Perfect Burger Recipe (VIDEO)
Your new favorite Burger Recipe! There’s nothing like a juicy cheeseburger with fresh crisp toppings on a toasted bun, paired with sweet corn on the cob or potato wedges. We partnered with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner on behalf of the Beef Checkoff to show you how to make the ultimate juicy burger.
We are sharing our best secrets, tips, and tricks for making the perfect restaurant-quality burger, from the juiciest patty you’ll sink your teeth into, to the best burger buns and burger sauces. Try these and you will be known for your burgers!
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The Perfect Burger Recipe:
Beef is delicious on its own – it is a high-quality protein that is tender, juicy and full of natural flavor. You don’t need a bunch of mix-ins, or you’re just masking the flavor of the beef. Remember it’s not a meatloaf, but a burger. If you want to change up the flavor, do that with the amazing burger sauces below (you’ll want to try these!) and toppings.
What is “Chuck Knows Beef?”
Chuck Knows Beef is a great resource from Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner on all things beef. It is powered by Google Artificial Intelligence and can provide answers to your beef questions instantly and provide dinner inspiration if you aren’t sure what to cook with that ground beef in your refrigerator.
You can access it online at ChuckKnowsBeef.com, on Google Home (say: “Hey Google Activate Chuck”) or Amazon Echo (say: “Alexa. Activate Chuck Knows Beef”).
Tips for the Best Burger Patties:
- Prepare buns and toppings first and cook burger patties last.
- Use refrigerated Ground Chuck Beef (80/20) – grind your own or buy it ground, but 20% fat is ideal.
- Do not overwork your meat.
- Shape the patties 1” wider than the bun since they shrink on the grill.
- Make an indentation in the center to prevent it from plumping up in the center.
- Season patties generously with salt and pepper just prior to cooking. Salt changes the structure of proteins and toughens burgers. Do not salt the ground beef before forming into patties.
- Once on the grill, let patties brown and sear well (3-5 min) before flipping and do not press down on the burger.
Can I Cook Burgers on the Stovetop?
Yes! Most restaurants cook on a cast iron skillet. Heat the skillet over medium/high heat and add a high heat oil (not butter), adding just enough to lightly coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add burger patty and sauté without moving it for 3 to 5 minutes per side the same way you would on a grill, cooking to a safe internal temperature of 160˚F.
Classic Burger Recipe Toppings:
When building a perfect burger, pick toppings that will add appealing texture, color and flavor.
- Sliced cheese (our favorite is thick-sliced, medium cheddar)
- Dill pickle slices
- Fresh red onions (or caramelized onions)
- Tomato,
- Green leaf or iceberg lettuce,
- Avocado
- Bacon + pineapple + the BBQ sauce below
- Jalapeños to add some heat
The Best Burger Buns:
- Potato Buns (Our top choice: the softest with great flavor)
- Pub-Style buns (soft, tall, restaurant style)
- Classic Sesame Seed Buns (inexpensive and classic)
- Brioche Bun (has a sweeter flavor)
- Pretzel Buns (denser but least likely to get mushy)
How To Assemble Burgers:
There are differing opinions on how to build a better burger, but here is how the pros assemble their burgers (restaurant style):
- Apply a generous amount of sauce to both buns.
- Place pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and red onion onto the bottom bun
- Place cheesy burger patty over the veggies and cover with top bun
The Best Burger Sauces:
We love a good aioli (flavored mayo) for burgers. These are super easy to whip up and have impressive flavor. The adult favorite around here is the BBQ aioli and the kids favorite is “Fry Sauce.” Experiment and make them all for a seriously impressive (but easy) burger sauce spread!
What is a Safe Beef Internal Temperature for Burgers?
Whether you are working with fresh ground beef or fully thawed, the recommendation is that ground beef should feel firm to the touch and be cooked to a safe 160˚F (medium doneness). Keep in mind that color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness so do not cut into it to check or the juices will drain out just like with a steak.
Sides for your Summer Cookout:
- Avocado Corn Salad – fresh, vibrant and satisfying
- Egg Salad – so simple with the best dressing
- Chickpea Salad with avocados and feta
- Marinated Tomatoes go so well with burgers!
Watch How to Make Burgers:
I hope this Burger Recipe becomes a new favorite for you. Over the years, we have tried all kinds of burger recipes – stuffed burgers, various beef mix-ins, and seasonings, but we keep coming back to this classic beef burger. It’s so simple but with burgers, the simplest recipe really is the best.
Perfect Burger Recipe
The Best Burger Recipe! Sharing our secrets for making restaurant quality burgers, from the juiciest burger patties to the best buns and burger sauces.
Ingredients
Burger Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground chuck beef (80/20)
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Classic Cheeseburger Toppings:
- 4 burger buns
- 4 slices medium cheddar cheese (thick sliced)
- 1 large tomato sliced into 8 rings
- 1/2 bunch green leaf lettuce
- 1/2 medium red onion thinly sliced into rings
- 1/2 cup dill pickle slices
Instructions
-
Slice, and prepare all of your burger toppings and sauces.
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Spread the cut-side of the bun with softened or melted butter and toast the cut side on a skillet or on the grill until golden brown. You can toast the bun ahead or in the last couple of minutes with the burgers on the grill. Toasting the bun adds great flavor and prevents a soggy bun.
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Preheat grill to medium heat. Divid beef into 4 portions and form patties that are about 1/2" thick and 1" wider than the burger buns. Season patties generously with salt and pepper.
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Grill burger patties (indent-side-up) covered for 3-5 min each side on the grill. Flip burgers when juices are accumulating on top of burger and you have a good sear. Apply cheese in the last 1-2 minutes of grilling then cover with lid and cook until internal temperature of beef reaches 160˚F.
Recipe Notes
How to Make Burger Sauces:
- BBQ Aioli: 1/3 cup mayo + 1 tsp BBQ Sauce (we love sweet BBQ)
- Mustard Aioli: 1/3 cup mayo + 1 tsp yellow mustard
- Dijon Aioli: 1/3 cup mayo + 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Fry Sauce: 1/3 cup mayo + 1 Tbsp ketchup
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Excellent recipe, amazing presentation!
I tried the burger, must admit, added a couple of tweaks and it came out fantastic.
Thank you for your awesome feedback, Andy. I’m glad you loved it!
I really enjoyed your vid with the burger. Love the way you chuck things over your shoulder. Love your humour. Will be following from Australia to see what you cook up next
I’m so happy you’re enjoying our recipe, Julie! Thank you for that amazing review!
Nothing special. Its a burger with salt & pepper.
Nothing special, just a chump. 💁🏼♀️
Recipes looks delicious but they seem very high fat and calories. Each time I see something I want to make the nutrition content puts me off.
Thank you so much for sharing that feedback with us!
The best burger with the real american flavor. I was worried about just put salt and pepper to the burger , but it was perfect!! I’m from Chile!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Jimena!
Synchrodestiny my dear Natasha. This is the recipe I need for today’s burgers and your email came in at the right time! Thanks! and Happy 4th July!
I love when that happens! I’m happy to hear you’re reading our newsletter! Thank you for that wonderful feedback!
Hey Natasha!! I just followed this recipe and made burgers for dinner tonight and I’m sold. Will never make burgers any other way. Also, I bought mayo just to make some fry sauce from your recipe and you are right, the sauce is everything!
So wonderful to hear that, Megan. I am so glad you loved the burgers and the sauce!
I used chicken mince and these were the BEST burgers I have ever made.
So nice to know that. Thanks for sharing that info with us and for your excellent feedback!
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WOW!!! For years, we’ve just used Sam’s frozen 80/20 burgers with Montreal Steak seasoning & store brand mild cheddar cheese. Made these yesterday, following your recipe exactly, & EVERYONE commented on how delicious they were!! I was worried just salt & pepper wouldn’t be flavorful enough, but I was wrong..they were great!! Thick cheddar & those potato buns really made a difference, too!! We also sautéed some mushrooms & had bacon for toppings, & your sauces were a nice extra! This is our new go-to burger recipe! Thanks, Natasha!!
You’re welcome, Ginny! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Can the patties be made ahead?
Hi Joy yes it can be made ahead
I never thought a burger can taste this good without the mix-ins! BUT it is delicious! Another family favorite! Love the sauces!
I’m so glad you found a new family favorite! That’s so great!
Hi Natasha, I am Australian and we always have a certain item on our burgers. You should try it – a slice of beetroot. Really good. Worth a try. Your burgers look amazing. Thank you.
Great idea! Thank you for your suggestion.
Hi Natasha,
Love your recipes. THANKS!!
What is the meaning of “ground chuck beef (80/20)” are there 2 part of 2 different meats? what are they?
Hi, that is the fat content – 80% lean, 20% fat.
Natasha,
When making the Burgers don’t I add anything other spices to the Meat Mixture?
Hi Maria, we use just what you see on the recipe list. You don’t need a bunch of mix-ins, or you’re just masking the flavor of the beef. If you want to change up the flavor, do that with the amazing burger sauces and toppings in the recipe.
What bun is featured? Mine never look that good. Also, do you have a recipe for a homemade bun? I just made your shrimp “fritters” with lemon aioli. Oh my, they were good!
Hi Cheri, we used a brioche bun that I purchased at our local Fred Meyer. I actually saw similar ones at Costco the other day. They are pretty and lightly sweet which makes the burger even better.
Hello Natasha
just had dinner n this hamburger is just out of this world, so simple and yet so delish thx for sharine such a wonderful recipe
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Best ever burger recipe i have tried so far. I have tried this burger recipe and it is very easy to make and very delicious in taste.
Thanks for the good feedback. I’m glad you loved it!
Salting RIGHT before I put the burgers on the grill made SUCH a difference when I cooked these last night! my best burgers yet! Thank you!
Yay so happy about your great feedback, thank you for giving this recipe a try!
Very good and simple recipe my favorite sauce is probably mayo and bbq actually all of sauces ate good
Sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing and giving a great review.
I recently bought pre made beef patties from the grocery store meaning I wont actually be forming the patties prior to cooking – would this still work for the recipe? thinking of making this tonight as the patties need to be used !
Hi Victoria! That should work.
Super simple and delicious recipe! Thank you! 😀
You’re welcome and thanks for your nice feedback!
This recipe is simple, easy, and deilcious! We only did salt and pepper, but the tips on pattying the burgers and when to apply seasonings were really helpful. We did use the mayo + ketchup aolie and that was delicious on the burgers as well as our homemade baked sweet potato fries!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Can you please let me know if I can do the burgers in the oven and how…No grill at the moment
Hi Stefanie, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha, just made these burgers for lunch today. My Super Fussy Husband liked them, “very tasty” Which in SFH language means yummy and I like them’ Thank you!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Desiann!
I have tried several of your recipes and love to watch the videos. My three year old son loves to watch them too and this one is his favourite (and he doesn’t even like burgers!), he asks to watch it all the time. I’ve even heard him saying “Chuck knows beef” randomly. Thank you for all that you do!
Wow! That’s so great! I’m so happy to hear stories just like this! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Rebecca!
Excellent recipe. All explained in detail and simple.
Great recipe and advise. For the fry sauce try swapping out bottled chili sauce you know the stuff next to the ketchup aisle instead of ketchup with your mayonnaise, it’ll add a little Zing to your sauce.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I only ever use your recipes. If im looking for something specific, i usually search your blog first and if it’s not there, only THEN do I start looking elsewhere. But usually you have what im looking for. Also love the Ukrainian recipes.
Btw, these are amazing burgers! Is this freezer friendly? When do you salt if frozen?
Hi Oksana, I highly recommend making the burger from scratch with ground beef. Some frozen patties have seasoning or salt in them already and there is no great time to salt them.
Thanks, heaps Natasha this has really helped me decide on the right burger to make for my Hospitality Prac assessment this term.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
We LOVE the potato buns. Thanks for the post. Some of your tips are new to me.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I like the burger sauces. Now that we are in to BLT season I am using the mayo Dijon sauce in place of straight mayo on my BLT. Gentles the entire sandwich nicely.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
We grilled these for the 4th of July and they were delicious. We buy our beef at our farmers market. I have not used the potato buns before but I will from now on and we made the BBQ Aioli. We served them with your grilled corn with garlic lime butter. I just found you through pinterest and I will be cooking more of your recipes. Thank You
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Vicky! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
I also add eggs and onion to the mixture and some people swear by Worcestershire sauce. These are all negotiable. What does make a huge difference is a good meat (we get ours from a local butcher) and charcoal grill.
Hi Irina, I agree the meat quality is so important! Thank you for sharing that with me!
These looks amazing! We usually add a packet of ranch powder to about a pound and a half of meat, also delish!
Woah that sounds pretty awesome! Do you mix the ranch into the ground beef or just season the patties with it?
You have to create the home made burger buns recipes for the besr 🍔 ever!!!
oooh that sounds wonderful! If you have a recipe you could share, I would love to try it! Thank you Uliya!
Great burger, but you need to check anatomy of burger from Americantestkitchen.
Thanks Anka!! We did thorough research although it’s true that not all sources agree how a burger should be stacked. This is also the way my husband built his burgers when he worked at Chilis so it is more restaurant style.
How do you grill a burger without it falling through the grill? Do you use aluminum foil on the grill?
Hi Susan, We did not use the foil. The burger meat should not fall through the girll.
Made as directed.. Hubby& I loved it.So juicy loved the BBQ Sauce. TY Natasha.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m happy you enjoyed that!
I’ve been grilling burgers for a few years now and let me tell you.. this.. this is a game changer! Such simple but delicious tips really do make the burgers SOO much better. I would have never thought to toast the bun but oh my goodness.. i’ll never make burgers without the toasted bun again.. oh and the sauce.. wow.. I mixed mayo, ketchup, and mustard and slathered it on those deliciously crispy buns.. no words Natasha.. seriously no words.. just pure amazement of the deliciousness.. my husband agrees 100% that these are the best burgers I have ever made.. Thank you so much!
Your comment made my day! I’m so happy you loved the burgers and thank you for the fantastic review!
When you use a cast iron skillet with burgers do you use a lid? Thanks.
Hi Mary! We did not use a lid.
Love this classic burger! Tastes better than the ones at the restaurant.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Suzy!
This burger is mouthwatering! I love how easy it is and my family loves it.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your awesome review! Have a great weekend!
Such great tips! I’ll be using them for our Memorial Day BBQ this weekend!
I’m so glad you found the tips helpful! We tried to be as thorough as possible and we sure ate a ton of burgers over the past few weeks!
This burger is mouthwatering and definitely restaurant worthy! Delicious!
I’m so glad you loved the burgers!! Thank you Beth!!
The video does not want to play! States that it is unavailable or removed.
Thank you so much for letting me know! That is now fixed!