Girl's Brunch Burger

This is brunch food that refuses to pick a lane. Seasoned ground beef gets mixed with chopped parsley and grated onion, patted into three thick patties, and hit hard in a cast iron pan. The grated onion is the trick: it melts into the patty while it cooks, keeping each bite juicy without adding chunks.

An over-easy fried egg crowns each burger, with two strips of crisp bacon between the patty and the yolk. When you bite in, that runny yolk runs down into the burger and does the work of any sauce you might have added.

Serve on English muffins for a tidier stack, hamburger buns for the classic, or glazed donuts if you’re fully committing to the sweet-savory brunch fantasy.

Chef Tips

• Don’t overwork the meat when mixing in the onion and parsley. Gentle hands keep the patty tender; kneading turns it dense and tough.
• Press a shallow dimple into the center of each patty before cooking so it cooks flat instead of puffing into a dome.
• Use a cold pan for the bacon and bring it up with the bacon in it. Slow render gives you crisper bacon without shrunken curls.
• Start the eggs a few minutes before the burgers come off the heat so everything lands hot on the plate.

Variations

• Add a slice of sharp cheddar, American, or pepper jack under the bacon.
• Swap the beef for a turkey burger or thick country sausage patty for a full breakfast effect.
• Top with sliced avocado, a smear of chipotle mayo, or a drizzle of maple syrup if going full diner-style.