Burgers are a classic American meal that can be customized in endless ways While restaurants may have fancy equipment to form uniform burger patties, you can easily make tasty homemade burgers using basic ingredients and a few helpful techniques The key is starting with properly handled ground beef. Follow these tips to prepare ground beef that results in mouthwatering burgers cooked to perfection.
Select the Right Ground Beef
Choosing high-quality ground beef is the first step for burgers that are juicy and flavorful. Go for ground chuck with an 80/20 lean to fat ratio. The higher fat content adds moisture and beefy flavor as the burgers cook. Ground sirloin is leaner with 90/10 ratio. It can work but may produce drier patties. Steak trimmings ground fresh at a butcher shop offer premium texture and taste.
Handle Raw Beef Properly
Keep ground beef refrigerated until just before forming the patties. If the meat warms up too much the fat can start melting which prevents the patties holding together well. For food safety it’s also critical to avoid cross-contamination. Use one plate for the raw patties and another for the cooked burgers. Clean all surfaces, utensils, and hands that touch raw meat before proceeding.
Add Binders to Keep Burgers Juicy
Mixing a few binder ingredients into raw ground beef allows the patties to hold in moisture as they cook. Crushed crackers or dry breadcrumbs are excellent options. The starches absorb some of the fat and juices preventing burgers from crumbling. Eggs and milk products also add moisture and fat.
Include Flavor Boosters
In addition to keeping patties tender and juicy, binders provide the chance to incorporate spices, herbs, sauces, etc. Worcestershire sauce, onion and garlic powders, salt, and pepper are commonly used to increase the flavor of burger patties. Get creative with spices like cumin, chili powder, or red pepper flakes. Or introduce flavors like soy sauce, salsa, pesto, or BBQ sauce.
Gentle Handling When Mixing
Avoid overworking the ground beef when adding binders and seasonings. You want to mix thoroughly but gently. Overmixing develops gluten strands from proteins which can make the patties dense and rubbery. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated, without massaging so much the meat becomes sticky.
Divide into Patties Carefully
First form ground beef into a disk shape in the bowl, then cut into evenly sized portions. Gently pat and press each portion into patties without compacting too densely. Make indentations in the center so patties cook evenly without bulging. Place parchment between patties when stacking. Cover and refrigerate patties up to 24 hours before cooking.
Appropriate Thickness is Key
Thinner patties of 3⁄4 inch can be cooked fast on a griddle or grill. They work well for sliders and diner-style burgers. Form thicker 1-inch patties for pub-style burgers to cook evenly without drying out. Burger patties will shrink slightly so make them about 1⁄2 inch wider than the bun diameter.
Quick Cooking at High Heat
The outer surface of patties should caramelize but the interior should remain pinkish and juicy. Use high heat around 400°F on a preheated grill or skillet. Thick burgers need about 4 minutes per side. Thinner patties may only need 2-3 minutes per side at most. Avoid pressing down on patties while cooking which squeezes out juices.
Cook Until Safe Internal Temperature
Meat needs to reach a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy potentially harmful bacteria. Cook burgers to at least 160°F, inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest portion. When juices run clear the patties are done. If cut into, check that the interior is no longer pink.
Allow Resting Time Before Serving
Once cooked through, transfer patties to a clean plate to rest 5 minutes before assembling burgers. This resting period allows juices to reabsorb back into the meat. Skipping this step means the juicy center gets squeezed out when biting into the burger.
Sear Then Finish Cooking in Oven
For thicker restaurant-style burgers, sear patties in a hot pan about 2 minutes per side. Then transfer the pan to a 400°F oven to finish cooking for 6-8 more minutes until 160°F internal temperature. The oven’s ambient heat cooks evenly without over-browning exterior.
Add Cheese When Almost Done
To melt cheese evenly, place slices on patties during last 1-2 minutes of cooking. Shredded cheeses like cheddar or Swiss require only about 1 minute to soften sufficiently. Soft sliced cheeses like American will melt fastest. Cover the pan so cheese melts from residual heat.
Build Burgers Thoughtfully
Construct burgers with care by layering toppings evenly. Spread condiments on both bun halves before adding lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions etc. Place patty on bottom bun then top with cheese, bacon, avocado, etc. Cap with top bun and serve immediately before sandwiches get soggy.
Don’t Forget the Extras
Burgers deserve hefty sides like onion rings, French fries, sweet potato fries, or house-made chips. Round out the meal with creamy coleslaw, a crisp green salad, or zesty dill pickle spears. Consider offering fun dippable sauces like spicy ranch, ketchup, barbecue sauce, or garlic aioli.
With the right preparation of ground beef plus strategic cooking techniques, your homemade burgers can taste just as amazing as any restaurant. Follow these pointers for hamburgers, cheeseburgers, bacon burgers, or specialty patties piled high with all your favorite toppings. Your friends and family will keep requesting your juicy, crave-worthy burger recipe over and over again!
How to Serve Homemade Hamburgers
Stack the hot patties on hamburger buns, and dress up with your favorite hamburger toppings and condiments. One of my favorite condiments is Big Mac Sauce!
You can try making your homemade burgers into a thick backyard barbecue classic with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a bit of mayo and mustard.
Or my personal, gotta-have burger offers two thin patties, each covered by a slice of melted American cheese, and all loaded with tomato, pickles, crispy fried onions, and bbq sauce.
Other great toppings you can use are red onions, ketchup, and butter-grilled buns. Serve with either onion rings or sweet potato fries.
At least we can agree that the best homemade hamburgers are served with a heaping side of cajun fries, shoestring fries, or baked french fries!
This simple, terrifically basic recipe for Easy Homemade Hamburger Patties is great for customizing with your favorite spices. Try incorporating some punches of flavor by adding any of the following ingredients to the raw hamburger mix, or putting them right on top of your cooked burgers: Crushed red pepper Shaved serrano (spicy!) or jalapeno (milder) peppers Chopped fresh scallions or cilantro Barbecue sauce Soy sauce Diced red or white onion Shredded or crumbled cheeses like cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, or blue cheese
Although this particular recipe is not gluten-free, it can be easily adjusted using GF-friendly Panko breadcrumbs and gluten-free buns.
When you bake homemade burgers, you must use high heat so an exterior crust forms. Set the oven to 450 degrees F and place a baking sheet in the oven so it gets hot like a griddle. Once hot, transfer the patties to the hot pan. If making thin patties, bake/roast for 2-3 minutes per side. If making thick patties, bake/roast for 5-6 minutes per side.
How To Make The Perfect Burger Every Time
It seriously only takes mere minutes to make restaurant-quality homemade burgers from scratch. Prep your workspace and ingredients before getting started and you’ll be whipping out hot plates from your home kitchen (or backyard) in no time!
Here’s how…
First, set out a large mixing bowl and add in the ground beef, crushed crackers, egg, Worcestershire sauce, milk, and spices.
Use your hands to combine until the mixture is thoroughly smooth.
Next, press the meat down in the bowl into an even disk. Use a knife to cut and divide the hamburger patty mixture into 6 – 1/3 pound grill or skillet patties or 12 thin griddle patties. Like so:
Set out a baking sheet lined with wax paper or foil to hold the patties. One at a time, gather the patty mix and press firmly into patties of your desired thickness. You typically want hamburger patties to be slightly larger than the buns they’ll be served on since they’ll shrink slightly during in the cooking process.
Place the formed patties on the baking sheet. With thick patties, press an indentation in the center of each patty, so they don’t puff up while cooking.
You can stack the patties with sheets of wax paper between layers if needed.
Then, preheat the grill or a skillet to medium heat, approximately 350-400 degrees F. I love using a cast-iron skillet for getting that drool-worthy caramelized sear on the burgers.
For thick patties: Grill or fry the patties for 3-4 minutes per side for a medium burger.
For thin patties: Cook on the griddle for 2 minutes per side.
Ideally, you only want to flip your burgers once or twice during cooking.
Pro Tip: Homemade cooked hamburger patties will keep well tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How To Make The Perfect Hamburger Patty – Secrets And Tips
FAQ
Do I need to add egg to ground beef for burgers?
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Tastyhttps://tasty.co11 Burger Mistakes Everyone Makes – TastyMay 28, 2013 — And that makes for a less delicious burger. … AND SO: Your burgers aren’t tender. … So for the best burgers, don’t do ANYTHING to it before you …
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Quorahttps://www.quora.comWhat is the purpose of adding an egg to ground beef when making …Oct 31, 2023 — Binding agent? Yes, when you are creating a burger patty or meatloaf, you want to maintain the shape you worked hard to put it in – as a binding age…
How to cook ground beef for burgers?
For thick patties: Grill or fry the patties for 3-4 minutes per side. For thin patties: Cook on the griddle for 2 minutes per side. Stack the hot patties on hamburgers buns, and top with your favorite hamburgers toppings. Serve warm.
How to make beef burgers from ground beef?
- Tip 500g beef mince into a bowl with 1 small diced onion and 1 egg, then mix.
- Divide the mixture into four. …
- Set in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze down to flatten into patties about 3cm thick. …
- Put on a plate, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to firm up for at least 30 mins.
Do you have to add anything to ground beef for burgers?
Recipe FAQs Do you need to add any binders to homemade hamburgers? No. Ground beef for burgers should only be seasoned. Adding ingredients such as bread, crackers, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, etc., makes the texture more like a meatball or meatloaf. Burgers will hold their shape just fine without any binders.
How long does it take to make ground beef burgers?
In less than 5 minutes, you can make ground beef patties for burgers. This recipe makes 4 half pound patties. To prepare, add ground beef to a large mixing bowl, break it up gently with hands or a spoon, and add salt and pepper.
How do you make a burger patty with ground beef?
To make a burger patty with ground beef, start by adding the ground beef to a large mixing bowl. Break it up gently with hands or a spoon, then mix in the salt and pepper until integrated. Next, separate the burger meat into four 8-ounce patties, forming each into a ball and flattening them into disc shapes slightly larger than the burger buns.
How do you make a good burger?
To make a good burger, start with at least 20% fat ground beef or add some chopped bacon or olive oil to lean ground beef. For the cheese, use freshly sliced American cheese from the deli counter, not pre-packaged singles.
Is ground beef suitable for burger patties?
Using ground beef in your burger patties is recommended. However, using ground beef that is too lean (95% or above) may not have enough fat content to stay together easily. This simple hamburger patty recipe is a good start as it doesn’t have many ingredients, which can help prevent the burger meat from falling apart.
How do you make a Good Burger patty?
Grind the beef twice for a medium grind or three times for a fine grind. Preparing the perfect burger patty begins with the meticulous process of grinding your own beef. By taking control of this essential step, you can elevate the flavor and texture of your burgers, ensuring a culinary experience that will tantalize your taste buds.
How do you cook a burger on a grill?
Sprinkle the ground beef evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently form the meat into 4 balls, then lightly press into 4-inch-wide, 1-inch-thick patties. Make a 2-inch-wide indentation in the center of each with your thumb to prevent the burgers from bulging when grilled. Preheat a grill to high. Season the patties with salt and pepper.