Beef Burger
A great burger is 80% the meat and 20% everything else. Use 80/20 chuck (or grind your own), don't overwork, season just before cooking, and let the high heat do its job. The patty should have a deep mahogany crust and a juicy pink center.
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
30 min
Servings
2
Calories
384 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Beef Patty1
- Bun½
- Cheese½ cup
- Lettuce1 cups
- Tomato1 medium
- Onion½ medium
- Mayonnaise1 ½ tbsp
- Salt½ tsp
- Black Pepper¼ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 2 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Beef Patty1
- Bun0.5
- Cheese0.5 cup
- Lettuce1 cups
- Tomato1 medium
- Onion0.5 medium
- Mayonnaise1.5 tbsp
- Salt0.5 tsp
- Black Pepper0.25 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Use 80/20 ground chuck (80% lean, 20% fat). Lower fat = dry; higher = greasy. Form into loose patties slightly wider than your bun (they shrink), with a small dimple in the center (prevents bulging).
- 2
Season the patties only with salt and pepper — and only just before cooking. Salt added in advance pulls out moisture and toughens the meat.
- 3
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle until smoking. No oil needed — the fat in the patty is enough. Place patty down, don't move it for 3 minutes.
- 4
Flip once. Add cheese now if using (American melts most cleanly). Cook 2-3 more minutes for medium-rare, longer for done. Use a thermometer: 130°F medium-rare, 145°F medium.
- 5
Toast the buns in the same pan, cut-side down, for 30 seconds — picks up the beef fat. Don't skip this. Naked buns are wrong.
- 6
Build: bottom bun, sauce, lettuce, tomato, patty, cheese, pickles, onion, top bun. Rest 1 minute before eating — the juices settle and the bun absorbs them.
Watch how to make Beef Burger
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Don't press the patty with a spatula while cooking. You squeeze out all the juice. Just leave it alone.
- 2.Cold butter on top of the patty while it cooks adds glossy richness. A tab the size of a pat works.
- 3.Grind your own beef if you can — chuck steak run through a meat grinder takes 5 minutes and changes everything. Grocery ground beef is over-handled.
- 4.Brioche or potato buns are the gold standard. Avoid sesame seed buns from a packet — they're dense and dry. Toast whatever bun you use.
🔬 Why It Works
A burger is a Maillard reaction display. The crust forms when the beef's surface hits roughly 300°F, triggering amino acids + sugars to brown into hundreds of flavor compounds. The hotter the pan, the better the crust. Salt added in advance dissolves muscle proteins and creates a denser, sausage-like texture — that's why you season at the last second. The dimple in the center compensates for the patty's natural tendency to bulge (proteins contract under heat). Rest before eating: juices have been driven to the center by heat; resting lets them redistribute, so they don't pour out at the first bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my burger dry?▾
Should I add egg or breadcrumbs to bind the patty?▾
Smashed burger vs thick patty — which is better?▾
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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