Preheat grill to medium heat and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place bacon on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and cover the top with freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook the bacon for 8-10 minutes until beginning to crisp

Lay bacon onto paper towels to drain and cool

Separate ground beef into 8 (3oz) portions

Roll meat into balls and place onto wax paper

Press balls down into evenly sized patties (you can also use a burger press for this part)

Make a small indentation into center of 4 of the patties and place 2 tbsp pimento cheese into each one

Top with remaining 4 patties and press edges with a fork to seal the meat, then smooth out edges with fingers

Grill burgers until desired doneness (it's about 4 min per side for medium)

Place on a bun, if desired, and top with bacon and sliced pickled jalapeños