Cheeseburger
intro
Juicy seared beef patties with melted cheese, crisp fresh veggies, and tangy sauce on a toasted bun: the iconic, satisfying American handheld cookout favorite.
Ingredients
Steps
Form beef patties
Divide 680 grams of 80/20 ground beef into 4 equal 170-gram portions. Gently shape each into 4-inch wide, ½-inch thick patties, pressing a ¼-inch deep dimple in the center of each to prevent bulging during cooking. Season both sides evenly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Avoid overworking the meat to keep patties tender.
Preheat cooking surface
Preheat a cast iron skillet or outdoor gas grill to medium-high heat (200°C / 400°F), letting it fully heat for 5 minutes. While the surface heats, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat to use for toasting buns.
Toast hamburger buns
Brush the cut sides of all 4 hamburger buns with the melted butter, then place them cut-side down on the cooler edge of the grill or in the small butter skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes until light golden brown and slightly crisp, then transfer to a clean plate.
Sear beef patties
Place seasoned patties on the preheated hot cooking surface, dimple-side up. Cook for 3 minutes without moving them to develop a deep, caramelized crust. Flip each patty once with a stiff spatula, then immediately top each with 1 slice of American cheese. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes for medium doneness (internal temperature 71°C / 160°F), allowing cheese to fully melt and drape over patty edges.
Layer bun toppings
While patties cook, divide the 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1 tablespoon yellow mustard evenly to spread on the toasted cut sides of all top and bottom buns. Layer 1 iceberg lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, 2 pickle slices, and a few thin onion rings on each bottom bun.
Assemble and serve
Transfer each cooked, cheese-topped patty onto the topping-lined bottom bun. Place the sauced top bun over the patty, press down gently to secure layers, and serve immediately while patties are hot and cheese is fully melted.
Tips
2.Avoid pressing down on cooking patties with a spatula, as this squeezes out flavorful fat and juices that keep the burger moist, leading to a dry final bite.
3.Let cooked patties rest for 1 minute after removing from heat before assembling, so juices redistribute instead of soaking into and making the bottom bun soggy.
OMG this cheeseburger recipe is a total game changer! I made these for our Sunday family cookout and everyone was begging for seconds. The patties came out so juicy, no dry crumbly mess like my old recipe used to make. My kids loved it so much they asked if we can have these every weekend for dinner. 10/10 no notes!
This was so easy to throw together after work on a Tuesday! Total cook time was actually even less than 20 minutes for me, I had dinner on the table in 15 flat. The seasoning blend is perfect, I didn’t even need to add extra salt or ketchup tbh. SO good, I’m adding these to my regular weekly meal rotation.
Brought these to our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and people were hovering around the grill waiting for the next batch to come off. I topped mine with pickles, caramelized onions, and a little special sauce, and even the self-proclaimed 'burger snob' on our block said it was the best homemade burger he’d had all summer. Will absolutely be making these again for our next tailgate.
Okay y’all I am terrible at cooking, like I burn toast half the time, so I was super nervous to make burgers for my boyfriend’s birthday dinner. THIS RECIPE WAS FOOLPROOF. The instructions were so straightforward, the patties came out juicy and perfectly cooked, he thought I ordered them from a fancy burger joint! Only tiny thing is I wish I’d read the note about not pressing the patties down while they cook earlier, I did that to the first one and lost a bunch of juice, oops.
So happy this recipe works with gluten-free buns! I swapped the regular brioche buns for my go-to GF ones, kept the rest of the recipe exactly as written, and my whole family (even the non-GF members) devoured them. No weird texture, no missing flavor, just a perfect classic cheeseburger. Already sent the link to three of my mom friends!
Made these for our fantasy football draft watch party last night, paired them with some crinkle cut fries and cold beer, and the whole crew was raving. The trick to making a little indent in the middle of the patty so it doesn’t puff up? Absolute genius. I used to get such weird lumpy patties before, they all came out perfectly flat and evenly cooked this time.
This is such an affordable weeknight win! I already had most of the seasonings in my pantry, grabbed a pack of ground chuck and sliced American cheese on sale at my local grocery store, and the whole meal cost less than $10 total for me and my roommate. Way better than dropping $15+ per person on soggy takeout burgers, and these taste so much fresher. Perfect easy recipe for anyone cooking on a tight budget.