or add sautéed mushrooms or caramelized onions for extra flavor. As for sides, pair the burger with curly fries, onion rings, or potato wedges. Side salads and coleslaw also work well.
How to Store
Like other burgers, Jack Daniel’s burgers are best fresh.
However, as mentioned, you can make the sauce ahead of time and store it. You can also prepare the patties, stopping short of cooking them.
Here’s how:
To Store: Prepare the sauce according to the recipe instructions. Cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight bottle or container for up to 2 weeks. For uncooked patties, wrap them separately in plastic wrap and store them in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To Freeze: Don’t freeze the Jack Daniel’s sauce. You can, however, freeze uncooked patties. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Grill them straight from frozen, or thaw them in the fridge overnight.
More Burger Recipes You Have to Try
Cheeseburger Sliders
Smash Burgers
Pizza Burgers
Crack Burgers
Jack Daniel’s Burger
4
servings30
minutes10
minutes885
kcalIf you’ve never had a Jack Daniel’s burger, you’re in for a treat. It’s thick, juicy, and fully loaded with bacon, melty cheese, and plenty of zippy glaze.
Ingredients
- For the Jack Daniel’s Glaze
1 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon onion powder
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 cup Jack Daniel’s whiskey, to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- For the Burgers
8 slices bacon
1 pound ground beef
1/2 white onion, grated
1 shot Jack Daniel’s, optional
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns
4 leaves lettuce
1 large tomato, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
Instructions
- Make the Jack Daniel’s Glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the pineapple juice, water, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, onion powder, minced garlic, Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, and cayenne pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir well, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until it thickens and reduces by about half. This process should take around 20 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave the glaze to cool slightly.
- Make the burgers: Place the bacon into a cold skillet and turn the heat to medium. Cook until crispy, then remove from the pan and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high.
- While the bacon cooks, combine the ground beef, grated onion, Jack Daniel’s, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix gently until well combined then form into 4 patties slightly larger than the burger buns. Gently press your thumb into the center of each to make a slight indent to keep them from puffing up.
- Cook the burger patties in the bacon grease for 4-5 minutes undisturbed on one side. Carefully flip the burgers, then brush some of the glaze on top. After a couple of minutes, place a slice of cheese on each patty, put the lid on, and let cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the burgers from the pan and let rest on a plate.
- Assemble: If desired, toast the burger buns. Spread some of the glaze on both sides, then layer the lettuce on the bottom buns. Carefully nestle the cheesy burgers on top and drizzle more glaze over them, if desired. Finish with the crispy bacon, tomato slices, red onion, and the top halves of the burger buns.
- Serve immediatly with more glaze for dipping and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overwork the patties. Add an indentation with your thumb to the center of each one before grilling them.
- Flip the patties only once while cooking them. They’ll cook better if you leave them to form a crust in the hot pan.
Hi, how would this sauce be on baby back ribs? It sounds fantastic.
Thanks
I’ve never tried it on ribs, Conni, but I can’t see why it WOULDN’T work! In fact, you’re right, it sounds like a delicious idea.