The Best Burger Recipe – So Good the Bun Gets in the Way (2024)

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Walking around town touting that I have the best burger recipe seems a little overbearing, doesn’t it?! And yet here I am. Telling the whole internet that this, this right here, is the best burger recipe. So good, the bun gets in the way.

Don’t get me wrong. I love a bun just as much as the next person.

Hamburger bun that is 😉

BUT, we are an 80/20 household. We eat Paleo 80% of the time. 20% is a free for all. So, when I set out to make a delicious grilled burger (perfect for your 4th of July cookout!) I wanted it to be SO good we wouldn’t be missing the bun.

Or the cheese.

Challenge accepted.

Although, since writing this post I have discovered sweet potato buns! Oh my gosh you must try these. Unbelievably easy to make and DELICIOUS. Ok, that concludes this small update.

My mom taught me a few tips and tricks when it comes to making burgers. And one exceptional secret weapon. Which I include in this recipe.

So, let’s get to it, shall we?

The Best Burger Recipe

First, lets talk about the meat you’re going to buy. Ground chuck is the most common. And it best have some fat! Ground chuck without fat means dry burgers. No thank you.

We tend to buy 80/20 ground chuck. 80% lean meant. 20% fat.

Next, adding flavor to your meat. We keep it pretty simple (compared to what is out there). Can I get a spice line-up please?

Introducing:

  • 1 TBS garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 TBS onion powder

And, of course, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. In a bowl mix these all together and add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to bring it all together.

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Add 2 1/2 pounds of ground chuck to a bowl. (This creates 6 patties. If you need less adjust recipe as needed!) Massage the spice mixture into the meat.

Grab a tennis sized ball of the meat. Work into a ball formation. Then flatten it into a patty by compressing it with your thumbs. This might seem like a large patty but remember that it will shrink when it is cooked! Also, make sure you evenly distribute the meat so it will cook evenly.

Once you create your patties. Take a small pinch of meat out of the center of each patty. Yes. Do it! Reserve the pinched meat. Your patties should look like this:

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This may seem crazy. Let me assure you, we are a bit crazy 🙂

BUT, this is what my mom taught me. To keep the burger moist she adds a pat of butter to the middle of each patty. Just take 1 tablespoon of butter and cut it into fours. Then add each piece to the middle.

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Add a little piece of the reserved meat back to each patty and press it down to incorporate it back into the patty.

Now to grill! Heat your grill to high. We brush each patty with a little olive oil on each side to ensure it will not stick.

And can I stop to say a big thank you to Jeremy?! It was pouring the rain when we made these – but that did not phase him (or our little bear).

Ok, put your burgers on the grill. Depending on the size of your patties, grill them (without touching them!!) for 6 minutes on the first side. Flip once. Cook on the other side for an additional 4-5 minutes (without touching).

Your burger should register at 160 degrees F.

Take them off the grill and allow them to rest for 4-5 minutes (this ensures the juices will distribute throughout the meat).

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Go ahead and prep your veggies! Thanks to the summer season we grabbed up some green tomatoes (welcome to the south!!).

We also love the creaminess of avocados, the peppery bite of arugula, the spicy crunch from red onions and the bold flavor pop from stone ground mustard!

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No cheese. I know. We’re keeping it Paleo 😉

And now. It’s time to dress her up and serve her.

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Also! So fun – this recipe along with 20 others are featured in my new book Come & Eat: A Celebration of Love and Grace Around the Everyday Table.

Grab a copy today and have a meal plan for 21 days!

The Best Burger Recipe – So Good the Bun Gets in the Way (8)
The Best Burger Recipe – So Good the Bun Gets in the Way (9)

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The Best Burger Recipe

★★★★4 from 1 review
  • Author: Bri McKoy
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground chuck
  • 1 TBS garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 TBS onion powder
  • 1 TBS Worcestershire
  • 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 TBS butter

Instructions

  1. Make the spice mixture by mixing the Worcestershire, olive oil, garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper together.
  2. Add the spice mixture to the ground chuck. Massage the mixture into the meat.
  3. Create six tennis-sized balls with the meat.
  4. Compress the meat with your thumbs to create patties.
  5. Take a pinch of meat out of the center of each patty. Reserve the meat.
  6. Add a cube of butter to each patty.
  7. Replace the removed meat back to each patty, fully covering the butter.
  8. Grill the patties on high heat. 6 minutes on the first side. 4-5 minutes on the second side.
  9. Let meat rest for 5 minutes.
  10. Serve with your favorite veggies and condiments.
The Best Burger Recipe – So Good the Bun Gets in the Way (2024)

FAQs

Do u put eggs in homemade burgers? ›

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.

Is Worcestershire sauce good in hamburgers? ›

Yes definitely. I like adding Worcester sauce in my burgers. It adds a nice little bit of a kick from inside the burger. While there are times I like to go really fancy, some days, you just want to have a nice and simply quick and dirty burger for quick grilling…

What makes a burger stand out? ›

Great burger restaurants use high quality ingredients. Sauces and other ingredients have lots of flavor that can make up for less flavorful low quality meats, making it tempting to cut corners. However, using good meat and the right spices can enhance every burger even if it's lathered in a million flavorful sauces.

Should you mix seasoning into burgers? ›

If you are forming your own patties, you can season the blend as you mix and shape them. If possible, season at least 30 minutes (and up to to two hours) before cooking to let that seasoning work its way into the patty. There's no skipping this step: Unseasoned burgers will always taste bland.

What to season burgers with? ›

Beef burgers need nothing more than a sprinkle of salt, preferably kosher salt, to cook up juicy and delicious. Some black pepper is also welcome, and there's no reason not to branch out with any number of hamburger-friendly seasonings: herbs, spices, onions and more.

What does Gordon Ramsay put in his burgers? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 lb ground sirloin.
  2. 1 onion, minced.
  3. 1 tablespoon ketchup.
  4. 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato, cut thinly.
  5. 14 cup garlic, chopped.
  6. 12 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
  7. 12 teaspoon Tabasco sauce.
  8. 12 teaspoon honey mustard.

What makes homemade burgers juicy? ›

For beef and lamb burgers, choose mince that has at least an 80% meat to 20% fat ratio. The fat is essential for juiciness and flavour. If you can't find mince with the right ratio, add finely chopped streaky bacon to your patty mixture.

What makes burger patties stick together? ›

Ground meats with a higher fat content will stick together well on their own. That's why many good hamburgers are made with 80% lean and 20% fat beef. Lean beef, with a lower fat content, it won't stick together as well. However, that doesn't mean you can't use anything but fatty meat.

What is the perfect burger patty ratio? ›

And on this, experts concur — the most popular and flavorful ratio of lean to fat comes in at 80/20. Paul Vaccari, owner of New York City's Piccinini Brothers, which sells to restaurants as well as individuals, says his most popular mixture for hamburgers is an 80/20 ground chuck.

How does Guy Fieri cook his burgers? ›

Preheat a grill or griddle over medium-high heat. Make the burgers: Form the meat into 6 patties. Lightly season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Grill the patties to medium, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

What makes a burger so tasty? ›

High fat content, good meat,, proper seasonings, and CHAR. You can re-create the flavor of a restaurant-style burger at home if you know what you're doing. For the meat, you want something that inherently has good flavor AND a high fat content.

What hamburger makes the best hamburger? ›

Some of the best beef cuts for burgers include: Ground Round — As stated above, this cut does well on its own as a reliable option for creating delicious burgers. Round meat can be from top round or bottom round. Brisket — Brisket has incredibly high fat content and great beef flavor.

What is the most important thing in a burger? ›

Get the meat to fat ratio right

It's literally the most important aspect of a good burger. Ideally your meat will have an 80 percent meat to 20 percent fat split – that's the magic ratio for burgers that melt in your mouth without falling apart in your hands.

What not to do when making burgers? ›

The less you handle your ground meat, the better. Mushing it causes the proteins to get worked up, and that makes your burgers less tender. So for the best burgers, don't do ANYTHING to it before you shape the meat it into patties. Don't dump it in a bowl to add seasoning — not even salt and pepper — and mix it around.

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