How to make the ultimate homemade bacon cheeseburger while you’re camping. Skillet or grilled, cooking tips and toppings ideas, all in one easy recipe.

bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes on wooden cutting board on picnic table

I’m not gonna lie… I love a good cheeseburger, especially when it involves one of my favorite things ever, bacon.

I mean, bacon, ground beef, and cheese… How can you go wrong? It’s such a delicious combination, especially when it has that smoky campfire flavor. Bonus points if you pair it with my favorite campfire chili cheese fries!

Making a bacon burger over the fire is one of the simplest camping recipes you can make. It doesn’t involve a lot of prep or work, besides getting the fire going, which if you’re camping and allowed to have a fire, it’s a no brainer.

Now if you’re not allowed to have a campfire, no problem. You can still make this recipe on a cook stove or even, if allowed, on a grill.

Love a good grilling recipe? You’ll love our Chicago hot dog recipe and taco tuna melt.

hands holding bacon burger over wooden cutting board on picnic table

WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

If you’d rather skip all of my campfire cooking/grilling tips, important info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the bacon cheeseburger recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

WHAT’S ON A BACON CHEESEBURGER?

So before we get started cooking, let’s take a look at what we put on our bacon cheeseburger for toppings. That way you have everything you need before you ever start making.

Below are a few ideas for toppings that we like to use, as well as a few extras you may want to add too.

Bacon – Because of course.
Cheese – We sometimes use American, and sometimes extra sharp cheddar or pepper Jack. I especially love a good extra sharp cheddar cheese.
Lettuce
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced onions – Red onion really gives a pop of flavor and spice.

ultimate bacon cheeseburger on wood cutting board with toppings, including lettuce, red onion, and tomato slices

Mayo, Miracle Whip, ketchup, and/or mustard
BBQ sauce
Avocado
Fried Egg – Sometimes a dippy egg really adds pizzazz to a burger.
Dill pickles

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED COOKING…

Your fire should be down to coals, with a little bit of flame here and there.

We use a tripod grill. You’ll want to watch it closely, though, as you may need to adjust the height of the grill over the fire, so the pan or griddle you’re using doesn’t get so hot that it cooks everything too quickly.

cooking burgers and bacon on griddle and tripod grill over campfire

HOW TO MAKE A GOOD BACON CHEESEBURGER

While there are a few steps to making a good bacon burger, they’re super easy steps, and your burgers will be ready to eat in no time.

First add the ground beef and seasonings to a mixing bowl (or plastic baggie).
Add the water, as well, (this makes for a more juicy burger) and mix everything together with your hands.
Then shape the ground beef mixture into patties and place on a griddle or skillet, with the already heated bacon grease, over the campfire. Cook bacon and burgers until the meat is fully cooked.
Then top with cheese and continue cooking each burger patty until the cheese is melted or begins to melt.

steps for making bacon cheeseburger recipe, including mixing ground beef with seasonings and cooking burger patties with bacon on griddle over campfire

Also, I highly recommend toasting the burger buns in a little bacon grease, until they turn a nice golden brown. Not too toasty but just enough to add a li’l flavor and crispness to the edges of the buns.

Once the burgers, bacon, and buns are done, you can remove them from the heat and begin assembling your burgers.

sliced tomatoes and red onions on cutting board for cheeseburger recipe

Just add the burger patties to the toasty buns, along with your favorite condiments and toppings.

I usually go for mayo, ketchup, and mustard, all three. Then add my burger patty, bacon, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.

open faced bacon burger with lettuce, red onion, and tomato slices on wood cutting board

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THE ULTIMATE BACON CHEESEBURGER

Your bacon burger definitely needs some sides to go with it. Ideas may include…

Fries or onion rings – Nothing beats a good bacon cheeseburger and fries, especially steak fries.
Salad – You could go for a nice side salad or go with deviled egg potato salad or pasta salad instead.
Carrot sticks and celery sticks
Grilled corn on the cob or Mexican corn on the cob (also with bacon)
Homemade baked beans
Feeding a crowd? Pair your bacon cheeseburgers with these easy garlic parmesan chicken skewers!
Hosting a potluck or party event? Cook up a batch of CrockPot hot dogs and Philly cheesesteaks with roast beef to go with your burgers!
Fruit salad
Potato chips
Tortilla chips and salsa
Coleslaw
Watermelon or cantaloupe

loaded bacon cheeseburger with toasted buns on wood cutting board

SHOP KITCHEN TOOLS AND CAMPING GEAR FOR THIS RECIPE:

Small Mixing Bowl or Plastic Bag

Large Cast Iron Skillet – You can also find a 14-inch cast iron pizza pan, which is similar to our large homemade griddle and would work well for cooking burgers and bacon.

Grilling Flipper

Tripod Grill – While we rigged up our own tripod grill, you can also buy them. They come with slightly smaller grates, but still usable over the fire.

Portable Charcoal Grill

Cutting Board and Outdoor Knife Set

Welding Gloves – These work so much better for cooking over a campfire than regular grilling gloves/mitts.

We’ve put together a list of camping cooking gear you may need for your next adventure. Be sure to check it out for all the essentials!