Best-Ever Burger

Whether you load yours up with all the burger toppings imaginable or prefer to keep it simple, the best cheeseburger, first and foremost, must nail the basics. I’m here to give you my tried-and-true recipe for the best burger possible, from the well-seasoned patty to the best toppings. Fire up the grill—our go-to recipe will be the base for your favorite burgers at cookouts all summer long.

How To Make Our Best-Ever Burger

INGREDIENTS

• Ground Beef: I like cooking with 80 percent lean, 20 percent fat. It makes for a juicy, but not greasy, burger. (With less fat, you're at high risk for dry meat.) While the pre-made patties are tempting and convenient, they can be over-packed, which can lead to dense burgers. It's easier and better to form your own.
• Salt & Pepper: I’m only seasoning with salt and pepper, and waiting to season until right before it hits the grill. I find that the results are generally more tender, not as tough. My biggest piece of advice is to SEASON GENEROUSLY on both sides. Salt brings out flavor.
• Butter: Brushing the patties with melted butter while they’re cooking not only creates a rich flavor but also keeps our burgers moist.
• Cheese: If you're looking for a classic option, I think the creaminess and superior melt factor of American cheese can't be beat. But, as long as your cheese has the desired melting factor, the world is really your oyster. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and smoked Gouda would all be delicious options depending on your toppings.
• Burger Sauce: Ketchup and mustard are great, but I’ll never say no to a classic burger sauce. It’s so easy to make—all you need is mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, dill pickle juice, and sweet paprika.
• Toppings & Assembly: The perfect burger for me has soft and fluffy hamburger buns (make them homemade if you’re feeling ambitious), tomato, lettuce, onion, and pickles. That being said, feel free to add your favorite, must-have burger toppings.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, shape your ground beef into 3 equal-sized patties. You want the patties to be around 1” wider than the bun. When you’re ready to cook, season both sides of the patty generously (seriously, don’t be shy with the salt and pepper), then place a wide, shallow indent in the center of each patty using your finger.

You can grill these burgers or cook them in a skillet. The cook time and process are basically the same, but I’ll walk you through how to prepare them on the stovetop here. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, and wait until it’s very hot. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may have to work in batches to prevent overcrowding. Cook your patties on one side until a crust develops and they’re no longer pink. It’s very important to leave them undisturbed for a good crust and even cook. After they reach that point (around 6 minutes), flip and immediately brush melted butter on top of each patty. Cook the other side, again undisturbed, until it is browned—around 3 minutes more. Top with your slice of cheese, then continue to cook until you reach your desired level of doneness. For medium, it will take around 3 minutes more.

Set your burgers aside, and if you’re making the burger sauce, combine mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, and paprika in a bowl, then season with pepper. Spread the sauce on the bottom buns, and top with your burgers and chosen toppings (lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles for me). Add another spread of the sauce on the top bun, then close the burgers and serve!

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How long should I cook my burger? The best way to check when your burger is done is to use an internal meat thermometer. We cook our burgers to medium, but the time and temp. all depends on how you like your burgers:
  • Well done: 165°
  • Medium well: 150–155°
  • Medium: 145–150°
  • Medium rare: 140–145°
  • Rare: 135°
• How should I form the patty? To fit nicely inside a standard bun, we aim for 3 1/2- to 4" wide, or about 1" wider than the bun. Keep in mind that the burger will shrink slightly when it cooks. My top tip? Make sure to use the thumbprint trick. Trust me—it really works. Pressing your thumb into the center of each patty helps with the burger's shape. As the burger is cooking, it tends to puff in the center. This indentation combats this problem.
• How do I ensure an even cook? Before cooking, let your meat get to room temperature, or close to it, to ensure that it cooks evenly.

Burger Variations

Once you’ve mastered the classic, you can get creative with all of our favorite burger recipes! Here are some ideas for inspo:

• Copycat Big Mac: If the Big Mac is your idea of the perfect burger, then skip the drive-through—our copycat recipe perfects every aspect (even the signature Big Mac sauce).
• Cheeseburger Cabbage Wraps: Looking for a low-carb option? These burgers ditch the classic buns for easy (and cheap!) cabbage wraps.
• Smash Burger: Love a thin and crispy patty? Us too—that’s why we perfected the smash burger.

What To Serve With Burgers

• Air Fryer French Fries: French fries are a classic burger pairing, and the air fryer makes these easier than ever. Don’t have time to make them from scratch? Check out our list of the best frozen French fry brands.
• Grilled Romaine Caesar Wedge: If you already have the grill fired up, why not make this grilled variation of the classic Caesar salad?
• Cheddar Bacon Ranch Corn: Grilled corn is an excellent addition to any cookout, but this cheddar bacon ranch corn is the perfect, flavor-packed side for your burger.

Storage

If you have any leftover burgers, store the patties in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.