Best Hamburger Patty Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2023)

FAQs

How do you make hamburger patties taste better? ›

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.

Egg whites can actually draw out the moisture in ground beef, whereas egg yolks retain the meat's juices. So, next time you're thinking about tossing the whole egg into your mix, remember that it can drastically change the flavor and texture of your grilled patty.

80/20 Ground Chuck Is Best for Burgers

The best ground beef to buy for burgers is 80/20 ground chuck – 80% lean meat and 20% fat. Ground chuck is ground from the shoulder and has that ideal lean-to-fat ratio of 80/20 (i.e. not too lean) for a super flavorful, juicy burger.

Every one of our McDonald's burgers is made with 100% pure beef and cooked and prepared with salt, pepper and nothing else—no fillers, no additives, no preservatives. We use the trimmings of cuts like the chuck, round and sirloin for our burgers, which are ground and formed into our hamburger patties.

To prevent hamburgers from puffing up during cooking, many sources recommend making a slight depression in the center of the raw patty before placing it on the heat.

Secret Ingredients – The secret to juicy burgers is mixing olive oil and Worcestershire sauce into the meat prior to cooking! This locks in the moisture and flavors giving you the juiciest burgers.

Should you mix seasoning into burgers? It's better to season your burger as it's cooking so it develops a crust on the outside. Either season your patties just before grilling them but after forming the patties, or season while they're cooking on the grill or in a pan.

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. That includes adding anything other than salt and pepper, like eggs, onions, or herbs.

Timothy Montgomery, Bay Street Biergarten: What makes a perfect burger is the flavor of the beef, and freshness of the bun, and toppings. A burger should develop a nice sear to trap all the juices inside. Pressing a burger releases all of its flavor and makes the burger dry and ends up crumbling.

What makes a burger gourmet? ›

While classic burgers may include basic toppings like lettuce, tomato, and cheese, gourmet burgers tend to feature more unique and upscale options. Some examples of gourmet toppings that can elevate the flavour and presentation of a burger include grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms, and freshly sliced avocado.

What gives? As it turns out, it's all about the kitchen tools. Most top-notch burger places use a flat-top griddle to cook their burgers. These griddles are set at a consistent temperature, one that allows the burgers to get a sear while cooking evenly on the inside, locking in the juices.

For beef, rosemary, sage, thyme and parsley all work well. Of course, the great thing about making your own burgers is you can concoct a mixture of your favourites. (Why not add a finely chopped chilli for a spicy taste sensation?)

Some recipes will call for eggs or breadcrumbs to act as a binder for your burger patties. However, adding breadcrumbs is not necessary to make a good burger. Using fresh ground beef with just a few ingredients and simple instructions, you will be on your way to making your own quality burgers at home!

Add 1 egg yolk per pound of hamburger. It won't add appreciably to the fat content and will bind the meat beautifully. The other thing you can do is add canned, drained, crushed black beans or chickpeas to the hamburger. The starch from the beans will bind the meat together and add an interesting taste.

Do homemade burgers need eggs? No, homemade burgers don't need eggs to bind them. Other ground beef recipes like these low carb meatballs need eggs to help bind the ingredients because they have additional dry ingredients like bread crumbs and onions.

What can I add to ground beef for flavor? Onions, garlic, salt, and pepper add flavor to your ground beef. Adding the green onions as garnish also gives it more flavor.

If it's an all-beef recipe, avoid 90/10, and go for 80/20 or 85/15. Most recipes call for 70/30 or 80/20 ground beef, which makes a rich and juicy burger patty with a good exterior crust. But if you prefer a burger that doesn't require 10 napkins, look for 85/15.

White Onions

The boldest onions of the bunch, white onions are very pungent with a strong onion flavor. They're also nice and crunchy in texture, which makes them some of the best onions for burgers. Because of their sharp taste when raw, it's best to use white onions cooked. White onions are ideal for frying.

Why do McDonald's burgers taste different? ›

“We found that small changes, like tweaking our process to get hotter, meltier cheese and adjusting our grill settings for a better sear, added up to a big difference in making our burgers more flavorful than ever,” said chef Chad Schafer, senior director of culinary innovation of McDonald's USA, in a statement Monday.

Flame Grilling Since 1954

At Burger King, we have been flame-grilling since the day we started in 1954. That's right since day one. We only use real fire to give you the beef patty you deserve.

Our beef patties are made with 100% beef with no fillers, no preservatives, no additives, no nonsense. We also make our flagship product, the WHOPPER^® Sandwich, with 1/4 lb* of savory flame-grilled beef. Now that's a beefy sandwich. *Based on pre-cooked patty weight.

When you grill the patty, the melting cube keeps it from drying out by distributing more moisture throughout the patty. The great thing about using an ice cube is that its plain water, therefore it won't impact the flavor of the seasonings you use in the patty.

Because they're moist, those fresh bread crumbs won't dry things out, but they will blend well with the meat and its flavourings. The modest amount of cornstarch used further helps hold the patties together.

Recipe for the Perfect Burger

Allow the meat to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before cooking (about as much time as it takes for the grill to heat up). STEP 2: Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Just before cooking, season the burgers all over with salt and pepper.

Our best hamburger marinade is a quick-to-mix blend of Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, fresh garlic, olive oil, onion, liquid smoke, salt and pepper. You gently blend the ingredients into the meat and let them work their magic! Be careful not to handle the meat too much so it doesn't get tough.

Use cold, wet hands when making the patties, and let the meat rest in the fridge until you're ready to hit the grill. We want the fat in the patties to be super chilled so it rapidly expands when exposed to heat, creating flavor pockets inside the patty. This leads to a burger with a nice sear and maximum juicy flavor.

Baking soda helps prevent ground beef from drying out, allowing those burger patties to keep their moisture and brown quicker for the most flavorful cookout.

Tips for Cooking the Perfect Skillet Burger

You do need oil to cook your skillet burger. Some preferred to use butter to cook a skillet burger, however we choose olive oil. Cook your burgers on medium high heat and do not flip until about 5 minutes of cooking on the first side.

What is the best method to cook burgers? ›

Pan-frying is a great method for cooking burgers using minimal time while achieving maximum flavor. A super hot, dry skillet allows the burger to quickly develop a flavorful outer crust without overcooking the interior, keeping the center juicy.

Grill temp for burgers

When grilling burgers, you want the grill temperature to be around medium-high to high heat, which is around 375 to 400 degrees F. Many gas grills have built in thermometers, but often they tend to be not super reliable.

Generally, burgers should be cooked on Medium-High (approximately 375 degrees) to High (400 degrees). Most gas grills have a built in thermometer to monitor the heat but you can buy a grill thermometer for charcoal grills too.

The fast answer is that for the most tender results, you should almost always salt burgers right before cooking them.

Canola oil, in addition to being Bobby's go-to for cooking burgers, is also one of the oils that cast iron cookware producers Lodge recommends for properly seasoning cast iron, for the very same reasons it's perfect for cooking burgers: canola oil won't impart flavor to food you cook in your seasoned cast iron, and you ...

Pickles, coleslaw, potato chips and crushed tortilla chips are just a few ways that he likes to crunchify his burgers. In the end, the key to making a perfect Bobby burger is to treat every single component in the best way possible and keep it simple.

“For me the most important thing is the meat and the bun,” he says. Grill'd gourmet burger chain founder Simon Crowe agrees. “For me, a burger isn't a burger without a decent bun.” It's important to make your burger stable.

To make the juiciest, most flavorful burgers, choose ground beef that is 70 percent lean and 30 percent fat. To make more healthful burgers—but ones that are still pretty juicy and tasty—choose ground beef that is 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat.

Smear about one tablespoon full of sriracha mayo over the grilled sides of the buns. On each bottom bun, layer about ¼ - ½ cup of arugula and two seasoned tomato slices. Add a generous amount of the chopped bacon equally on top of the tomatoes. Next, place the finished cheese burger onto the bacon.

When should you season burgers? ›

Turns out that timing is actually very important! The best time to salt your burger patties is as close to the actual cooking time as possible. Make sure your pan or grill is hot, then reach for your salt and season the outside of the patties right before you cook them.

Turns out that timing is actually very important! The best time to salt your burger patties is as close to the actual cooking time as possible. Make sure your pan or grill is hot, then reach for your salt and season the outside of the patties right before you cook them.

The herbs and spices that make a good complement to beef burgers are parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram, savory, garlic, and chili flakes or powder. For intensifying flavor, try using dill pickles, sweet relish, capers, anchovies or chutney, plus almost any cheese will serve a beef burger well.

It's milk. Here's why:

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

When you place a divot in the center of the patty, you ensure that the center of the meat will expand uniformly with the edges. This means the patty's surface comes out flat, not puffed up. The meat cooks more evenly, too, so you're not left with a rare middle and medium or well-done edges.

The best ground beef to buy for burgers is 80/20 ground chuck – 80% lean meat and 20% fat. Ground chuck is ground from the shoulder and has that ideal lean-to-fat ratio of 80/20 (i.e. not too lean) for a super flavorful, juicy burger. Ground round comes from the back of the cow, near the tail, upper leg, and rump.

Use high heat and cook them fast! Like most thin meat products, it's best to apply high and direct heat to your hamburger and cook it as fast as possible. Leave the lid open, crank up the heat and don't cook them too long or they will dry out.

Thin pork chops, shrimp, and burgers tend to cook quickly. Leaving the grill lid up will slow the cooking process by reducing the temperature around the meat. For thicker cuts, you want to close the lid to keep the temperature high and even.

Tips for Cooking the Perfect Skillet Burger

You do need oil to cook your skillet burger. Some preferred to use butter to cook a skillet burger, however we choose olive oil. Cook your burgers on medium high heat and do not flip until about 5 minutes of cooking on the first side.

Do you mix egg with ground beef for burgers? ›

Do homemade burgers need eggs? No, homemade burgers don't need eggs to bind them. Other ground beef recipes like these low carb meatballs need eggs to help bind the ingredients because they have additional dry ingredients like bread crumbs and onions. Using this recipe to make beef burgers does not require any eggs.