How To Make USO Burgers

Years ago my husband came back from a deployment to Okinawa raving about the USO burgers. He couldn’t wait to make them for me and now, years later, they are one of my kids’ favorite meals!

This is one of my favorite Blackstone Griddle recipes, so if you have one since you can make a big batch at once. But we’ve also done them on a small indoor griddle.

For those who don’t know, USO stands for United Services Organization. It’s a non-profit organization that supports the U.S. military and their families in a number of ways, including operating centers near military installations and in airports to provide hospitality.

It was at the Camp Schwab USO in Okinawa where my husband first enjoyed what he refers to as either USO Burgers or Man Burgers, depending on his mood and who he’s talking to.

My husband loves the USO burgers because he feels like he gets breakfast, lunch, and dinner in one meal. These are mega burgers, loaded up with lots of extras. Skip the side dishes when you make these burgers because the burgers are a meal in themselves!

And, as it turns out, the perfect inspiration for me to share my husband’s favorite burger recipe. This is not a simple burger recipe but the end result is worth the effort.

Key Components of USO Burgers

My husband loves the USO burgers because he feels like he gets breakfast, lunch, and dinner in one meal. These are mega burgers, loaded up with lots of extras. Skip the side dishes when you make these burgers because the burgers are a meal in themselves!

The first USO burger my husband made for me included:

• hamburger bun
• 1/4 lb hamburger patty
• one slice of cheddar cheese
• lettuce
• one slice of tomato
• sliced onions
• one fried egg
• crisp bacon slices
• sliced jalapenos

For some reason, the epic magnitude of these burgers wasn’t quite enough for my husband. Over the years, he’s slowly added nuances to make his version of USO burgers even more special.

These nuances are the things my kids love best about USO burgers.

Seasoned Beef

We always make the patties ourselves. And by we, I mean my husband, since this is his go-to meal when he volunteers to take dinner duty.

Originally, he would season the hamburger with salt, pepper and garlic powder. A couple of years ago he started adding Montreal steak seasoning and the family agreed this was an improvement.

Bacon Weave

Because the burger is stacked quite high by the time all of the ingredients are piled on, my husband started experimenting with ways to make the layers more stable. He had a stroke of genius when it came to the bacon.

It’s almost impossible to eat a USO burger without a piece of bacon sliding out the side. So, my husband decided to weave the bacon together before cooking it to create a bacon blanket that sits nice and flat on the burger. And more importantly, holds the bacon pieces together so you don’t lose any of that salty goodness while you eat the burger.

Edible Egg Circle

The fried egg was also a frequent casualty during dinner. As you’ve probably noticed, fried eggs can be pretty slippery, which meant they are always trying to slide off the USO burger.

My husband solved this dilemma by using a large ring of fresh onion to contain the egg. He slices the onion, sets it on the griddle (or in the skillet) and cracks the egg into the center.

The egg might still be slippery, but the onion tends to hold its position on the burger. Look at how perfectly sized it is for the burger!

Avocado

Avocado is one of those foods we love so much that we try to put it on everything. USO burgers were the perfect home for it so they are naturally included in our version, even though they weren’t on the original in Okinawa.

Ready to cook up your own homemade USO Burgers? Here are the detailed measurements and directions. Enjoy!

📋 Recipe