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The Best Classic Hamburgers – homemade hamburgers are simple but absolutely delicious. Just a few staple ingredients and you have a thick and juicy burger that is perfect for any summer day!
Grilling burgers is a staple in our summer. We probably do it at least once a week. Sometimes we will do Turkey Burgers to keep things on the lighter side, but these classic hamburgers are probably the most requested during the summer. In our house grilling isn’t just for the summer either, so these are made many months of the year.
What Type of Ground Beef is Best for Burgers
I like to start with ground chuck when I am making hamburgers at home. The less fat in the meat the dryer and burgers will be. And if you are going to make homemade hamburgers you want them juicy and delicious. So start with something that is 15-20% fat. Then you just lightly season for the perfect burgers every time.
When you go to a restaurant part of what makes their burgers nice and juicy is that they are not using lean meat. Whenever you use a leaner meat you are not going to get as juicy of a burger. That is why you often add grated onion to chicken and turkey burgers, they need some kind of moisture in them to help them stay juicy.
How Do You Make A Great Burger
- A good burger starts with good quality meat and a few seasonings. So mix the salt, pepper, and worchestershire sauce with the meat. Just like when making muffins, you don’t want to over mix the meat. It will become tough and you won’t have the tender burger you are looking for.
- Divide the meat into 4 equal portions. If you have a kitchen scale you can even weigh them to make sure they are even. This way they will all cook at the same rate as well.
- Form into 4 patties. Start by shapping into a ball and then gently shape into a pattie. Use your thumb to make a small indentation in the center. This will ensure when the burgers are on the grill they don’t puff up into a ball, and will keep their shape.
- Grill for about 4-5 minutes per side on a medium high heat grill. When you place the burgers on the grill, do not press down or try to flatten then as they cook. This just squeezes all the juice out and leaves them dry.
- Toast the buns on the grill during the last couple of minutes.
- If you want cheese, place a slice of cheese on the burgers during the last minute of cooking and allow it to melt.
How Long To Grill Burgers
The thickness of the patty and the temperature of your grill will make a difference. I use a gas grill that is preheated to medium high heat. It will take about 4-5 minutes per side to cook the burgers to medium well. The best way to know when the burger are done is by a meat thermometer. You want to insert to the thickest part of the patty and have the temperature reach 160 degrees F. Then you let the burgers rest for a few minutes to let the juices even out. The center will continue to cook slightly as they rest.
What to Put on a Burger
What you put on a homemade hamburgers is completely up to you! The topping ideas are endless! You could go all out and top with a fried egg or sauteed mushrooms, or still with the more traditional.
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Red Onions
- Crispy Leaf Lettuce
- Avocado
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Canes Sauce
- Cheese (Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Swiss etc,)
Best Sides Dishes for With Burgers
If you don’t have a grill you can also cook these burgers on the stove. Just use a heavy skillet and cook over medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes per side. It is a little harder to tell doneness, because the outside will appear done before the center. So using a meat thermometer really is the best way to tell when cooking inside.
More Summer Grilling Recipes
- Smoked Baby Back Ribs
- Spicy Bacon Cheeseburger
- Fiesta Lime Chicken
- Smoked Tri Tip
- Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Jerk Chicken
- Grilled Turkey Tenderloin
The Best Classic Hamburgers
Ingredients
- 1 - 1 1/4 pounds ground chuck, 80/20 ground beef
- 1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 slices cheese, optional
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Mix the salt, pepper, and worchestershire sauce with the meat. Mix until everything is just combined, do not over mix.
- Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form into 4 patties. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each patty.
- Grill for about 4-5 minutes per side until the burgers are cooked and have reached 160 degrees F.
- During the last few minutes of cooking toast the buns on the grill
- If using cheese, add sliced cheese to patties during the last minute of cooking and allow it to melt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Holy cannoli! These look SUPER juicy! I think we’ll have burgers tonight!
These burgers were better than any burger we’ve gotten from a restaurant. Bonus was that this was more budget-friendly too. Loved it!
Not much beats a perfectly cooked burger! Your technique sounds great!
Nothing beats a big juicy burger during the summer! I can’t wait to throw these burgers on the grill.
Tried this for dinner last night and it was perfectly juicy and delicious; worthy of a restaurant, indeed!