Ingredients:

1/2 pound bacon,cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 pound lean ground beef chuck
4 hamburger buns,split and grilled

Accompaniments: mayonnaise; mustard; iceberg lettuce; sliced tomatoes; dill pickles

Methods:

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat,stirring occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.Cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.

Holding one fourth of beef in your palm, make a depression in beef and add one fourth of bacon to depression.Pull beef over bacon to enclose completely,then flatten into a 3/4-inch-thick patty (4 inches in diameter).Make 3 more patties in same manner with remaining beef and bacon.

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas).

Season patties on both sides with salt and pepper.Oil grill rack,then grill patties,covered only if using a gas grill,turning over once, 5 to 8 minutes total for medium-rare.(Burgers will continue to cook slightly after being removed from grill.)

Assemble burgers with buns and accompaniments.