Double burger. Double cheese. Double bacon. The double bacon cheeseburger is exactly what you imagine when you picture the perfect burger. We didn’t think a burger like this could get much better, but then Barrel Manager Eric Brown stepped in and proved us wrong.

Meet the Brooklyn-Style Double Double. The secret to bringing this classic to the next level? Plenty of candied bacon.

Ingredients:

• 4 of your favorite burger buns (we like Martin’s Potato Rolls)
• 1 pound ground chuck, 80/20 lean to fat
• 8 slices American cheese
• 1 large yellow onion
• Mayo
• Butter
• 8 thick slices candied bacon (recipe below)

For the candied bacon:

Glaze ingredients:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine brown sugar, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and black pepper in a saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved.
3. Arrange 8 thick-cut strips of bacon on a wire rack and set in a sheet pan. Cook in the oven until the bacon fat has rendered out, but is not yet crisp.
4. Brush the bacon generously with the prepared glaze and continue cooking, flipping the bacon frequently and brushing on more glaze until the bacon is crisp with a nice candy coating.
5. Allow bacon to cool on a sheet of parchment paper until burgers are ready for assembly.

Directions:

1. Heat a heavy cast iron pan until it’s nearly smoking hot. While the pan is heating, separate the ground beef evenly into 8 portions and roll into balls.
2. Butter the cut side of the buns and grill until nicely toasted. Dress with mayo and set aside.
3. Butter your cast iron pan and add in the balls of ground beef, leaving about 2 inches of space in between (work in batches if needed so the pan isn’t overcrowded). With a spatula, smash the balls into a patty shape. Let the burgers cook until they no longer stick to the pan and flip to sear the other side. Add a piece of American cheese to each patty and heat until the cheese is good and melty.
4. While the burgers are cooking, julienne a yellow onion and cook over medium heat in a dutch oven with a few tablespoons of butter, stirring frequently. Once the onions are a deep brown color, turn off the heat and add 1-2 oz of Brooklyn Lager and scrape up any crispy bits of onion stuck to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt.
5. Build your burger by stacking 2 patties on top of each bottom bun and top with caramelized onions and 2 slices of candied bacon. Serve with Brooklyn Lager.