Has this ever happened to you? You go out to fire up the BBQ grill only to find out the propane tank is empty. Sure you could pan fry those burgers, but the greasy mess it leaves behind on the stove is a serious pain to clean up. Let’s face it, one of the best things about serving up burgers for dinner is how easy it is. Especially during the hot summer months when the heat saps your energy. Spending time cleaning up a greasy stove after dinner kind of defeats the whole purpose of an easy meal. Cooking up burgers in the air fryer is quick and easy, and keeps the mess to a minimum. Since the air circulates around the patties as they cook, no flipping is required. They stay juicy and flavorful and there’s no greasy mess to clean off the stove. Gotta love that!
So what’s a cracked out burger you ask? It’s a burger with a flavor profile that includes the trifecta of delicious flavors; ranch seasoning, cheddar cheese and smokey bacon. I first came across this fantastic combination of flavors at PlainChicken.com years ago to make Crack Potatoes – The Best Potato Casserole You Will Ever Eat! It’s one of our absolute favorite sides! Everyone, and I mean everyone LOVES it! Whenever I take these to a potluck, the pan comes home licked clean. There’s never a speck left, ever!
So using the same delectable flavor profile to season burgers seemed like a no brainer. Each flavor is incorporated into the beef patty and then repeated on top of each burger when served. The repetition of flavors gives these burgers their fantastic, addictive-as-crack flavor that no one can resist!
Start by cooking bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it’s browned and crisp. Bacon bits will be mixed into the beef patties with the additional strips served on top of the patties.
Drain cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate. Crumble 4 strips and reserve the remaining strips to top each patty.
In a mixing bowl combine the cooked crumbled bacon, Ranch seasoning mix, and shredded cheddar cheese with the ground beef and form the mixture into three ⅓ pound patties.
Depending on the type of air fryer you have, place the beef patties on the air fryer grate or in an air fryer basket. Don’t crowd the patties. Make sure to leave plenty of space between each one for air to circulate around them as they cook. Cook patties in batches if necessary.
Air fry patties for 8 minutes at 400℉. Cook patties to an internal temperature of 145-150℉.
Remove patties from the air fryer and top each one with sliced cheddar cheese.
Return patties to the air fryer and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the sliced cheese has melted.
Serve on toasted buns topped with Ranch dressing, lettuce, sliced bacon, sliced tomato, and red onion, plus your favorite burger condiments.
Top your burgers with this easy to make Copycat Recipe: How To Make Chili’s Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. This is what you’re craving when you get a hankering for a truly delicious Ranch dressing. It’s inexpensive and oh so quick and easy to make too.
These burgers are delicious served with a generous side of this Classic, Oven Baked, Macaroni & Cheese to round out the meal. Comfort food doesn’t get much better than this!
These burgers are also delicious served with these Easy To Make, Best Ever, Skillet Baked Beans. These irresistible savory, slightly sweet beans are infused with smoky bacon flavor that makes them mouthwateringly delicious! You’re going to love these baked beans!!!
A big shout out to Stephanie Parker at PlainChicken.com for the inspiration for this tasty recipe. Be sure to check out the website for all her amazing recipes, especially if you are looking for chicken recipe inspiration. You’re sure to find loads and loads of recipes that will get your mouthwatering. Thank you Stephanie, your blog is truly amazing and inspired me to try something new!
Air Fried Crack Burgers
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
For the patties:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 10 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 tbsp ranch seasoning mix
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- cheddar cheese, slices
To serve:
- toasted buns
- Ranch salad dressing
- bacon slices, cooked
- lettuce
- tomato, sliced
- red onion, sliced into rings
- mustard, ketchup, Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp.
- Drain cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate. Crumble 4 strips and reserve remaining strips to top each burger.
- In a mixing bowl combine the cooked crumbled bacon, Ranch seasoning mix, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Form seasoned beef into three ⅓ pound patties.
- Place patties on air fryer grate. Make sure to leave space between each patty for air to circulate.
- Air fry patties for 8 minutes at 400℉.
- Cook patties to an internal temperature of 145-155℉.
- Remove patties from the air fryer and top each one with sliced cheddar cheese.
- Return patties to the air fryer and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Serve on toasted buns topped with Ranch dressing, sliced bacon, lettuce, sliced tomato, and red onion, plus your favorite burger condiments.
Did You Make This?
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Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:35
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