Hamburgers

Published August 31, 2023

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A perfect, juicy all American Hamburger! Here I’ll share 3 simple ways to cook burgers (including stovetop, grill and even oven), plus tips on how to build the best burger. This includes a simple homemade bun, a variety of sauces and all the best toppings!

Want to try a different type of burger next? Go for my Turkey Burgers or Black Bean Burgers to switch things up sometimes.

Hamburger shown on homemade bun with lettuce, cheddar, tomatoes and pickles.

An Easy Classic Burger Recipe

Burgers have long been a staple food in our family. So I guess you can say we are a typical American family.

Growing up we had them cooked to that hockey puck doneness, overly well, but as a kid I didn’t care it was a burger. One thing my mom never got wrong though was that she never used the pre-formed patties. That’s burger mistake number one in my mind.

Shaping your own burgers from fresh ground beef will give you a fair superior result.

Helpful Tips

After 20 years of experience making hamburgers I’ve learned several other things along the way to create the perfect burger:

  • Use a high quality bun for the base as this makes up a huge portion of the completed burger. Homemade or bakery fresh is best.
  • Go for a good fat ratio within the beef for tenderness (personally I prefer 85%).
  • Adequately season the meat with salt, this is a big one people often miss.
  • Careful not to overwork the beef as you shape the patties so it’s not tough.
  • Use a food thermometer to cook to the right temp so it’s not undercooked and dangerously rare, or over-cooked and dry and rubbery.
  • Preheat pan/grill and maintain that proper temp. Otherwise you’ll end up with a pale steamed-like patty or overly charred burger.
  • Cook at a fairly high temp without disturbing as it cooks, this helps create a beautifully brown crust. The only way I could achieve this in the oven was to start that pan out super hot and not turn the burger until the end, for one nicely browned side at least.
  • Slice toppings fairly thin. For texture and this allows the flavor of the beef shine if we don’t go overboard on toppings.
  • Toast the buns so they don’t get soggy and they hold up better.
  • If grilling burgers don’t leave them unattended. Grills can have dangerous flare ups if you don’t keep an eye on things. You should also be cleaning the fat from the grill regularly.

Over the years I’ve also tried different things like seasoning the beef to build in other flavors, creating various sizes of burgers, and trying various toppings.

I’ve settled on simple, and freshest is best but you are always welcome to change things up and go more bold (unique toppings, hot sauce/ peppers, blue cheese, etc).

And of course if you are a cheeseburger fan don’t forget to add the cheese after turning the burger (during cooking) for perfectly melty cheesy goodness.

If you are wondering what my personal favorite method of cooking is here it’s easily the cast iron stovetop method. But the others are nice for convenience as well and I use all three.Topping ideas for hamburgers shown on a baking sheet with hamburger buns surrounding them.

Hamburger Topping Ideas

  • Sauce: Ketchup, mustard, mayo, guacamole, creamy homemade spread, or bbq sauce
  • Vegetables: Lettuce, tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, avocado, pickles, pickled jalapeno peppers, onions (fresh, sauteed, or grilled)
  • Meat: Cooked bacon
  • Cheeses: Sliced cheddar cheese, American cheese (deli fresh is better), PepperJack, Colby, Provolone or Muenster

Hamburger ingredients

Ingredients to Make Homemade Burgers

  • Homemade hamburger buns or bakery buns
  • Ground beef, 80 to 85% lean
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for cooking
  • Sauce for bun (ketchup, mustard, etc)

Shaping hamburger patties, cooking on stove, then assembling with bun and toppings.

How to Shape Hamburger Patties

  1. Divide beef into 4 equal portions of 5 oz. each if using 1 1/4 lbs., or 6 oz. each if using 1 1/2 lbs. beef.
  2. Note that a kitchen scale will work best for the most even size and therefor even cooking time among the burgers.
  3. Gently shape each portion into cylinder like shape then smash into a round that is 4-inches wide and about 3/4-inch thick.
  4. Make a slight indent in the center of each patty (so they’ll end up cooking more level rather than domed).
  5. Season evenly and quite generously with the salt and pepper on both sides, just once you are ready to cook the burgers.

How to Cook Hamburgers on the Stovetop

  1. Oil the 12-inch cast iron skillet with vegetable oil (it works well to just use a balled up paper towel to spread it around), then preheat over medium-high heat on the stovetop. It should heat about 5 to 8 minutes until oil is shimmering. (I recommend turning on exhaust fan too)
  2. Place patties in a skillet spacing evenly apart and using a spatula press down over the top of them so the bottom of the burger makes direct contact with the surface of the pan and therefor browns evenly.
  3. Let cook undisturbed until nicely browned on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until opposite side is browned and burger is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes longer. Add cheese after turning if using so it has enough time to melt.
  4. Note that if burger is browning to quickly as it cooks reduce temperature to medium, if using the largest burner on the stove you may find medium is sufficient for entire cook time.
  5. Serve burgers in buns with desired toppings.

 

Cooking hamburgers on the grill.

How to Grill Burgers

  1. Preheat a gas grill over medium high heat to 425 to 450 degrees.
  2. Clean grill grates and carefully brush grates with the vegetable oil (using a balled up paper towel and tongs).
  3. Place patties on grill (over area of flames). Cover with lid and let grill 4 minutes then turn to opposite side and cook through, about 3 to 5 minutes longer.
  4. If adding cheese place on top after turning to allow time to melt.

Cooking burgers in the oven.

How to Bake Hamburgers

  1. Place a cast iron skillet on a rack in center of the oven. Preheat to 500 degrees.
  2. Once preheated remove pan from oven and immediately brush oil into pan (using tongs and paper towel). Add burger patties right away and slightly press down with a spatula so they make even contact with pan.
  3. Carefully return hot pan to oven right away, reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake until burgers are cooked through, about 7 to 9 minutes, turning during last 1 minute.
  4. If you’d like to add cheese add after turning at last 1 minute.

Burger Doneness Temperatures

Note that FDA recommends cooking to a temperature of 160 to kill of any potentially harmful bacteria. I personally prefer a fairly well done burger at about 155. Temperature should be taken internally in center of burger on an instant read food thermometer.

  • Medium rare: 130° to 135°F
  • Medium: 140° to 145°F
  • Medium well: 150° to 155°F
  • Well done: 160°F

Possible Variations

  • Make a lettuce wrap hamburger: Skip the bun and use whole romaine lettuce leaves in it’s place. Use a base of two medium leaves layered together, build burger over one side and fold over the top to finish it.
  • Try a double patty burger: If you are going for a mile high burger you can do two 3 oz. portions each per hamburger. I’d recommend the stovetop cooking method, and cut back cook time slightly. Scrape pan clean between the two batches of four each.
  • For the creamy spread sauce: In a small bowl mix together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 1/2 Tbsp ketchup, 1/2 tsp vinegar, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/8 tsp onion powder, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Three assembled hamburgers.

What to Serve with Hamburgers

 

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Hamburger Recipe

A perfect all American hamburger! Here I share 3 simple ways to cook burgers (including stovetop, grill and even oven), plus tips on how to build the best burger. This includes a simple homemade bun, a variety of sauces and all the best toppings!
Servings: 4
Prep10 minutes
Cook10 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 lbs to 1 1/2 lbs 80 to 85% lean ground beef
  • 3/4 to 1 tsp table salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 4 hamburger buns, preferably homemade or bakery fresh, halved, sprayed with olive oil spray and lightly toasted in oven or countertop oven if desired

Optional toppings

  • Sauce such as ketchup, mustard, mayo, guacamole or spread**
  • Sliced cheddar cheese, American cheese, PepperJack, Colby, Provolone or Muenster
  • Sliced tomatoes, pickles, red or yellow onion, avocado, cooked bacon or sauteed mushrooms

Instructions

  • Divide ground beef into 4 equal portions of 5 oz each if using 1 1/4 lbs, or 6 oz each if using 1 1/2 lbs beef. Note that a kitchen scale will work best for the most even size and therefor even cooking time among the burgers.
  • Gently shape each portion into cylinder like shape then smash into a round that is 4-inches wide and about 3/4-inch thick. Make a slight indent in the center of each patty (so they'll end up cooking more level rather than domed).
  • Season evenly and quite generously with the salt and pepper on both sides, just once you are ready to cook the burgers.

How to cook hamburgers on the stovetop

  • Oil the 12-inch cast iron skillet with vegetable oil (it works well to just use a balled up paper towel to spread it around), then preheat skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop. It should heat about 5 to 8 minutes until oil is nearly smoking. (I recommend turning on exhaust fan too)
  • Place patties in a skillet spacing evenly apart and using a spatula press down over the top of them so the bottom of the burger makes direct contact with the surface of the pan and therefor browns evenly.
  • Let cook undisturbed until nicely browned on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until opposite side is browned and burger is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes longer. Add cheese after turning if using so it has enough time to melt.
  • Note that if burger is browning to quickly as it cooks reduce temperature to medium, if using the largest burner on the stove you may find medium is sufficient for entire cook time.
  • I recommend using an instant read food thermometer to test internal temperature of the burgers for doneness. Medium well is 150 to 155. Note that recommend food safe temperature for ground beef is 160 degrees in center.
  • Serve hamburgers in buns with desired sauce and toppings.

How to grill hamburgers

  • Preheat a gas grill over medium high heat to 425 to 450 degrees. Clean grill grates and brush with the vegetable oil (using a balled up paper towel and tongs).
  • Place patties on grill (over area of flames). Cover with lid and let grill 4 minutes then turn to opposite side and cook through, about 3 to 5 minutes longer. If adding cheese place on top after turning to allow time to melt.

How to bake hamburgers

  • Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet on a rack in center of the oven. Preheat to 500 degrees.
  • Once preheated remove hot pan from oven using hot pads and immediately brush oil into pan (using tongs and balled up paper towel). Add burger patties right away and slightly press down with a spatula so they make even contact with pan.
  • Return hot pan to oven right away (again use hot pads pan is extremely hot), reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake until burgers are cooked through, about 7 to 9 minutes, turning during last 1 minute. If you'd like to add cheese add after turning at last 1 minute.

Notes

  • *For a flavor seasoned burger it's also tasty to include 2 tsp Worcestershire, 1/4 tsp onion powder and 1/4 tsp garlic powder to season. With Worcestershire just drizzle about 1/2 tsp over each portion and very gently toss the beef.
  • **For a sauce similar to burger joints mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 1/2 Tbsp ketchup, 1/2 tsp vinegar, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/8 tsp onion powder, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Nutrition estimate is for 5 oz. 85% lean beef patty and homemade bun only. Toppings not included as these will vary based on what is used.
  • Note that FDA recommends cooking to a temperature of 160 to kill of any potentially harmful bacteria. I personally prefer a fairly well done burger at about 155. Temperature should be taken internally in center of burger on an instant read food thermometer.
    Medium rare: 130° to 135°F
    Medium: 140° to 145°F
    Medium well: 150° to 155°F
    Well done: 160°F
Nutrition Facts
Hamburger Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 548 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 96mg32%
Sodium 516mg22%
Potassium 474mg14%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 2IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 84mg8%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.