There is more to know about how to make burger patties than simply forming ground beef into a patty shape. To make the best burger like your favorite restaurant you need to pay attention to a few simple details.
I take my burger patty recipe very seriously. I have made burgers in every different way imaginable on my quest to make the best homemade burgers. I've bought meat, ground my own, used ground 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?
Basically, what I am trying to say is, I know a thing or two about crafting the best burger recipes.
Ingredients - Choosing the Right Hamburger Meat
First things first, I'm talking about how to make homemade 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. So let's talk about starting with the right ingredients.
The most important aspect of making the perfect burger is using the right meat. This isn't just talking about the right cut of fresh ground beef, 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 good quality ground beef 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 lean beef such as ground sirloin will be too dry to make a good burger. Burgers need a higher fat content 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. This is the same ground beef used for a good classic meatloaf as well.
How to Form Burger Patties
Now that we have the right burger meat, we need to make the perfect homemade hamburger patties. The best tip I can give you to form your patties 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. This is the best way to ruin any hamburger recipe.
Separate your freshly ground beef into chunks sized for the burgers you are making (use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact). I like to make thick patties, typically around ⅓ - ½ pound burgers, unless I'm making a fast food style burger (like smash burgers), which is a whole different story. I gently form the raw burger 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.
Now simply, and firmly, press straight down to form the beef 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 patty. This will help the center cook more evenly.
How to Cook a Burger
To make burger patties on the stovetop I recommend using a cast iron skillet set over medium or medium-high heat to sear the exterior (you can add olive oil to the skillet, but it isn't necessary). Thicker burgers need a lower heat because the interior will take longer to come to temperature, whereas, thin patties cook quickly and need high heat for searing. If your heat is too high, you will burn the exterior of your stovetop burgers long before the interior reaches temperature.
Regardless of whether you cook up juicy burger patties in a cast iron skillet or on a hot grill, for the juiciest burgers 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 dry burgers. Yum.
Only flip the burger patty once, and don't keep messing with it. 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. It typically will take 3-4 minutes per side before the burger is fully cooked.
Tip: Using a digital meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature is an easy way to ensure you don't overcook your burger patties. However, with a little practice, they won't be needed for long.
You can also cook your burgers on a charcoal or gas grill. I encourage you to also check out my detailed write-up discussing How to Grill Burgers for those of you who crave a more in-depth look.
Best Buns for Burgers
You can top your burger with whatever you want. However, the bun you choose makes a BIG difference in how great your burger tastes. My favorite by far are brioche buns. However, a pretzel bun is fantastic as well. You simply want a bun that feels light and squishy. A heavy, dense bun will steal the show from the tender burger patty.
Burger Toppings
A great hamburger patty needs equally great toppings to really hit its full flavor potential. Classic burger toppings include simple ingredients such as crisp lettuce, fresh onions, tomato, and pickles. However, if you are craving something new and flavorful, try these creative ideas:
- Pickled Red Onions - These add a bright and tangy crunch.
- Gourmet Burger Sauce - Sweet and tangy! It is a burger's best friend!
- Caramelized Onions - This would taste great with my chipotle mayo!
- Refrigerator dill pickles - These pack a better crunch than traditional pickles.
- Big Mac Sauce - This copycat recipe tastes just like the real thing!
Expert Tips and Suggestions
- Do you know which lettuce is best for the perfect hamburger? Green leaf lettuce. It has better flavor, better texture, and a more pleasing appearance than romaine or iceberg lettuce.
- I use wax burger paper, although parchment paper also works, to form my burgers on. They release easily off of it without sticking, the paper is cheap, and it a package will last for years.
- Always toast your buns. Toasting the interior of your bun improves the texture, and flavor significantly. It is best to toast face-down in a skillet on medium heat after painting with butter.
- When cooking the patties, do not press the burger with a spatula and only flip it once. Pressing creates a dry burger, and flipping excessively can prevent the meat from developing a proper sear. Check out how to brown ground beef to learn more about the importance of proper browning.
- Let your burger rest for a few minutes after cooking so the juices settle back into the meat. This will ensure you have the most flavorful burger possible.
FAQs
You do not need breadcrumbs or eggs to hold a patty together. Just press firmly down on the meat with a flat object (like the bottom of a plate) when forming and it will hold its shape. Using wax paper also helps because you can transfer the patty to your cooking surface without overly disturbing the patty. Using the correct meat is also important. If the beef is too lean your burger will be dry and crumbly.
Juicy burgers start with using meat that contains enough fat. 80/20 beef is recommended, as the fat is what creates the juice, not additives like Worcestershire sauce. If you use exceptionally lean ground beef your patties will be dry because there won't be enough fat to render during cooking.
No, adding egg would create a meatloaf sandwich, not a burger. If you add an egg to your burgers you have to overwork the meat in order to mix it in, this creates a less flavorful, denser burger. With proper instruction, you can create exceptional burgers without egg or breadcrumbs.
More Delicious Homemade Burger Recipes
Now that you know how to make great burger patties, use any of the recipes below to craft your own custom homemade burger:
How to Make Burger Patties
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh ground chuck (80/20)
- salt and black pepper
- 3 brioche hamburger buns
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 slices mild cheddar cheese
- favorite burger toppings
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.
- Set your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (you can add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to help the patty sear) and cook your burger patty until the top starts to darken in color. Flip once, top with a slice of cheese, and cook a few minutes longer.
- Butter inside of the hamburger buns and lightly toast them in a separate pan, cut side down.
- Place your burger patty onto the toasted bun, add your favorite burger toppings, and enjoy.
Samantha
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!
Clare
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!
Kayla
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
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.
Bryce
Best burgers I've ever made. Been trying to find the right method for a while and this is it. Pure deliciousness.
David
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
All you have to do is double the recipe.
Lan
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
Ask him to grind it twice.
Knight
Time to outdo my husbands hamburgers! Thank you for the simplicity!
Janos
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
J
This had some great advice, didn't realize all the things I was doing wrong!
Fox Valley Foodie
If there is one thing in life I enjoy, it is telling people why they are wrong!
joan montecino
I would love to grind my own meat but how do I get the right ratio of meat/fat?
Fox Valley Foodie
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.
Lauren
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
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
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
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.
Kadi
Great burgers!! Quick and easy to do!! No more overly thick hunky burgers🤗
Sherry
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!
Karen
Thank you for the post! Grilling these on the BBQ today for the 4th!
George
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
Hahaha fanastic!
Robin Lewison
What oil do you recommend for the skillet?
Fox Valley Foodie
Personally, I use canola oil because of its high smoke point.
Wendy
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
Yep! Meat + eggs + breadcrumbs = meatloaf. imho
Shauna
I was thinking the same thing! I had no idea… Thanks Foxvalley foodie!! I am going to make these burgers this evening.
Cindy
I made the best burgers ever with your help! Thanks so MUCH!
Jac
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
I LOVE comments like this!
Eugene
WT temperature do I put the burner on
Fox Valley Foodie
I typically cook them at medium or medium-high heat, but it can vary depending on how thick you make them.
Sandy
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!
Jen
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!