There are few foods more American than burgers. Therefore, a hotly debated topic is: How do you make the best burger on the planet? For those who love this food, the answer is simple: perfection. But, have you ever wondered why the burgers at your favorite steakhouse are always so moist, tender, and juicy? Well, often, the secret to their burgers is the quality of meat and the amount of fat used in the burgers. In fact, they are focused on giving you a great burger experience. So, they are not serving you lean ground beef but at least 25% fatty ground beef. On the other hand, when we make burgers at home we look for lean ground beef. You see, full-fat cuts of meat give you rich, tender, juicy burgers. While the lean cuts tend to give you dry burgers because there is no fat to hold the moisture in.
Step-by-Step: Juicy homemade burger
Beef burger patty
Patty mixture – In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with all patty ingredients.Pro tip – Bring it all together but do not overwork the mixture as it will make the burgers tough.
Divide the burger mixture into 4 large, 6 medium, or 8 double patty.Pro tip – The 4 large burgers will be approximately 8 oz or 250 grams each and the 4 medium will be about 6 oz or 160 grams each, while the mini will be about 125 g each. Shape – Dip your hands in water (this prevents sticking) and helps shape the patties. And place the patties on a baking sheet. Classic burger – Make a ball then flatten and shape the edges. Cheese stuffed – Make a ball then flatten it on the palm of your hand. Then, place a piece of cheese in the middle and bring the edges over. Shape into a ball and flatten again. Double burger patty – Divide the mixture into two smaller patties and flatten them to make two thinner patties.Pro tip – You can keep these patties on a baking tray wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator up to a day in advance or until you are ready to grill them. Then, thaw the patties to room temperature an hour before grilling.
How to grill burger patty
Heat the griddle or cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. I like to brush the pan with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Half the cooking time you can start grilling onions and in the final minute, you can toast the buns.Pro tip – For ground beef with high fat you don’t need any oil.
Place the burger patty on the grill. Classic burger – Grill on the first side for 4 minutes, then flip on the other side and cook another 3 minutes until done. Cheese stuffed burgers – Cook on the first side for 3 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Double burger pattys – These are thinner patties so they take only about 2 minutes on each side.Pro tip – A one-inch classic burger patty will take around 7 minutes in total, while a cheese-stuffed patty will take about 6 minutes in total and thinner patties take no more than 4 minutes, otherwise they will dry out.
Assemble (Classic, Cheese, double burger)
Split the burger buns in half and toast them on the grill cut side down at the last minute of cooking on medium heat. Place the bun bottoms on the plate and spread some burger sauce with a spoon. Top with lettuce leaves, then the tomato slices, followed by the onions. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper. Next, place the burger patty. I like to top mine with some crispy bacon. Then, spread some more burger sauce on the top half of the bun. And place the bun tops on top of the burgers. Serve burgers with your choice of sides like fries, onion rings, or salad.
Frequently asked questions
Cream cheese Burgers – Use cream cheese instead of mayo to make the burger sauce. Mexican Burgers – Add spicy pickled Jalapenos and top with salsa instead of veggies. Then, top with a dollop of sour cream and mayo. Habenero Burgers – Use habanero jam or relish on the burger with pickles and mayo El Guapo Burgers – Pickled jalapenos with caramelized pineapple along with the veggies. Top with mayo and ketchup. Texan Burger – A classic cheeseburger with mayo, mustard, and sticky BBQ sauce.
Soft homemade burger buns – a classic white bread dough made into buns. Hokkaido hamburger buns – a Japanese milk bread made with a flour roux. Brioche burger buns – are rich and buttery and made with lots of milk and eggs. Soft whole wheat burger buns – made with half whole wheat flour instead of white flour. Sourdough brioche buns – made using a sourdough starter and a brioche dough.
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