Recipes 5 min read
Ultimate Messy Burgers: Beef, BBQ Pulled Pork & Bacon
Filthy Burgers are one of the most popular recipes on Foodie with Family. This decadently meaty burger is perfect for summer grilling.
“What do we want for dinner?”
“MEAT!”
If I had a dime for every time that exchange happens in my house, I could buy some amazing cuts. Meat is expensive!
A few weeks ago I wandered into Oscar’s meat market in the Adirondacks with my dad. Oscar’s specializes in bacon—beef bacon, hickory, applewood, jalapeño, English, Irish and Canadian bacon—plus preformed fresh burger patties. One variety looked odd from a distance because the meat was studded with chunks I couldn’t immediately identify.
Getting closer I read the tag: “Dirty Burgers.” In small print it said “Beef and BBQ Pork.” Say what?
The idea was brilliant for several reasons.
Make your ground beef stretch further
Beef is pricey, while pork shoulder—the base for excellent pulled pork—is inexpensive. Using pulled pork as an extender stretches the beef and lowers the cost without sacrificing flavor. Barbecue pulled pork contributes bold, smoky notes that complement rather than overpower beef. My husband is usually a burger purist—salt, pepper, beef and nothing else—but even he loved this concept. More meat with your meat? Yes, please.
Why call them filthy instead of dirty? I added bacon. Because bacon makes everything irresistible. It’s meat upon meat upon meat.
I returned from a short trip eager to impress my husband and these burgers were a home run. The combination of juicy beef, tangy pulled pork and crunchy bacon won the whole family over.
What beef should I use for the best burgers?
I prefer ground chuck for burgers. It typically runs 80–85% lean with 15–20% fat, which provides the right balance of juiciness and flavor without becoming a grease bomb. I grind my own when possible to ensure freshness and clean equipment, but a friendly meat counter will grind fresh chuck for you. Fresher beef equals better burgers.
Burgers with mix-ins can fall apart
Added ingredients can make patties fragile. Avoid overworking the meat or you’ll end up with a dense puck. To shape burgers gently and consistently, use a ring mold on parchment: drop about 5 ounces of meat in the mold, press gently to form a uniform patty, then lift the ring straight up. If you don’t have molds, form patties by hand, keeping them an even thickness so edges don’t burn before the center cooks.
How does this mixed-up burger taste?
It tastes like beefy, bacony, porky heaven. Even a burger purist was ecstatic. The combination of grilled beef studded with smoky pulled pork and crispy bacon, topped with melted pepper jack (or American) cheese, tangy barbecue sauce and tender lettuce on a toasted bun is pure bliss.
Mix extra and freeze the patties
Make a double batch and freeze leftovers. Form patties on parchment, freeze until solid, then stack with parchment between them in a freezer bag for up to three months. Cook from frozen on the grill just like a store-bought frozen patty.
This is a great option for Independence Day or any grilling gathering—if a plate full of meat appeals to your crowd, these fit the bill.
Pulled Pork Beef Burgers a.k.a. Filthy Burgers
Choose any cooked pulled pork you like. I often use Slow-Cooker Cola Barbecue Pork for the extra chipotle oomph, or a milder Slow-Cooker Cuban Pork if you prefer. Store-bought deli pulled pork works in a pinch.
Cook the bacon until crispy; it will soften slightly when mixed into the moist beef and pork, so fully crisp is best. These burgers are excellent grilled, but also very good pan-fried.
Tools that make Filthy Burgers easier
- Ring molds (optional, for uniform patties)
- Kitchen scale (optional, for consistent portioning)
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Half sheet pan
- Spatula
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Filthy Burgers (Beef, Barbecue Pulled Pork, & Bacon Burgers)
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound of bacon cooked until crisp, drained and crumbled
- 2 cups fully cooked barbecue pulled pork, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
- kosher salt
For serving:
- Toasted burger buns
- Tender lettuce mixed spring greens or butter lettuce
- slices of pepper jack, Monterey jack, or American cheese
- Barbecue sauce
Instructions
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With clean hands, combine the ground chuck, chopped pulled pork and crumbled bacon until evenly distributed.
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For uniform patties, line a baking sheet with parchment. Place about 5 ounces of the mixture into a ring mold and press gently to form an even patty. Lift the mold straight up and tap down any raised edges. Repeat until all patties are formed. Any leftover meat makes a great test patty.
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Chill the patties while you preheat the grill to medium-high. Clean the hot grill and place patties over direct heat. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Keep a spray bottle of water handy for flare-ups. Do not move the burgers for about 4 minutes, until a browned area reaches halfway up the side and you can slide a spatula under them. Flip and continue grilling until grill marks form. Move the burgers to indirect heat to finish: turn off burners under the burgers and set remaining burners to medium-low. When the internal temperature is about 5°F below your target (Rare: 125–130°F; Medium: 140–150°F; Well: 160°F+), top with cheese, transfer to a tray and tent lightly with foil until the cheese melts. Serve on toasted buns with lettuce and barbecue sauce.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate values with the exact ingredients you use if needed.
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I joined about 100 other food bloggers to celebrate Burger Month by sharing one hundred burgers. This post originally published May 31, 2011 and was updated in June 2015 and May 2017.
