Cowboy Butter Burgers

Savor this juicy Cowboy Butter Burger with crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and melty cheese, all topped with a rich, spicy compound butter. This Southwest twist on the classic Wisconsin favorite will blow your mind.

Yes, that’s a spoonful of melty butter dripping down into everything. Just try it once, you’ll see.

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The beloved Wisconsin butter burger is classic for a reason: it’s that spoonful of soft butter spread onto a toasted bun that slowly melts into the meat.

Cowboy butter is an animal on its own, a delicious compound butter fortified with fresh herbs, garlic, chiles, and lemon juice. Adding it to any type of food creates a bright and spicy burst of flavor, something that seemed to work extremely well on a burger.

I’ve adapted this recipe for Cowboy butter specifically for the burger. People love to melt it and serve it as a dipping sauce, but I don’t want to bite into chunks of raw garlic when spread onto a burger bun. You’ll find this is a much more pleasant experience without sacrificing flavor.

Watch the Recipe

Cowboy Butter Ingredients

Using fresh herbs makes all of the difference in this recipe, which I highly recommend. Dry herbs will work in a pinch but require some time in the fridge to rest and hydrate before serving.

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (~½ lemon)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt & pepper

Mix everything together and store in a sealed container. This compound butter can be prepared ahead of time, even days before.

Keep this Cowboy butter out of the fridge if you’re making the burgers soon after. It needs to be at room temperature so that it can easily spread!

Burger Ingredients & Toppings

Sure, you can put this compound butter on any burger and it’ll be very flavorful. This specific combination draws out the most savory flavors with the caramelized onions, crispy bacon, and melty cheese. No sauce is needed, that’s what that butter is for.

• 6 strips thick bacon
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon beef tallow, or oil
• 1 pound ground beef, portioned into ¼-pound patties
• 2 tablespoons Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning
• 4 slices of white American cheese, Jack, or havarti
• 8 tablespoons Cowboy Butter
• 4 burger buns

Variations for Toppings

Explore a variety of flavors with pickles, sauces, combinations of cheeses, and much more. Here are some of my recommendations:

• Avocado: For a creamy, refreshing bite. Slice thin or mash it up.
• Fried Egg: Just go all in, eggs with butter and burgers.
• Pickles: Any kind of pickles would be very tasty! Kick it up with our Quick Pickled Jalapenos or Quick Pickled Red Onions.
• Cheese: Go classic with cheddar, smoky with Gouda, or kick it up with some pepperjack.

How to Cook

Preparing the Cowboy butter burgers start by mixing up the recipe for the delicious compound butter. It’s the star of the show, bringing most of the zesty and spicy flavors to the party.

1. Prepare the Cowboy Butter: Mix all ingredients with a fork. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
2. Form the Burger Patties: Press slightly in the center of each patty to prevent swelling. Season generously with the Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning.
3. Cook the Bacon and Onions: Preheat the griddle to low heat. Add oil or beef tallow, then the onions. Cook slowly until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Cook the bacon alongside, flipping every few minutes until crispy.

4. Toast the buns. Turn up the heat to medium and place the buns on the seasoned surface to toast them lightly.
5. Sear the burgers. Place the burgers on the hot surface and allow them to cook for about 4-5 minutes until they form a crispy crust. Flip when ready and continue to cook on the second side until you’ve reached the desired doneness.
6. Assemble the burgers. Place the soft onions on the bottom bun, followed by the burger with cheese, and bacon. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the softened cowboy butter on the top bun and press it down firmly onto the burger.

Important Tips

• Room-temp butter: This is crucial for mixing the butter together, and spreading onto the buns.
• Low and slow onions: Take your time with the onions, the flavors will be sweeter and richer.
• Toast the buns: This step helps with the butter, so the buns don’t absorb all of it so quickly.
• Season generously: Cowboy butter has a lot of flavor, but don’t forget to season that burger.

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Cowboy Butter Burger Recipe

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Savor this juicy Cowboy Butter Burger with crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and melty cheese, all topped with a rich, spicy compound butter. This Southwest twist on the classic Wisconsin favorite will blow your mind.

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 6 strips thick bacon

• 1 sweet onion, diced

• 1 tablespoon beef tallow, or oil

• 1 pound ground beef, portioned into ¼-pound patties

• 2 tablespoons Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning

• 4 slices of white American cheese, Jack, or havarti

• 8 tablespoons Cowboy Butter (recipe below)

• 4 burger buns

Cowboy Butter

• ½ cup (1 stick ) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (½ lemon)

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• Salt & pepper

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Prepare the cowboy butter by mixing all of the ingredients with a fork. Taste and adjust with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Store in the fridge if not used immediately, but allow it to come to room temperature before use. It needs to be soft for spreading.

2. Form the burger patties. Press slightly in the center of the burger to prevent swelling, and season generously on all sides with the rub.

3. Preheat the griddle to a low heat. Add the oil or fat to the surface, and then the onions. Spread them out and allow them to cook slowly. Place the strips of bacon alongside the onions and continue to cook at a low temperature, flipping every few minutes to cook evenly. This will take about 10 minutes, the onions should brown and become soft, and the bacon will be crispy. Remove both when ready and set aside.

4. Toast the buns. Turn up the heat to medium and place the buns on the seasoned surface to toast them lightly. Remove and set aside.

5. Sear the burgers. Place the burgers on the hot surface and allow them to cook for about 4-5 minutes until they form a crispy crust. You may lift them up slightly with a spatula to check before flipping. Flip when ready and continue to cook on the second side until you’ve reached the desired doneness. Turn off the heat and place your cheese on each burger, allowing it to melt. Remove when ready.

6. Assemble the burgers. Place the soft onions on the bottom bun, followed by the burger with cheese, and bacon. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the softened cowboy butter on the top bun and press it down firmly onto the burger. Serve while warm.

Notes

• Room-temp butter: This is crucial for mixing the butter together, and spreading onto the buns.
• Low and slow onions: Take your time with the onions, the flavors will be sweeter and richer.

• Author: Brad Prose
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Burgers & Sandwiches
• Method: Grilling
• Cuisine: Burger, Dinner, Lunch

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 604
• Sugar: 6.9 g
• Sodium: 859.5 mg
• Fat: 37.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 27.3 g
• Protein: 39.6 g
• Cholesterol: 154.1 mg

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