Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger Meal Starter

In a very large skillet (or a stove-top safe roasting pan over two burners) cook the bacon strips over medium heat, stirring frequently, until deeply colored and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crisp bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Cover the plate with foil and set aside. Drain most of the fat from the pan, leaving about 1 Tablespoon, and return the pan to medium heat.

(If using the optional onions, add them to the pan now.)

Break up the ground beef into the pan. Cook the beef, stirring and breaking up large clumps of the beef, until the beef is browned and no longer pink in the center. If necessary (if there is a lot of liquid or fat remaining after browning the beef), drain the beef in a colander, wipe the additional fat from the pan, and return the drained beef to the pan.

Lower the heat on the pan to medium low and into the beef/onion mixture, add the ketchup, sugar, cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes to the beef mixture. Stir to evenly coat and cook until the sauce coats all the beef and is hot. Add the reserved bacon and shredded cheese and stir until the cheese is completely melted and the bacon is evenly distributed. Taste and add black pepper to your liking.

Divide the beef mixture into heat-safe containers with tight fitting lids. I usually divide the starter into 3 cup portions. Cool quickly (by resting in a bowl with ice water halfway up the sides of the containers.) The beef mixture will be good in the refrigerator for four days or in the freezer for up to four months.