Crank up the heat with this bold and fiery Five Alarm Burger, made for spice lovers who crave serious flavor. Chef Tom brings the flames with a juicy grilled beef patty loaded with jalapeño bacon, smoked pepper jack cheese, crispy fried jalapeños, and a fiery chipotle ketchup—all finished with a touch of ghost pepper salt for that next-level heat.
Whether you’re grilling for a summer BBQ or just love a challenge in every bite, this spicy burger is the real deal. Built on the grill and stacked with flavor, it’s everything a heat-seeker dreams of.
What You'll Love
Five heat sources, one burger, no single note. Ghost pepper salt hits first in the crust, jalapeño bacon builds slow through the bite, fried jalapeño rings bring the crunch and the punch, and chipotle ketchup closes it out with a smoky finish. Pickled red onions are there to keep you coming back for the next bite instead of reaching for milk.
Five Alarm Burger Recipe: The Ultimate Spicy Grilled Burger
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
4
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
718
Turn up the heat with this Five Alarm Burger, built for spice lovers who crave bold flavor and serious fire. This flame-grilled burger layers a juicy beef patty with jalapeño bacon, chipotle ketchup, smoked pepper jack cheese, ghost pepper salt, and crispy fried jalapeños. If you're looking for a spicy burger recipe that delivers a mouthwatering kick in every bite, this one is for you.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground chuck (80/20)
- 4 hamburger buns (Brioche or bakery-style)
- 4 slices smoked pepper jack cheese
- 8 slices jalapeño bacon (or regular bacon + jalapeño slices)
- Ghost pepper salt (or substitute kosher salt + cayenne for milder version)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp canola or beef tallow (for searing)
- Fried jalapeño rings (store-bought or homemade)
-
Big Ricks Chipotle Ketchup
- Pickled red onions
- Romaine or green leaf lettuce
For the Burger
Toppings
Directions
Cook jalapeño bacon on a skillet or grill until crispy. Set on paper towels to drain.
Divide the ground beef into 4 equal patties. Season both sides with ghost pepper salt and black pepper. Press a small dimple in the center of each patty for even cooking.
Preheat your grill to 450–500°F. Sear patties for 3–4 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 135–140°F (medium). Add cheese slices during the last 1–2 minutes of grilling to melt.
Lightly butter the buns and toast on the grill until golden. Optional, but what are you, an animal?
Place the cheese-topped patty on the bottom bun. Layer with jalapeño bacon, fried jalapeño rings, and a spoonful of Big Rick's Chipotle Ketchup. Top with pickled red onions and lettuce, then close with the toasted crown bun.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
How spicy is the Five Alarm Burger, really?
Genuinely hot — five heat sources stacked through the build: ghost pepper salt on the patty, jalapeño bacon, pepper jack, fried jalapeño rings, and chipotle ketchup. If that's more than you want, swap the ghost pepper salt for kosher salt and swap the fried jalapeños for roasted green chiles. You'll still get a flavorful burger, just without the top-end heat.
What's the deal with jalapeño bacon?
The chile heat is rendered into the fat itself, so it spreads through the bacon as it cooks instead of sitting on the surface. No jalapeño bacon on hand? Regular thick-cut bacon cooked alongside a few fresh jalapeño slices gets you most of the way there.
Why ghost pepper salt instead of ghost pepper powder?
It seasons and adds heat in the same pass, and it's a lot less likely to end up in your eyes over a hot grill than loose powder is. Go light the first time — you can always add more on the next batch.
What temp should the patty hit?
450–500°F grill temp, 3–4 minutes per side, until it reads 135–140°F for medium. Add the pepper jack in the last minute or two so it melts before the patties come off. Dimpling the center of the raw patty keeps it from doming, so the cheese doesn't slide off later.
Can I cook this indoors?
Yes — a cast iron or carbon steel pan, preheated until it's smoking, gets you a close sear. You'll lose the open-flame char and the background smoke that plays off the chipotle ketchup, but the bacon, fried jalapeños, and the rest of the build work exactly the same.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 1 burger
- per serving
- Calories
- 718
- Carbs
- 35 grams
- Protein
- 38 grams
- Fat
- 48 grams
- Sodium
- 1100 milligrams
- Fiber
- 3 grams
- Sugar
- 8 grams
