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hamburger

Hamburger Heaven: 7 Tasty Ways to Enjoy This Classic

Print Recipe
Course main dish
Cuisine American
Keyword easy hamburger recipe, hamburger, homemade burgers, juicy burgers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 485

Equipment

  • Heavy pan or grill
  • Big bowl
  • Spatula
  • Knife

Ingredients

For the Meat (makes 4 burgers):

  • 1½ pounds ground beef 80/20 mix - this is super important!
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce it's in a brown bottle
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons cold butter cut up small

For Building the Burgers:

  • 4 hamburger buns the soft kind work best
  • 4 cheese slices any kind works
  • 1 big tomato cut thick
  • Some lettuce leaves
  • 1 onion cut in rings
  • Pickles
  • Mayo ketchup, mustard

Special Sauce (if wanted):

  • 3 tablespoons mayo
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • A few drops of hot sauce

Instructions

  • Step 1: Get Ready
  • Take ground beef out 15 minutes before cooking. Room temperature meat cooks better.
  • Step 2: Mix Gently
  • Add seasonings to beef in a bowl. Mix with fingertips only - don't squeeze hard.
  • Step 3: Form Patties
  • Split meat into 4 parts. Push small butter pieces inside while forming patties for extra juiciness.
  • Step 4: Shape Right
  • Make patties thumb-thick and slightly bigger than buns. Press small dent in center to prevent puffing.
  • Step 5: Heat Pan
  • Get heavy pan very hot over medium-high heat. No oil needed - beef has enough fat.
  • Step 6: Cook First Side
  • Place patties in hot pan. Don't touch for 3-4 minutes. No pressing with spatula!
  • Step 7: Flip Once
  • Flip each patty once after 3-4 minutes. Cook another 3-4 minutes.
  • Step 8: Add Cheese
  • Put cheese on patties in last minute. Cover pan to melt cheese nicely.
  • Step 9: Rest
  • Remove burgers and let sit 2 minutes. This keeps juices inside the meat.
  • Step 10: Toast Buns
  • Cut buns in half, toast face-down in dry pan for 1 minute until golden.
  • Perfect Burger Assembly
  • Start with bottom bun, add sauce, then lettuce (prevents soggy buns), hot patty, tomato, onion, pickles, top bun with more sauce. Press gently and enjoy!