Our 23 Best Burger Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What combination of meat makes the best burger? ›

Selecting the best meat for burgers

A good basic mixture would be to use 50% chuck (the cheap and lean), 25% rib plate (the fatty parts) and 25% brisket (the fatty and beef flavor). Alternative cuts that make a damn good burger without emptying your wallet are round (lean) and navel (the fatty beef belly).

To assemble the burger, spread some mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard on the bottom half of each bun. Add a few lettuce leaves and a slice of tomato. Place the burger patty with the melted cheese on top of the tomato, then add a few pickles. Cover with the top half of the bun.

Typically, a good ground beef blend burger meat ratio hovers around 80% meat to 20% fat. This ensures that the burger remains juicy and flavorful without becoming excessively greasy.

You want a burger that's thick enough to be juicy and flavorful, but not so thick that it feels like you're eating a meatloaf. You must also consider your burger-to-condiments and toppings ratio. If you want a lot of toppings on your burger, you probably want a slightly heartier patty than your typical home-griller.

Instructions for How to Make Ground Beef Patties for burgers: In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 egg, and a generous amount of salt and pepper to season (half tsp each). Egg is a burger binding agent for the ground beef patty. Divide the well mixed beef into four equal round balls and form into patties.

Heat a flat-top grill or cast iron pan over very high heat. Form the ground beef into a tight ball and season with salt. Place hamburger ball on grill to sear for 45 seconds, then flatten with a heavy spatula to about ⅓ inch thickness. Cook for 90 seconds to develop a crust on the first side of the bottom.

Adding beetroot to a burger creates a really juicy patty, and works well with a horseradish-spiked mayo, and peppery watercress. Add slices of pickled beet to the top of your burger, or keep it simple with more cooked slices. Here's our homage to a great combination.

What is the secret to juicy hamburgers? ›

Salt draws out moisture from proteins, which is a good thing when brining whole proteins like steak. With ground meat, salt can draw out too much moisture, leading to a dry, dense burger. So sprinkle the patties with salt just before grilling to create a juicy interior and a deliciously salty crust.

Worcestershire sauce is a great ingredient to add to hamburger patties. Worcestershire sauce burgers are not only delicious but are great when you want a simple recipe that comes together quickly.

Ground beef: For the best, juiciest burgers, use meat with 15% to 20% fat. Any lower, and you'll lose some flavor, and the burgers will be dry. I usually buy ground chuck, but a ground sirloin is a nice option, too. Salt and pepper: I season my burger patty like steak and sprinkle them on the outside.

To make good smash burgers, it's important to: Use ground chuck, or 80% lean ground beef; anything leaner will make the burgers dry. Be sure the patties are very cold before cooking.

What you are looking for when you purchase your meat is a good fat ratio. The golden rule of burgers is in the vicinity of 70/30 meat/fat to 80/20. Just ensure there is a good amount of visible fat.

To make more healthful burgers—but ones that are still pretty juicy and tasty—choose ground beef that is 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat. Ground beef that contains less than 15 percent fat makes dry and somewhat tasteless burgers.