Best Burger Patties Recipe

Two homemade burger patties and a slice of cheese on a bun with a side of fries

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Best Burger Patties Recipe

The best burger patty recipe, made with 2 pounds of 80/20 ground chuck, grated onion, and Worcestershire sauce, seared in a cast iron grill pan. No egg, no breadcrumbs, and the salt goes on the outside for a tender bite.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 11

Total Time 30

Servings patties

Calories 602kcal

Author Jennifer

Equipment

12-inch cast iron grill pan (or an outdoor grill)
Box grater
instant-read thermometer
Parchment paper and a large plate or sheet pan

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chuck (80/20) cold (see the note below)
1/4 cup grated yellow onion, with juices
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika optional
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, for seasoning the outside of the patties
1 tbsp neutral oil or beef tallow, for the pan
6 slices cheese optional
6 hamburger buns optional

Instructions

Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater until you have 1/4 cup, including the juices. If it looks very wet, leave some of the juice behind.
Put the cold ground chuck in a large bowl and break it up loosely with your fingertips. Scatter the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper over the top, then add the grated onion and Worcestershire sauce.
Toss the mixture with your fingertips, lifting and folding, for 20 to 30 seconds, just until the seasonings are distributed. Do not knead or compress the meat. Do not add the salt yet.
Divide the meat into 6 equal portions, about 5 1/3 ounces each. Pat each into a patty 3/4 inch thick and a full 4 1/2 inches wide. This is wider than a bun on purpose, and it is what keeps the patty from cooking up too thick.
Press a shallow dimple about 1/4 inch deep into the center of each patty with your thumb. Set the patties on a parchment-lined plate and move on to the pan. They rest while it preheats, about 10 minutes, which is all they need. Refrigerate them for that stretch if your kitchen is warm, or up to 1 day covered.
Preheat a 12-inch cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until a drop of water skitters and evaporates instantly. Turn on your vent fan. Lightly oil the ridges.
Toast the buns cut side down on the hot grill pan for about 1 minute, until marked. Set them aside.
Sprinkle both faces of each patty with kosher salt, about 1/4 teaspoon per patty, right before cooking.
Lay 3 patties on the pan dimple-side up, leaving space between them. A 12-inch grill pan will not hold more than that without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes, until the underside releases easily and has dark grill marks.
Flip once and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the center reads 155°F. Do not press the patties with the spatula.
For cheeseburgers, lay a slice of cheese on each patty during the last minute and tent the pan with foil to melt it.
Transfer the patties to a plate and rest 3 to 5 minutes. They will carry over to 160°F, the USDA's recommended temperature for ground beef. Serve on toasted buns.

Notes

Outdoor grill: direct medium-hot heat, lid down, about 5 minutes per side to 160°F, watching for flare-ups.
Make it a double: stack two patties with a slice of cheese between them on one bun. It is a big burger, and it halves your patty count per person.
Halving: cut every ingredient in half for 1 pound of beef and 3 patties. Times and temperatures do not change.
Freezing raw: stack unsalted formed patties with parchment between them, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Cook from frozen by adding about 50% to the cook time over slightly lower heat.
Storage: cooked patties keep 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat covered over low heat with a splash of water for 2 to 3 minutes.
Leaner beef: 85/15 works well. Below 90/10 the patties turn dry.
Ground turkey or chicken: add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the mix and cook to 165°F.

Nutrition