Your new favorite Hamburger Recipe! There’s nothing like a juicy cheeseburger with fresh crisp toppings on a toasted bun smothered with an irresistible burger sauce. We are sharing our best tips for making the perfect restaurant-style burger with the juiciest patty you’ll sink your teeth into.
We love burger recipes from our Cheeseburger Sliders to Hamburger Soup, but we make these classic burgers most often. Watch the video tutorial and learn how to make the ultimate grilled burgers.
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Pair these juicy hamburgers with Grilled Corn and Air Fryer French Fries for the perfect cookout menu.
Hamburgers Video Tutorial
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The Best Cheeseburgers
Beef is delicious on its own – it is a high-quality protein that is tender, juicy, and full of natural flavor. The most important tip for making the perfect burgers is to keep it simple. 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.
We’ve ordered burgers from countless restaurants, from nicer steak houses to fast food and we always come back to these homemade cheeseburgers. Making your own patty from scratch will produce the best juicy burger and I can’t resist a generous amount of crisp and fresh toppings (no more soggy lettuce).
Follow our tips below and you will be known for making the best hamburgers!
Toppings
You want all of your toppings ready to go to assemble the hamburgers when the patties are hot and ready. Toast the buns and prepare toppings first, then cook burger patties. 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 Hamburger Buns
- Homemade Hamburger Buns – our top choice for flavor and texture
- Potato Buns – Our top choice because they are 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 Make Hamburger Patties
- Use Ground Chuck Beef (80/20) – grind your own or buy it ground, but 20% fat is ideal and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.
- Don’t overwork your meat – this will make it tough and dense.
- 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.
- Don’t Season too early – Salt changes the structure of proteins and toughens burgers so don’t season your ground beef until you have formed your patties and are ready to grill.
- Get a good Sear – Once on the grill, let patties brown and sear well (3-5 min) before flipping, and do not press down on the burger save that for making Smash Burgers.
Pro Tip: If you prefer a thicker, beefier patty, try making 1/3 lb patties, but keep in mind, the grilling time will be longer with thicker patties.
How to Tell When Burgers are Done
Whether you are working with fresh ground beef or fully thawed, the recommendation is that cooked patties should feel firm to the touch and be cooked to 160˚F on an instant-read thermometer. 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.
Can I Cook Hamburgers 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 on an instant-read thermometer.
How to Assemble Burgers
There are differing opinions on how to build a burger. My husband’s first job was at Chilis®️ where he learned how to put together a restaurant-style burger. Here is how the pros assemble their burgers:
- Sauce – Apply a generous amount of sauce to both buns (see below for our favorite burger sauces).
- Toppings – Place pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion onto the bottom bun
- Patty – Place cheesy burger patty over the veggies and cover with top bun
The Best Burger Sauce
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!
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 hamburgers, the simplest recipe really is the best.
Serve Burgers with
These are our favorite BBQ Side dishes for a summer cookout and they pair perfectly with Burgers.
Perfect Hamburger Recipe
Ingredients
Burger Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground chuck beef, (80/20)
- fine sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Classic Cheeseburger Toppings:
- 4 burger buns
- 4 slices medium cheddar cheese, (thick sliced)
- 1 large tomato, sliced into 8 rings
- 8 leaves 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.
- 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.
- Preheat grill to medium heat. Divide ground 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.
- Grill hamburger patties (indent-side-up) covered for 3-5 min each side on the grill. Flip burgers when juices are accumulating on top of the burger and you have a good sear. Apply cheese in the last 1-2 minutes of grilling then cover with the lid and cook until the internal temperature of beef reaches 160˚F.
Notes
- 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
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Is the last burger sauce recipe in the pic what you call fry sauce? There are two listed as BBQ aioli, but no BBQ sauce in the last one on the list. Thanks.
Hi Jess, that was my mistake, I see I didn’t change the name to Fry sauce and have BBQ Aioli listed twice. The bottom item should say Fry sauce on the photo guide. Thank you.
Can you form the patties the day before?
You sure can!
Could you tell me what temp of cooking in oven and how long?
Hi Samantha. I have never tested these in an oven. I did a quick search on Google and it said, “To make burgers in the oven at 400°F (200°C), bake for approximately 18-20 minutes.” I hope that helps. You should always use a food thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to check for doneness.
How would I cook this on stovetop?
Also, could I make a bunch & freeze for later?
Yes you can. Please check this portion in the recipe “Can I Cook Hamburgers on the Stovetop?”. Yes that will work too!
Thank you very much, Natasha!
Is there anything I can add to the pork meat to make it more juicy? Like olive oil or bread?
Hi Georgia, we used to put in add-ins such as with our garlic and herb burger but found that it actually makes the burger tougher with handling the beef more. I mean, you can add things but then you will essentially be making meatballs.
Dear Natasha,
Yeah, I know…at least I am good at making meatballs!! That’s a consolation! At least I tried!
Anyway, thank you very much for answering me so fast and for your tips! I know now it wasn’t my fault my burgers were so tough. It was the meat! Even though my dad loved them..but he is my dad, you know, he loves everything I do 🙂
Again, thank you for your fun videos, I really enjoy them because you have a special way to explain the recipes. Never lose that and always smile like you do, you are very sweet.
Best Regards,
Georgia
Hello, Natasha from Athens, Greece! 🙂
Congratulations on your website and thank you for your smile!
My name is Georgia. Can I ask you something about the recipe above?
I don’t eat beef, so I tried to cook the burgers with pork. I followed your instructions but the burgers were very hard and dry 🙁 Is it because I used pork? Everything else was fine.
Thank you very much!
Best Regards,
Georgia
Hi Georgia! Thank you so much.
Yes- using pork would be the reason. Pork is leaner than beef and because of that, the meat will be drier when it’s cooked.
These are seriously the best burgers I’ve ever had!! Who could’ve guessed with burgers the simpler the better? I followed all your tips and they turned out so juicy and flavorful! My husband (who is an honest food critic) enjoyed every bite! Thank you!
Making burgers has always been a challenge for me, although I have always been a fan of the Burger King Whopper but this recipe has taught me a lot. Thanks for this excellent burger recipe.
Hi Gilber, I remember enjoying those when I was a teen – I’m amazed at how expensive they are now! We used to go to Burger King after church for 99 cent whoppers!
Love to watch you, cook!You a magical connection to what your making another easy tips to regular meal.
i always put my ground beef in paper towel and gently squeeze all the liquid out and then break it all up by hand, next season and toss the beef before making patties and then put a very thin coat of mayonaise to help with the maillard and cook on a preheated cast iron
Thank you so much for sharing that tip with me, Kerry!
Hello. This recipe and the chicken burger recipe mentions “fry sauce” but I don’t see a recipe for it anywhere. Just 4 burger sauces. Can you please share the recipe for fry sauce? Thanks
Hi Ardith, I have it under the Notes – How to make burger sauces: “Fry Sauce: 1/3 cup mayo + 1 Tbsp ketchup” I hope that helps.
Best burger recipe ever! Will make again for sure!
The burgers turned out juicy and delicious, even though I made them in a skillet.
The sauces were amazing as well, especially in combination with the burgers.
LOVED these sauces!! Especially the BBQ one -it was super yummy!
I made these today using Wegmans 80/20 organic ground beef. Followed the techniques and cooking instructions exactly. Iron skillet on the stove, coconut oil and don’t forget to cover. This is the way to make juicy, plump burgers at home! Always wondered my mine used to shrink so much!
Thanks a lot for sharing! Good to know that you liked it!
Question…I grill hamburgers on the grill quite a bit, even making the indention, but my hamburger meat always falls apart in the grill, pieces, falling through the grates sometimes and I use 80/20…what am I doing wrong?
It could be the quality of ground beef, low cooking temperature, overworking your meat, and the starting temperature. Read through my blog post above for my tips and recommendations to getting the best results.
Pack your hamburger patties into balls super tight before flattening into burger shape. I typically weigh the balls out to 7-8 oz. Make sure your grill is preheated to 500 or so. If you are using fatty beef, watch for flare ups and move the patties around if needed or use a spray bottle of water.
Put your burger patties into the freezer 13-15 minutes then directly onto the hot grill. That will help greatly to hold them together. Don’t over work the meat when forming the patties.
Such a fun lesson ! Thanks, Natasha ! Stay healthy and stay safe !
I hope you love this recipe!
Making burgers at home with family is one of my favorite summer activities!
It really is the best summer activity! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I know it sounds silly, but I’ve always felt intimidated to make my own hamburger patties. But not anymore! These burgers were easy to make and truly perfect. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Samantha!
Now THIS is how you make a burger! Thank you so much for the awesome tips, yum!
You’re welcome, April!
We made this last night for Father’s Day! They really were the best burgers we’ve ever made. Juicy! Your tips, suggestions & directions were super! We had the deli cut the slices of cheddar thick for our use. We made two of the mayo sauces – BBQ & Yellow Mustard. Both were excellent. I added an extra teaspoon of BBQ Sauce (G Hughes Sugar Free Hickory) but the other sauce was done as written. We’d rather make these burgers than ordering burgers out. Thank you for another great recipe!!
The best meal for Father’s Day! Great choice, Eileen! I’m so glad these were a hit!