Looking for The Best Hamburger Recipe? With this complete guide, you’ll make delicious, juicy burgers no matter what method you choose.
You don’t have to be a professional chef to make fantastic burgers at home. These methods are simple, easy to follow, and will result in juicy, delicious patties every time. Whether you want to cook them on the stove, grill, oven, or air fryer – these burgers are simply the best!
JUMP TO RECIPEThis guide will teach you everything you need to make the best burgers possible. From grinding your own meat to toasting your buns – we have all the tips and tricks you need for perfect patties every time.
Use the table of contents below (Click expand and click the link) to quickly jump to the section you are interested in.
Why This Recipe Works
- Adding ground bacon to the burger meat gives the burger a ton of flavor and moisture.
- A small amount of breadcrumbs moistened with milk binds the mixture and allows the meat’s flavor to shine while keeping the burgers juicy and tender.
- Ketchup serves as a perfect complement to the meat’s taste.
The Best Ground Beef for Hamburgers
When it comes to making a delicious burger, the key is the ingredients. For the big flavor, I mix ground bacon with ground beef. The fat from the bacon keeps the burgers moist and adds loads of flavor. Trust me; this is one burger recipe you’ll want to try!
When choosing ground beef, you want to make sure you’re using the right meat. The best choice for burgers is ground beef, that’s 80/20 or 85/15 – that means it’s 80% or 85% lean beef and 20% or 15% fat. The fat helps give the flavor and juiciness of the burger, so you don’t want to go too lean, or else your burgers will be dry.
Grinding Your Own Burger Meat without A Meat Grinder
If you don’t have a meat grinder, don’t worry, you can still grind your own burger meat. The best way to do it is to use a food processor. I recommend a combination of skirt steak, boneless short ribs, and sirloin steak tips.
Cut the meat into small chunks and add it to a food processor and pulse it until it’s ground to the consistency you want. It’s that easy!
How To Make The Best Hamburger Recipe
Unlike steaks that turn out better if brought to room temperature before cooking, you want to keep your patties cold so they stay together when cooked and stay as juicy as possible.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together bread crumbs and milk until they are fully moistened (you may need some extra milk depending on the brand of breadcrumbs you are using). Set aside.
Cut the bacon into pieces and add it to a food processor.
Chop the bacon in a food processor until finely ground.
Add it to a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, moistened bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and ketchup.
Mix until fully incorporated and shape into eight quarter-pound burger patties or six larger patties. Read on for more detailed instructions on how to mix and form the patties.
Mixing and Forming Burger Patties
As for making the burgers, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, you want to make sure to not over-mix the meat. You can mix the meat by hand or using a stand mixer on its lowest setting – mix just until everything is combined. Over-mixing will create tough hamburgers.
Next, when forming the patties, be gentle – again, you don’t want to overwork the meat.
Finally, make a slight indentation in the center of each patty. This will help them cook evenly and prevent them from puffing up in the middle. If you’re making them on the stove this is less necessary as you can press them with a burger press or spatula as you cook.
Ways to Cook Hamburgers
You can cook burgers on the stove, grill, oven, or air fryer. If you’re cooking them on the stove, you’ll want to use a cast-iron skillet or grill pan so that the hamburgers get nice and crispy on the outside.
If you’re grilling them, make sure to oil the grill grates before cooking so that the burgers don’t stick. Read on for instructions on each cooking method.
Cooking Burgers On The Stove
To cook hamburgers on the stove, choose a grill pan or cast-iron skillet as nonstick pans won’t provide a crisp sear. You want the pan good and hot to get a good crust on your burger, so preheat your pan over medium-high until it just starts to smoke.
Then cook undisturbed for two to three minutes (the longer it sits the better the sear). Moving the burger will stop the browning process, so be patient! Flip and repeat the process on the other side until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness (see the table below).
Cooking Hamburgers On The Grill
Set the grill temperature to medium-high heat (375 to 400°F or 190 to 204°C) and allow it to preheat before starting.
Once the grill has heated up, place your burgers, so they are not touching. You want enough room between them for the burgers to cook and avoid steam generation.
Grill the burgers undisturbed until golden brown and slightly charred on the bottom (about 4-5 minutes). You’ll know to flip them when you see the juice pool on the uncooked surface.
Flip and continue to cook until the other side is slightly charred and golden brown and the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness.
Cooking Burgers In the Oven
Place the patties onto a sheet pan lined with foil, baking paper, or on a pan rack. Form a small indention on the surface of the burger to avoid puffing as it cooks.
Bake for about 15 minutes at 400°F/204°C or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness.
Cooking Hamburgers in An Air Fryer
Preheat the Air Fryer to 375°F/190°C and grease the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Add the hamburger patties in a single layer.
Cook in the preheated fryer for 6 minutes. Flip the hamburger patties and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness.
Internal Cooking Temperatures For Burgers
To determine whether your burger is done, insert an instant-read thermometer through the side and to the center.
The following are the ideal cooking and serving temperatures for maximum taste and juiciness. If food safety is your main concern, cook all meat to well-done.
Note: The hamburgers should come off the heat five to ten degrees below the final temperature because the temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests.
| Doneness | Cook To °F | Rest To °F | Cook To °C | Rest To °C | *Cook Time |
| Rare | 120°F | 125°F | 49°C | 52°C | 4 mins |
| Medium Rare | 125°F | 130°F | 52°C | 55°C | 6 mins |
| Medium | 135°F | 140°F | 57°C | 60°C | 8 mins |
| Medium Well | 145°F | 150°F | 62°C | 65°C | 10 mins |
| Well Done | 155°F | 160°F | 68°C | 71°C | 12 mins |
*Cooking times are approximate based on a cooking temperature of 375 to 400°F.
Download the above Hamburger Temperature Table to save for later or print for your convenience.
Making Cheeseburgers
To make Cheeseburgers, choose a cheese that melts easily. Some good choices are cheddar, mozzarella, American cheese, provolone, or Swiss cheese.
When the hamburgers are almost done, add sliced or shredded cheese directly to the burger patties. Cover the pan or close the grill, oven door/air fryer for about a minute to melt the cheese.
Toasting Hamburger Buns
Burger buns can be toasted on the stove, grill, or in the oven
Toasting Burger Buns on The Stove
Split your buns and heat your pan to medium-high. If you are using a nonstick pan, lightly coat with oil or butter. If you are using a grill pan or cast iron pan, you can toast them dry or butter the cut side.
Place them cut side down on the pan. Toast the buns for about 1 minute or until they are golden brown. Remove from the heat.
Toasting Buns on The Grill
To toast a bun on the stove or grill, split the bun, and place it cut side down on the grill.
Cook until it becomes a light golden brown. This happens quickly (maybe seconds) so keep an eye on them and try to avoid direct contact with the flames. Once toasted, remove them from the grill.
Toating Buns in The Oven
Toasting buns in the oven can be done under the broiler (or grill depending on where you are in the world) or in the oven.
Under the broiler: Place the rack in the highest position and preheat the broiler to high. Add the buns to a baking sheet cut side up, and broil until golden brown (about 30 seconds).
In the oven: Place the rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C. Add the buns to a baking sheet cut side up, and bake for about five minutes or until the burger buns are warmed through and lightly toasted.
Hamburger Toppings
Now that you know how to make the perfect burger, it’s time to dress them up!
Here are some of my favorite toppings:
- Lettuce
- Red Onions
- Tomatoes
- Pickles
- Crispy Bacon
- Caramelized Onions
- Cheddar Cheese
- Ketchup
- Sautéed Mushrooms
- Ranch Dressing
- BBQ sauce
As you can see, there are endless possibilities when it comes to burger toppings. Get creative and mix and match until you find your perfect combination!
Erren’s Top Tips
- To make the bacon easier to grind, freeze it for twenty minutes before running it through the processor.
- Choose ground beef that is 80/20 ground chuck for the perfect mix of fat and flavor. Avoid lean ground beef, as it will result in a dry burger.
- For extra flavor, add some chopped onion, garlic, or herbs to your ground beef before cooking.
- To make perfectly shaped burgers, use a burger press or form the patties by hand. Make them thick enough so they won’t fall apart on the grill or pan.
- Season your burgers well with salt. This helps enhance the flavor of the ground meat.
- If the meat gets charred on the grill before the burgers reach the desired temperature, move them away from the direct heat, cover the grill, and continue cooking until they reach the desired doneness.
- Avoid pushing down on the burgers when grilling as juices will run out, resulting in a dry burger and flare-ups of flames.
- When cooking burgers on the stove, use a cast-iron skillet or grill pan so that they get nice and crispy on the outside. Cook them over medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes per side, or until they are cooked to your liking.
- If you’re grilling your burgers, be sure to preheat the grill before adding the patties. Cook them over direct heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until they are cooked to your liking.
- When grilling burgers, make a little depression in the center so that they do not puff up. Also, make the burgers slightly larger than the bun size because they will shrink while cooking on the grill.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burgers before removing them from the grill or stove. The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F/71°C.
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Let’s Make The Best Hamburger Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ lb bacon *only for burgers medium to well done
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoons canola oil for stovetop cooking
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and milk until they are thoroughly moistened (you may need some extra milk depending on the breadcrumbs you are using). Set aside.
- Cut the bacon into pieces and process it in a food processor until finely ground and add it to a large mixing bowl with the ground beef and moistened breadcrumbs.
- Add the salt, pepper, and ketchup to the bowl and mix until fully incorporated.
- Shape into eight quarter-pound burger patties.
On The Stove
- Preheat your pan over medium-high with 2 tablespoons of oil until it just starts to smoke.
- Cook undisturbed for two to three minutes. Flip and repeat the process on the other side until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness. The hamburgers should come off the heat five to ten degrees below the final temperature because the temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests (see the table in the post for a temperature guide). Medium doneness should cook to 135°F/57°C and rest to 140°F/60°C
- To make cheeseburgers, when the hamburgers are almost done, add sliced or shredded cheese directly to the burger patties. Cover the pan for about a minute to melt the cheese.
On The Grill
- Set the grill temperature to medium-high heat (375 to 400°F or 190 to 204°C) and allow it to preheat before starting. Once the grill has heated up, place your burgers, so they are not touching.
- Grill the burgers undisturbed until golden brown and slightly charred on the bottom (about 4-5 minutes). You’ll know to flip them when you see the juice pool on the uncooked surface.
- Flip and cook until the other side is slightly charred and golden brown and the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness. The hamburgers should come off the heat five to ten degrees below the final temperature because the temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests (see the table in the post for a temperature guide). Medium doneness should cook to 135°F/57°C and rest to 140°F/60°C
- To make cheeseburgers, add sliced or shredded cheese directly to the burger patties when the hamburgers are almost done. Close the grill for about a minute to melt the cheese.
In The Oven
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C
- Place the patties onto a sheet pan lined with foil, baking paper, or on a pan rack.
- Form a small indention on the surface of the burger to avoid puffing as it cooks.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches your desired level (see the post table for a temperature guide). The hamburgers should come out of the oven five to ten degrees below the final temperature. The temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests. Medium doneness should cook to 135°F/57°C and rest to 140°F/60°C
- To make cheeseburgers, add sliced or shredded cheese directly to the burger patties when the hamburgers are almost done. Place the pan back in the oven for about a minute to melt the cheese.
Air Fryer
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 375°F/190°C and grease the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the hamburger patties in a single layer.
- Cook in the preheated fryer for 6 minutes. Flip the hamburger patties and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness (see the table in the post for a temperature guide). The hamburgers should come off the heat five to ten degrees below the final temperature because the temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests. Medium doneness should cook to 135°F/57°C and rest to 140°F/60°C
- To make cheeseburgers, when the hamburgers are almost done, remove the basket from the air fryer and add sliced or shredded cheese directly to the burger patties. Place the basket back into the air fryer at 375°F/190°C for a minute or two to melt the cheese.
Finishing Touches
- While your burgers rest, you can toast your buns if desired (see the post for options and directions).
- Top with your favorite toppings before serving.
Tips + Notes
- Unlike steaks that turn out better if brought to room temperature before cooking, you want to keep your patties cold so they stay together better when cooked and stay as juicy as possible.
- When cooking burgers on the stove, use a cast-iron skillet or grill pan so that they get nice and crispy on the outside. Cook them over medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes per side, or until they are cooked to your liking. If you’re grilling your burgers, be sure to preheat the grill before adding the patties. Cook them over direct heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until they are cooked to your liking.
- When grilling burgers, make a little depression in the center so that they do not puff up. Also, make the burgers slightly larger than the bun size because they will shrink while cooking on the grill.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burgers before removing them from the grill or stove. The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F/71°C.
Erren Hart says
Thank you for leaving a comment about this recipe. Your feedback is appreciated, and I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for future recipes. Thanks again for trying it out and sharing your thoughts!
Reader says
Canola oil is probably the worst oil you can use. It’s made from the rapeseed plant; There is no such thing as a canola plant so it’s actually rapeseed oil. It is very heart UN-healthy.
Erren Hart says
Thank you for your thoughts. Canola oil is widely used in the culinary world and is considered a healthy cooking oil due to its low saturated fat content. However, I understand your concerns; you can certainly substitute the oil with other alternatives that may better suit your preferences.
Erren Hart says
Thank you for trying our Hamburger Recipe, Kerry. We wholeheartedly agree! Glad you enjoy it!
Imegen says
Awesome recipe! I’ll never have a burger any other way!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for trying out our recipe and for taking the time to leave a review! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. If there’s anything we can do to improve your experience with Erren’s Kitchen, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Todd says
Thank you for the best burger recipe! This was my first time making burgers and they turned out great. I added some of my favorite toppings – bacon, avocado, and cheese. Thanks for making this so easy to follow.
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad to hear it! Thank you for trying out this recipe and for leaving such a positive review. We’re glad you enjoyed it and hope you’ll come back again soon!
Erren Hart says
Wow, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe so much and thank you for taking time out of your day to leave me a review!
Erren Hart says
It is such a pleasure to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. I’m so glad we could provide something yummy and exciting for your party!
Derdra says
Made these over the weekend. High hit for our graduation party! thank you!
Erren Hart says
Thanks for the feedback! You’re awesome.