This is the best burger I\u2019ve ever come across. It\u2019s a homemade burger patty with meat and seasonings, no fillers. It really lets the meat flavor shine!<\/em><\/p>\n I make a lot of burgers in the summer. They\u2019re so quick to put together and everybody loves them.<\/p>\n Most of the time, I keep things simple. I start with ground meat and add seasoning. That\u2019s it. No egg. No breadcrumbs. Just meat and seasoning. I want to really taste the meat. That\u2019s the best burger recipe to me.<\/p>\n Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n Usually, for seasonings, I go with Lawry\u2019s Seasoned Salt<\/a>. There\u2019s just a bit of extra flavor in there. Regular salt works well, too.<\/p>\n I always add black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Not very much of any of it though. When you start to actually build your burger there are going to be lots of toppings going on \u2014 tomatoes, pickles, mustard, ketchup, onions, and lettuce. All kinds of things. If you want the flavor of the meat to really shine, don\u2019t\u00a0overpower it with too many seasonings at the early stages.<\/p>\n I tend to use a mixture of lean and fattier ground beef. Or lean ground beef mixed with ground pork. I sometimes use all lean beef if I want a healthier burger. Whatever kind of meat you use, the most important thing is to not mix or handle it too much. Work the seasoning through the meat very quickly using your hands and do not over mix. It will make the finished burger tough, not tender.<\/p>\n At this point, I always like to do a flavor test, just in case something is off. Take about a tablespoon of the beef mixture and flatten it into a tiny burger patty. Put it on a small plate in the microwave for 20 seconds. If it\u2019s no longer pink on the outside or inside, it\u2019s cooked. Give it a taste. It\u2019s not going to taste as good as your final burger, but you can tell if there\u2019s enough seasoning. If you feel the need to add a little bit more, add it to the meat mixture, but be careful not to stir it very much when mixing it in.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a firm believer that the best hamburger recipe doesn\u2019t include egg in the patty. The purpose of adding in an egg is to act as a binder to hold everything together. But because I really want to keep things simple and let the flavor of the beef shine, I also keep my ingredient list short.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you like to add additional ingredients like diced onion or breadcrumbs to your burger patty mixture, that\u2019s when you may need to add an egg (generally one egg yolk per pound of ground beef). Looking for the richness that an egg provides? Fry the eggs and add them on top instead.<\/p>\n Next, you shape your meat into patties. Divide the meat into the number of patties that you want. When I start with 2 pounds of ground beef, I make 6-8 patties. Before you start shaping patties, divide the meat up into the number of portions that you plan to have. Try to get the portions as even as you can. I sometimes even use a kitchen scale<\/a> to make sure that they\u2019re all the same.<\/p>\n Using your hands, take one portion of meat and form it into a big meatball. You want a nice tight compacted sphere. Once you have that, use your palms to evenly flatten it into a circle. Or you could use a burger press<\/a> to get them to the exact size and shape you want every time. I like them about 4 inches in diameter and 3\/4 inches thick. Try to make them a little bit thinner in the middle, even if you use a burger press. Why? As the patties cook they tend to bulge at the middle and you get an uneven surface, a burger that bulges in the middle. Thinning them at the middle when forming the patties will help counter this.<\/p>\n When you flatten the patties, they sometimes crack a bit along the edges. Just run the palm of your hand around to push the edges in a bit and smooth any cracks.<\/p>\n Arrange the patties in a single layer on a plate. If they don\u2019t all fit in one layer, top the first ones with wax paper or parchment paper and then do another layer on top. Cook right away or refrigerate uncovered for up to two hours.<\/p>\n Burgers are great when grilled. If you don\u2019t have a grill, my next favorite is a large flat nonstick frying pan or cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. You want it hot enough to sear the meat on the outside, but not to burn it before the interior cooks. I start by cooking my burgers for about 3-4 minutes on each side. This depends on the thickness and the temperature of course.<\/p>\n I typically go for a medium to medium-high heat. Cook on the first side not touching them at all until they get a good sear. Then flip and leave them for 2-6 more minutes (depending on how done you want it). I\u2019ll admit that I often cut into one to see if it\u2019s how I want them. <\/p>\n Tip:<\/strong> Use an instant read thermometer<\/a> to check the temperature. You want the interior to be 160\u00b0F. That\u2019s well done and is the safest when you\u2019re working with ground meat. I know that many people like their burgers less done than that. If that\u2019s you, you know what you like. Just know that it isn\u2019t completely safe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n If you\u2019re cooking your burgers in a skillet, here\u2019s a trick for melting the cheese very quickly. While\u00a0your burgers are cooking, put on a kettle to boil. Once you\u2019ve added the slice of cheese to the burgers and are ready for it to melt, drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of water directly onto the pan\u00a0around the burgers. Cover with a lid. The steam from the hot water will melt the cheese in just a few seconds.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re cooking your burgers on the grill, add the cheese when you flip the burgers for the final time. Then put down the cover so that it\u00a0has time to melt before the burgers overcook.<\/p>\n Sesame seeds or not is up to you. Well, whatever bun you choose is up to you. I like something a bit more solid, less floppy than the hamburger buns sold next to the wonderbread. I get my buns at the bakery section of the grocery store.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more important than what kind of bun though is what you do with it. For me, it\u2019s critical that the bun be warm. The best is if it\u2019s toasted (maybe with a bit of garlic butter<\/a> spread onto it mmmmm). But if you can\u2019t be bothered to toast it, that\u2019s fine. Microwave it for 15 seconds per bun. Just get it warmed up a bit. It makes such a difference to the entire burger experience.<\/p>\n The only thing left is the burger condiments. This is a very personal choice. I always go with fried onions, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise, lots of mustard, a tiny bit of ketchup. Though lately it\u2019s been this killer\u00a0Burger Sauce recipe<\/a>\u00a0I came up with or this great Sriracha Mayo<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Burgers](\"https:\/\/cookthestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Burger-11-edit-portrait-660.jpg\" "\\"Best")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nVideo: How To Make These Delicious Burgers:<\/span><\/h2>\n
What Do You Need For The Best Burger?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Seasoning<\/span><\/h3>\n
Meat<\/span><\/h3>\n
Do I Need To Add Egg To My Burger Mixture?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Making The Burger Patties<\/span><\/h2>\n
Cooking Your Best Burger<\/span><\/h2>\n
Completing Your Burger<\/span><\/h2>\n
Cheese<\/span><\/h3>\n
Buns<\/span><\/h3>\n
Condiments<\/span><\/h3>\n