is uncooked bacon a bad idea for stuffed burgers?

ddigitalpimp · Jun 8, 2010

i know bacon is usually never a bad idea for anything but... i had a package of ground beef that needed to be frozen so i made some stuffed burgers with cheddar and bacon and froze them for the weekend.

the more i think about it the more i think the bacon and cheese might get weird in the freezer and the bacon might not cook enough or the burgers will be dried out by the time the middle is up to temp. i did burgers on the smoker once before but they were not stuffed and they were great.

any reason why these burgers might not turn out good?

flyhigh123 · Jun 8, 2010

i would cook it just to get that crunchy extra flavor... if u wanted the juice of the bacon, you could always fry it and then mix the bacon juice into the beef...

abigail4476 · Jun 8, 2010

I agree--and I would precook the bacon to use for stuffing. Otherwise, in order to get the bacon done and crunchy inside the burger, you'd have to overcook the burgers.

flyhigh123 said:
i would cook it just to get that crunchy extra flavor... if u wanted the juice of the bacon, you could always fry it and then mix the bacon juice into the beef...

ddigitalpimp · Jun 8, 2010

i am OK with the bacon not being crunchy this time, as long as the bacon is cooked and edible. ill cook them anyway and probe to make sure its up to temp before i pull them.

cliffcarter · Jun 8, 2010

So the bacon was uncooked when you stuffed the burgers? I'm thinking that I would grill rather than smoke them just so that bacon doesn't thaw and ferment in the smoker. If the bacon was cooked before you stuffed the burgers then you're probably OK.

oldschoolbbq · Jun 8, 2010

Hey Pimp, Your bacon is probably smoked already, I see no problem with stuffing the Bacon in the Cow patty.I too like soft bacon;but then I have no teeth

So, smoke on Brotherd Digitalpimp

have fun and,

mballi3011 · Jun 8, 2010

I'm with most of the guys sorry folks (I just saw abili there) here and say that I would cook the bacon. It might be smoked but I wouldn't feel right telling you that it would be ok and then you get sick or something. I do hold the big honor (to me atleast) of being OTBS and I feel it is my duty to lean on the side of caution. I just don't think that the smoker or grill will get hot enough inside the burger to cook the bacon fully and bacon need to be cooked for a while to get completely cooked.

scubadoo97 · Jun 8, 2010

Bacon is cured and smoke so there is a low risk of getting sick. The big problem is texture. Flabby bacon would be a big turn off from a textural point of view. At least to me. Now grinding it into the meat before grilling? Mmmmm, that could be interesting.

pignit · Jun 8, 2010

Being smoked and cured isn't gonna keep you from gettin sick. Getting the burger to an internal temp over 160 degrees will keep you from gettin sick. Doesn't sound very good to me...... but I like my bacon crispy and well done.

bmudd14474 · Jun 8, 2010

scubadoo97 said:
Bacon is cured and smoke so there is a low risk of getting sick. The big problem is texture. Flabby bacon would be a big turn off from a textural point of view. At least to me. Now grinding it into the meat before grilling? Mmmmm, that could be interesting.

Cured or not raw pork needs to be at a safe temp to eat.

If it was me I would precook it because I like crisp bacon.

pineywoods · Jun 8, 2010

As far as safe to eat if the internal temperature of the burger/bacon gets to 160 then it is safe and the bacon will be cooked. Now as for whether it tastes good thats kinda up to individual tastes the bacon won't be crispy but some people don't like it that way. Freezing it with the bacon and cheese in it will not hurt anything that I can think of.

Just because bacon is cured and smoked does not mean its safe. I cure my bacon then smoke it and the bacon never gets over 100 degrees the entire time so it needs to be cooked before eating just as most bacon you buy at the store needs to be cooked before eating

Smoke them and don't forget the Qview

venture · Jun 9, 2010

I agree with all the safety advice given here.

I would never eat raw or undercooked bacon. If it has been smoked, that is just for flavor, not for preservation. It is still raw pork if it is the common variety store pack.

Read those packages carefully and you will note that some of those people are selling "smoke flavored" bacon. This could mean anything from liquid smoke to "natural flavors" to "artificial flavors". Please err on the side of safety.

morkdach · Jun 9, 2010

I always fry it up if im going to stuff it and smoke or grill.

if you wrap it no problem thats my 2¢

tnbarbq · Jun 9, 2010

I would cook the bacon first. Other than safety concerns, I bet the bacon would be chewy. Stuffed, smoked burgers are great though!

mythmaster · Jun 9, 2010

Yes, COOK THE BACON FIRST!!! Then stuff it in the burgers with whatever else.

ddigitalpimp · Jun 10, 2010

mythmaster said:
Yes, COOK THE BACON FIRST!!! Then stuff it in the burgers with whatever else.

could you say that again... i didnt hear you that well.

i think i am just going to toss them and make new ones tonight and freeze them. frozen burgers/steak is better than room temp meat cause it gets more time in the smoker correct?

newflame · Jun 10, 2010

frozen burgers/steak is better than room temp meat cause it gets more time in the smoker correct?

mmm...I would say no, but that may just be an opinion, I never put frozen meat into a smoker.

ddigitalpimp · Jun 10, 2010

NewFlame said:
mmm...I would say no, but that may just be an opinion, I never put frozen meat into a smoker.

i am 100% n00b at this point. i read that here somewhere that frozen meat will get more time in the smoke. makes sense to me. anyone else care to kick in their .02c ?

smabob · Jun 10, 2010

I would thaw them chop them up and make a smoked meatloaf out of them.That way you won't get a long piece of undercooked bacon being pulled out of the burger on the first bite

Bob

pineywoods · Jun 10, 2010

Personally I have never gone from freezer to smoker I usually go from refrigerator to smoker.

I would not throw the burgers you have already made up away. I would smoke them to an internal of 160 and give them a try. When I first saw this thread and everybody saying not to do it I thought maybe I was missing something as I thought it would be perfectly safe and I pm'ed a couple people including Tulsa Jeff and they said the same thing that I thought if you take them to 160 the bacon and the burger will be cooked and will be safe to eat. As many have said the taste may not be what your looking for but if you already have it made why not give it a try and find out for sure

is uncooked bacon a bad idea for stuffed burgers?

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