Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no pink remains, then drain any rendered fat.

Add the water, barbecue sauce, mustard, dried minced onion and pepper, and bring the mixture to a lively boil.

Stir in the instant rice, sprinkle the cheddar over the top, reduce the heat to low, cover and let the dish simmer for 5 minutes so the rice absorbs the liquid.

Uncover, scatter the chopped pickles and crumbled bacon across the surface, and serve immediately while hot.