There is more to know about how to make burger patties than simply forming meat into a patty shape. To make the best burger like your favorite restaurant you need to pay attention to these simple details.
I take my burger patty recipe very seriously. I have made burgers every different way imaginable on my quest to make the best homemade burgers. I’ve bought meat, ground my own, used chuck, brisket, butcher’s choice, 80/20, 70/30, 90/10, and the list goes on. Suffice it to say, I tried it all. Oh, and did I mention I once owned a gourmet burger food truck? Well, technically it was a truck, but if it never really ran can you still call it a truck?
Basically, what I am trying to say is, I think I have some credibility when it comes to teaching others how to make burger patties like a restaurant.
How to Make Burger Patties
First things first, I’m talking about how to make burger patties like a GOOD made-from-scratch restaurant. I’m not talking about restaurants that ship in their patties already made, or worse, pre-frozen.
The most important aspect to making the perfect burger is selecting the right meat. This isn’t just talking about the right cut, or the right grind, or the right fat ratio. It is all of that, and more.
Let’s start with the packaging and work our way backward. To make exceptionally tender burgers you need to grind your own meat or buy it from your grocery store freshly ground. If your hamburger was stuffed into meat tubes it was already compacted too much and will never make a great burger. Use that for taco meat. Instead, you want to still be able to see the individual strands of meat still loosely intact after coming out of the grinder, as shown below.
Fresh ground meat creates a more tender burger because it was never compacted tightly together.
Next, you want to make sure it is the right cut. You want fresh ground chuck. Ground chuck will typically have the perfect ratio of fat to meat, which is 80/20. Plus, the fat isn’t as stringy as brisket can be. I know brisket burgers sound cool because they make you think of BBQ, but they are second tier.
As mentioned, you want 80/20 beef. 90/10 may sound like a good idea because it is healthier, but it will be too dry to make a good burger. Burgers need fat to be juicy. You also don’t want anything fattier than 80/20, if there is too much fat the burger will shrink excessively during cooking and you will end up with meatballs swimming in grease.
Forming the Burger Patties
Now that we have the right meat, we need to make the perfect patty. The best tip I can give you is to never overwork the meat! You only want to press and form the meat as much as needed to form your patty. Any more than that and your burger will start getting dense.
Separate your freshly ground beef into chunks sized for the burgers you are making. I like to make 1/3 – 1/2 lb burgers typically unless I’m making a fast food style burger, which is a whole different story. I gently form them into a rough ball shape, just pressing enough to ensure the meat holds together, then I place them on a flat surface and press them down. Using a burger press, or just a flat plate, works great for this! However, I love having wax papers to place between the burgers and the surfaces because it ensures they won’t stick and they can be more easily transferred to the cooking surface.
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Now simply, and firmly, press straight down to form the patties into shape. As you can see in my picture you can still identify the strands of meat from the meat grinder. This is a sign that you succeeded in not overworking the meat. The strands will separate more easily from each other when you take a bite than if you squished and squeezed the meat together. This is what makes your patty so tender. My personal preference is to keep the strands of meat running vertically when pressing the meat.
Make sure you press the patty to be larger than the bun you will serve it on. The patty will shrink a bit during cooking. If you like your burgers thicker, press your thumb into the center of the burger. This will help the center cook more evenly.
How to Cook a Burger Patty
I think most people agree grilling your burger patty will taste the best. However, you can still make exceptional burgers on your stovetop. Regardless of which heat-source you use, you will want to keep these considerations in mind:
Don’t press the patty while cooking!!! Just don’t do it! You are not making it cook faster, you are squeezing all the juice out, guaranteeing you will have a dry burger. Yum.
Only flip the patty once. Don’t play with the patty, let it do its thing. By flipping it once you will allow it time to build up a charred crust which adds flavor, and it is easier to time doneness, in my opinion. I typically let it cook till the top appears to be turning purple and juice is starting to puddle on top, then I flip, top with cheese and cook a few minutes longer.
Best Burger Bun
You can top your burger with whatever you want. However, the bun you choose makes a BIG difference in how great you burger tastes. My favorite by far is a Brioche bun. However, these can be hard to find. You simply want a bun that feels light and squishy. A heavy, dense bun will steal the show from the tender burger patty. I always toast my buns too, the heat lightens up the texture of the bun, once again allowing the texture of the tender patty to be the star of the show.
Pro tip: Do you know which lettuce is best for the perfect burger? Green leaf lettuce. It has better flavor, better texture, and a more pleasing appearance than romaine or iceberg lettuce.
Check out my summary for how to make burger patties below.
How to Make Burger Patties Like a Restaurant
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fresh ground chuck (80/20)
- Salt and Pepper
- 3 Brioche hamburger buns
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 3 slices mild cheddar cheese
- toppings of choice
Instructions
- Select a pound of freshly ground chuck from your butcher. You should still be able to see the individual strands of meat from the grinder.
- Divide the meat into three equal chunks, compressing the meat only as need to hold it together in a loose ball.
- With strands of meat standing vertically, firmly press down on each chunk of meat to form into patties. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Place on medium-high grill or skillet (if using a skillet I like to add 1 tbsp of oil to help the patty cook) and cook till the top of the patty starts to darken in color. Flip once, top with cheese, and cook a few minutes longer.
- Butter inside of the hamburger buns and lightly toast them in a separate pan, cut side down.
- Assemble your burger with desired toppings and enjoy.
Notes
If you enjoyed reading How to Make Burger Patties then you should probably like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. That’s what I would do at least, because if you don’t get to know me but you still use my recipe it is kind of like taking candy from a stranger, and your mom taught you not to do that. Don’t disobey your mom, subscribe to Fox Valley Foodie today.
Jen says
Love this! I love burgers and even wrote a post on burger patties! They are too fun and way to easy. And fantastic with awesome beef! Enjoyed this read!
Sandy says
I too grind my own meats. Can’t beat it. I tried grinding just a small portion of very lean bacon into mine. Fantastic. You want lean bacon because of the fat to lean ratio. Your right about too much fat. Your burgers look great!
Jac says
Thank you!! Priceless tips that resulted in the best homemade burgers ever! From his first bite my husband’s eyes opened wide – ‘husband facial language’ for “Oh my goodness wife, how did you make these?”. And then he oohed and aahed with every bite thereafter! So thank you!!
Fox Valley Foodie says
I LOVE comments like this!
Eugene says
WT temperature do I put the burner on
Fox Valley Foodie says
I typically cook them at medium or medium-high heat, but it can vary depending on how thick you make them.
Cindy says
I made the best burgers ever with your help! Thanks so MUCH!
Wendy says
So you’re telling me I don’t need to go through that messy process with the eggs and the breadcrumbs and the burger come out just fine?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yep! Meat + eggs + breadcrumbs = meatloaf. imho
Shauna says
I was thinking the same thing! I had no idea… Thanks Foxvalley foodie!! I am going to make these burgers this evening.
George says
Man I made those burgers and became a hero even my kids I’m a burger freak like wimpy gladly pay u Tuesday for a hunger today lol thank you
Fox Valley Foodie says
Hahaha fanastic!
Robin Lewison says
What oil do you recommend for the skillet?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Personally, I use canola oil because of its high smoke point.
Karen says
Thank you for the post! Grilling these on the BBQ today for the 4th!
Sherry says
Gonna try these tonight for my son, who loves burgers! Love the way you express everything. It’s like I am there with you. All the way from Labrador!
Kadi says
Great burgers!! Quick and easy to do!! No more overly thick hunky burgers🤗
Lauren says
I made these burgers today for dinner. I always hated homemade burgers and I refused to eat them even if hey were grilled, because I was left disappointed every time. They were always dense and had this nasty herb flavor.
But holy cow your recipe is amazing. And I have never made burgers before. They tasted like restaurant burgers. My husband said they were d*mn good and he’s a cook. Thank you! 5 stars all day.
One thing I did differently was make 4 burgers bc I like them a little smaller. But hands down the best burger recipe ever. You should take pride in it!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Awesome! That is what I love to hear! Growing up I also HATED homemade burgers. They had no flavor, they were overcooked, and they were typically shaped like baseballs by the time they finished cooking. Luckily I had a friend’s mom who made really good ones, so I knew it could be done and became inspired to figure it out!
Magdalena says
Does it work same with prepack 90% already ground beef bough at Walmart?
Just roll it add salt and pepper a d good to go?
Planning on doing it today for dinner
Fox Valley Foodie says
80% beef makes a better burger than 90%. Make sure you are buying the packages that resemble what is shown in the pictures above where you can still see individual strands from the meatgrinder. You do not want to buy the meat that has been tightly squeezed into a bag for packaging.
joan montecino says
I would love to grind my own meat but how do I get the right ratio of meat/fat?
Fox Valley Foodie says
80% meat 20% fat is the proper ratio. All you need to do is use a digital scale and weigh out 8 pounds of lean meat and 2 pounds of fat. Obviously, this can scale up or down as needed. A chuck roast is typically pretty close to a 80/20 ratio anyhow if you don’t have a scale or don’t want to weigh the meat and fat separately.
J says
This had some great advice, didn’t realize all the things I was doing wrong!
Fox Valley Foodie says
If there is one thing in life I enjoy, it is telling people why they are wrong!
Janos says
Nice recepie, and really good result.
I did changed one bit, went to local and picked up a batch of dry aged beef fat and renderd it down used fat while grilling 🤤.
But overall its a delicious pattie.
Thanks
Knight says
Time to outdo my husbands hamburgers! Thank you for the simplicity!
Lan says
If I request the butcher grind the chuck for me, how many times should I request he pass it thru the grinder? Once? Twice? Thanks in advance!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Ask him to grind it twice.
David says
What if I want to make 6 burgers, what will I need for the ingredients to make 6 burgers? Please let me know and thanks
Fox Valley Foodie says
All you have to do is double the recipe.
Bryce says
Best burgers I’ve ever made. Been trying to find the right method for a while and this is it. Pure deliciousness.
Kayla says
I always would make homemade burgers and never really liked the way they tasted too much flavor or not enough and the size of the burger was never consistent lol I made them similar before, I didn’t mix the meat w salt n pepper I just put it on the top n button but they were nasty from what I remember. In this recipe do you mix it w salt n pepper before you shape them or shape them first and just put the salt n pepper on top? I’ve always loved burgers from good restaurants honestly I love five guys burgers too lolol but never could have one taste even close! I’m ready to make these tonight but I just need this question answered before I ruin it lol
Fox Valley Foodie says
Don’t mix the salt and pepper with the meat or you will overwork the meat and create an overly dense burger. Just sprinkle it on each side of the burger prior to cooking.
Clare says
I love the simplicity of this recipe!! My [extremely] picky four year old sat mmming away with every mouthful of these burgers and even asked for more! We will be making these a regular on our weekly menu planner in this household.
Thank you for the share!
Samantha says
Absolutely amazing! After years and trial and error trying multiple different methods, thanks to your incredible tips, I have finally found what I’ve been looking for. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with the world. You are a burger genius!
JH says
Amazing recipe. Thank you. I never expected that burgers could make my wife so delighted!
I did not follow the fat ratio part, but my trusted butcher apparently gave me a good cut anyhow – strands of ground beef were coherent, and the burger was easy to chew and juicy. After cooking three patties, at least a tablespoon of beef fat remained on the pan. I’m hoping that’s a good sign.
Thank you again!
Rebecca says
Best burgers ever!! I have tried so many different techniques and ingredients that others claim to be the “best”! I will NEVER make a burger any other way, with any other meat, with any ingredients mixed in!!
Rebecca Rodriguez says
Can these be made 1-2 days prior? Thank you. Rebecca
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yes, as long as your meat is fresh.
melinda says
really want to try this on Sunday! my concern is will the meat stick together? im afraid they will fall apart.
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yes, the meat will stick together just fine if you follow the instructions.
Justine says
I was planning to buy premise patties but I’m inspired by your tips. I’ve always thought my burgers were terrible and now I know why! But…I’m hosting a large party and really need things done in advance. I could buy meat, freeze, defrost; then form patties night before. Or form patties with fresh beef then freeze until day of party. The latter would be my preference. Any opinion? Or am I ruining the burgers either way. Also, I’m making sliders. And tips?
Thank you!
Fox Valley Foodie says
I typically avoid freezing the patties if at all possible, but either scenario you listed would work. If you form the patties and then freeze until your party make sure you take them out with enough time for them to thaw out, that would probably be my vote between your two options.
Alie says
My son wants the burger with diced jalapeno. How can i mix it in withou over-working tue meat?
Fox Valley Foodie says
You would have to grind the meat yourself. Mix jalapeno pieces with the meat chunks and then run everything through the meat grinder.
medler says
When using burger press, should the meat be compressed or only lightly pressed?
Should I grind meat twice?
Thanks.
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yes double grind the meat. I press firmly to ensure the burgers hold together.
Glenn says
My burgers are always dense and tasteless. My wife doesn’t even want to eat them. I will use your recipe the next time. Meanwhile, back at the freezer, we have six patties done the old way. Can they be saved or should they be meat loaf? Thanks for your advice.
Glenn
Fox Valley Foodie says
I would use them for meatloaf. I have some great meatloaf recipes on this website if you are in need of a recipe.
Toni Parker says
Thankyou out of all the recipes l googled l loved your directions best l was making defrosted fresh minced venison so l finely chopped bacon as my 20% fat -80% meat l followed your how to not handle it too much made balls then pressed between baking paper l seasoned one side once in the pan took them out and put them on a tray with slices of cheese on top was making 9 so popped in oven to melt cheese served with fried onions and salad veges loved by everyone
Amanda Maria Feliciano says
Best Burger I’ve ever made. Best I’ve ever had at home. My friend even said “In & Out Burger” has nothing on this. Freaking amazing!!!
Helen says
Followed the recipe to the T, but the burger fell apart when I ate it – loadsa a little bits of cooked beef mince all over the plate 🙁 where did I go wrong?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Press it together a bit harder next time and it shouldn’t fall apart.
Amanda says
I really loved how thorough yet simple this recipe was!
Great tips and an even better burger! The only thing i would have to complain about is being stuck behind the stove all day making endless burgers for the family, haha! Thanks for the amazing recipe! I will now always make my own burgers!
Michelle says
Wow. I’d been spending so much extra time and effort to make subpar hamburgers! This was super easy and really good. Thanks for sharing!