Wendy’s Baconator Copycat Recipe

This Wendy’s Baconator copycat brings the real thing home: two beef patties, six strips of bacon, American cheese, and a ketchup-mayo sauce on a brioche bun. If you’ve been craving one but don’t want to drive through, this version is ready in about 25 minutes and costs less per burger than the original.

The patties cook fast on a hot cast-iron pan, and the assembly takes two minutes. It’s a straightforward burger that delivers exactly what it promises.

Why I Love This Recipe

The thing that makes this work is the fat-to-salt ratio. The beef patties are thin enough to get crispy edges, and the bacon fat left in the pan actually helps you cook them.

The sauce is just ketchup and mayo, but the proportion matters. Too much ketchup and it tastes like a school-lunch burger. Get it right and it tastes like the real thing.

This is the version I keep coming back to when I want a serious burger without firing up a grill.

Recipe Ingredients

• 2 lbs 80/20 ground beef – The higher fat content gives you crispy edges on thin patties; leaner beef steams instead of sears
• 1 tsp kosher salt – For seasoning the patties before they hit the pan
• 1/2 tsp black pepper – Freshly cracked if you have it
• 12 strips bacon – Regular-cut, not thick-cut; thick bacon stays chewy and throws off the texture balance
• 4 slices American cheese – The processed kind melts properly; cheddar will slide off
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise – Full-fat for the sauce
• 4 tbsp ketchup – Standard ketchup, nothing fancy
• 4 brioche burger buns – Toasted; a soft brioche holds up to the grease without turning soggy immediately
• 1 tbsp neutral oil – Canola or vegetable, for the pan if needed

Variations / Substitutions

• Ground turkey instead of beef – The burgers will be lighter and less greasy, but you won’t get the same crispy edges; use 93/7 fat ratio for the best result.
• Turkey bacon instead of pork bacon – It works fine but renders less fat, so add the neutral oil to the pan before cooking the patties.
• Gluten-free buns – Any sturdy gluten-free brioche-style bun works; toast it well so it doesn’t fall apart under the weight.
• Pepper jack instead of American – It melts almost as smoothly and adds a mild heat that’s actually pretty good with the ketchup-mayo sauce.
• Hot sauce in the sauce – Add 1 tsp of your preferred hot sauce to the mayo-ketchup mix for a spicy version.
• Extra patty – This recipe is sized for a double Baconator, but you can form thinner patties and stack 3 per bun if you want to go further.

If you like making fast-food burgers at home, the Smash Burger Recipe is worth trying next.

How To Make Baconator

Step 1: Fry the Bacon

Lay all 12 strips of bacon flat in a cold skillet, then set the heat to medium. Let the pan come up to temperature with the bacon in it, which helps the strips render evenly without curling. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes total, flipping once halfway through, until the bacon is deep golden and crisp at the edges.

Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off most of the bacon fat from the pan, but leave about 1 tsp behind. That residual fat will flavor the beef patties.

Step 2: Form the Beef Patties

Divide the 2 lbs of ground beef into 8 equal portions, roughly 4 oz each. Press each portion into a flat patty about 4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Season both sides with the 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided evenly across all 8 patties.

Press a small indent in the center of each patty with your thumb. This keeps them from puffing up in the middle as they cook.

Step 3: Sear the Patties

Return the skillet with the reserved bacon fat to high heat. Add the 1 tbsp neutral oil if the pan looks dry. When the oil just starts to smoke, lay 4 patties in the pan without crowding them. Cook for 2 minutes on the first side without moving them, until the edges turn brown and crispy.

Flip each patty and immediately lay 1 slice of American cheese on top. Cook for another 90 seconds, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 4 patties.

Don’t press down on the patties while they cook. Pressing pushes out the fat that creates those crispy edges.

Step 4: Toast the Buns

Without wiping the pan, reduce the heat to medium. Place the 4 brioche buns cut-side down in the skillet and toast for about 60 to 90 seconds, until the cut surfaces are golden brown and slightly crispy.

Watch them closely at this point. Brioche has a higher sugar content than regular burger buns and will go from golden to burnt faster than you expect.

Step 5: Mix the Sauce

Stir together the 4 tbsp mayonnaise and 4 tbsp ketchup in a small bowl until fully combined and uniform in color. The sauce should be a pale orange-pink. That’s all it is, and it’s the right call.

Step 6: Build and Plate the Burgers

Spread a generous spoonful of sauce on both the top and bottom of each toasted bun. Stack 1 cheese-topped patty on the bottom bun, lay 3 strips of bacon across it, then add the second cheese-topped patty and 3 more strips of bacon on top. Set the top bun on and press down lightly. Serve immediately with the cross-section of the stacked patties visible, bacon edges showing at the sides.

Recipe Tips

• Choose 80/20 beef. The fat percentage is not negotiable here if you want crispy edges. Buy it fresh and don’t overwork it when forming the patties, or they’ll turn dense.
• Cold patties sear better. Form the patties and refrigerate them for 15 minutes before they go in the pan. Cold beef hits a hot pan and sears instead of steaming.
• Mise en place matters here. Everything moves fast once the patties go in. Have the cheese slices out, bacon cooked, and buns ready to toast before the beef touches the pan.
• Leftover sauce keeps well. Any extra ketchup-mayo sauce keeps in the fridge in a small jar for up to a week and works on sandwiches, fries, or as a dipping sauce.

Cook times by patty thickness:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store cooked patties and bacon separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Keep the sauce in a small jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Assembled burgers do not store well.
• Reheating – Reheat patties in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side. Avoid the microwave; it makes the beef rubbery and the edges lose any crispiness. Re-toast the buns fresh.

What To Serve With Baconator

A side of thin, crispy fries is the obvious call, but the reason it works is textural: the crunch and salt of fries cuts through the richness of two beef patties and bacon without competing with the flavor. A simple iceberg wedge salad with a cold, acidic dressing does the same thing differently if you want something lighter on the side. Onion rings are a natural pairing too, since the slight sweetness of the batter plays against the salty bacon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the patties ahead of time?

Yes. Form and season them up to 24 hours ahead, then cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook. Don’t freeze them before cooking, as the texture of thawed raw patties gets waterlogged.

Can I cook these on an outdoor grill instead of a pan?

You can, but you’ll lose the crispy seared edge that comes from direct contact with a flat surface. If you use a grill, a cast-iron griddle plate placed over the grates gets you closer to the stovetop result.

My patties are shrinking a lot. What went wrong?

Shrinkage usually means the heat is too low or the patties were overworked when formed. High heat and minimal handling when forming the patties keeps them close to their original size.

Can I double this recipe for a crowd?

Yes. Scale up the ingredients directly and cook in batches, keeping finished patties in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a wire rack while you finish the rest. The rack keeps air circulating so the edges stay crisp.

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Baconator Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs 80/20 ground beef
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 12 strips regular-cut bacon
• 4 slices American cheese
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 4 brioche burger buns
• 1 tbsp neutral oil

Method

 

1. Fry the 12 strips of bacon in a cold skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once, until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and leave about 1 tsp of fat in the pan.
2. Divide the 2 lbs ground beef into 8 equal patties, roughly 4 oz each and 1/2 inch thick. Season both sides with the 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Press a small indent in the center of each.
3. Heat the skillet with reserved bacon fat over high heat, adding the 1 tbsp neutral oil if the pan looks dry. Sear 4 patties for 2 minutes on the first side, flip, top each with 1 slice of American cheese, and cook for another 90 seconds. Repeat with the remaining 4 patties.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and toast the 4 brioche buns cut-side down in the same pan for 60 to 90 seconds, until golden.
5. Stir together the 4 tbsp mayonnaise and 4 tbsp ketchup until smooth.
6. Spread sauce on both sides of each bun, stack 1 patty, 3 bacon strips, a second patty, and 3 more bacon strips, then press on the top bun and serve immediately.

Notes

The patties cook fast on high heat, so have everything ready before they go in the pan. If your stove runs hot, pull the patties a few seconds early rather than late. Assembled burgers don’t hold well, so build them right before serving.