Description
This recipe provides a detailed guide to making delicious homemade burgers using high-quality ground beef.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs 80/20 good quality ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- as needed American cheese
- as needed Soft hamburger buns
- as needed Other toppings of choice
Instructions
- Combine ground beef, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and mix. Mix it fast but mix it thoroughly.
- Shape the patties as quickly as you can and lay them out on a parchment paper covered metal tray. Remember that ground beef shrinks when it cooks, so make the burger patties slightly bigger than the buns you plan to use: you can divide your meat into 8 oz. (1/2 lb.) patties which will give you 4 burgers, 6 oz. patties will give you 5 burgers and a side, or 4 oz. patties (1/4 lb.) that will give you 8 burgers. If you want to make sliders, they are typically 2-3 oz. so this recipe will give you 12-16 sliders.
- Season each patty with some more salt and pepper on both sides and cover the tray with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for 2-4 hours before cooking. (If you need to, you can refrigerate overnight but make sure to cover the tray with plastic wrap air-tight.)
- Use your fingers to make a well in the center of each patty, about halfway deep, before taking off the plastic wrap.
- Preheat a cooking pan over medium to medium-high heat with a little oil. The pan should be hot when adding the burgers.
- Add burger patties and cook for 5-8 minutes per side, depending on how well you want them. Do not disturb the burgers while cooking.
- Take cooked patties out of the pan and let them rest on the plate for about 5 minutes before serving. Tent them loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil to keep warm.
- If adding cheese: place a slice of cheese on top of each patty 30-45 seconds before taking it off the pan.
- Toast the buns: to make the buns nice and toasty, preheat another pan, brush each bun with a little butter on the inside and place them in the pan, buttered side down. Let them toast for a couple of minutes.
- Assembling: sauce always goes on the bun (personally I like to add sauce to top and bottom). Then, place a lettuce leaf over the sauce on the bottom (to catch burger juices) and then the burger patty. If you want to add more toppings you can place them under or over the burger.
- Clean and prepare the grill and make sure to preheat the grill first so it’s hot and ready. If using gas grill, set it to medium-high temperature but leave a cooler zone to the side.
- Spray each patty with some cooking spray before placing it on the grill. Remember to always grease the food, not the grill grate. Place the burger patties over direct heat.
- Once on the grill, do not touch them again until ready to flip. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, depending on how well you want them. Cooked for 4 minutes per side will be closer to rare and 7 minutes per side will be closer to well done.
Notes
- This recipe provides flexibility in sizing the patties according to your preference.
- Make sure to not overcrowd the grill or pan while cooking the burgers.
- For additional flavor, consider marinating the patties for several hours with your favorite spices.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg