Classic Juicy Hamburgers

Better than a steakhouse, these classic juicy burgers are seasoned to perfection with a few secret ingredients that take it to another level. They’re tender, juicy, and delicious—simply the best burgers ever. With just 10 minutes of prep time, you can make them at home today. Alternatively, you can make these burgers on the grill or on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet.

WHAT IS IN THE JUICIEST HAMBURGERS?

• ground beef – I used lean ground beef.
• Panko breadcrumbs
• cheddar cheese
• parsley
• pickle juice – You can use cold water instead. I often use pickle juice in my burger patties because they make the burger juicier and adds so much flavour. Pickle juice contains water, vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, dill and a variety of spices.
• garlic powder
• Worcestershire sauce – optional.
• salt and pepper
• vegetable oil or cooking spray oil – for grilling.
• hamburger buns – make your own easy homemade hamburger buns in under 3 hours with only 15 minutes of actual prep work. They are soft, fluffy, and airy.
• toppings – mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, red onions, pickles, and ketchup. These are my favourite toppings, but they are all completely optional. Feel free to top these burgers with whatever toppings that you like.

You’ll also need an indoor grill pan (if you’re not using an outdoor grill) and a spatula to flip the hamburgers.

 

HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC JUICY HAMBURGERS

1. Make the patties: In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese, parsley, pickle juice, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce (optional), and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Shape the ground beef mixture into a firm ball. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Shape the patties: Transfer the ground beef mixture onto a large piece of parchment paper. Flatten the ground beef with your hands into a square that is ½-inch thick (approximately an 8×8-inch square). Use a 4-inch wide circular mold (or the rim of a round bowl) to cut out 4 hamburger patties.
3. Grill the hamburger patties: Brush oil over the grill pan and heat over medium-high heat for 3 minutes until the oil starts to sizzle and shimmer. Place patties spaced apart on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side until the internal temperature for the patties reaches 160 F.
4. Assemble the hamburgers: Toast the buns on the grill, if desired. On each hamburger bun, spread mayonnaise onto the bottom half. Top with a piece of lettuce and a grilled hamburger patty. Top the patty with sliced tomato, onions and pickles. Add ketchup on top and place the top half of the bun on top.

 

 

How to Make Burgers in a Skillet

If you don’t have a grill, make these burgers in a cast-iron skillet. Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes until sizzling hot. Place patties on the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes until nicely seared and starting to brown up the sides. Flip the patties over and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the internal temperature for the patties reaches 160 F.

 

 

 

Better than the steakhouse, these classic juicy hamburgers are perfectly seasoned, so flavourful and delicious. Make them on the grill or on the stove.

Hamburger Patties:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons pickle juice (or cold water)
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or cooking spray oil

Assemble the Burgers:

• 4 hamburger buns, sliced
• ¼ cup mayonnaise, divided
• 4 pieces of lettuce
• 4 slices tomato, ¼-inch thick
• ½ cup red onions, sliced
• ½ cup pickles, sliced
• ¼ cup ketchup

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the Hamburger Patties:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese, parsley, pickle juice, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce (optional), and salt and pepper. Stir well with a spatula to combine everything together (or use your hands to press the ingredients together to evenly combine).
2. Shape the ground beef mixture into a firm ball. This helps the beef mixture bind together to yield firm patties. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
3. Transfer the ground beef mixture onto a large piece of parchment paper. Flatten the ground beef with your hands into a square that is ½-inch thick (approximately an 8×8-inch square). You can also roll it out with a rolling pin.
4. Use a 4-inch wide circular mold (or the rim of a round bowl) to cut out 4 hamburger patties (¼ pound each). Add the scraps evenly amongst the 4 patties.

Grill the Hamburger Patties:

1. Brush oil over the grill pan and heat pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes until the oil starts to sizzle and shimmer. Place patties spaced apart on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side until the internal temperature for the patties reaches 160 F. It takes about 10 minutes total.

Assemble the Hamburgers:

1. Slice the hamburgers and toast the slices on the grill, if desired.
2. On each hamburger bun, spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise onto the bottom half of the bun. Top with a piece of lettuce and a grilled hamburger patty. Top the patty with 1 slice of tomato, 2 or 3 slices onions and sliced pickles. Add a tablespoon ketchup on the top half of the bun. Place the top half of the bun on top to assemble the hamburger.
3. Serve with a side of crispy french fries.

NOTES

• How to check if the burger is cooked: A digital meat thermometer is very useful when grilling meat for checking doneness. Simply insert halfway inside the meat to get a quick measurement.
• How to cook burgers in a skillet: If you don’t have a grill, make these burgers in a cast-iron skillet. Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes until sizzling hot. Place patties on the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes until nicely seared and starting to brown up the sides. Flip the patties over and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the internal temperature for the patties reaches 160 F.
• How to serve burgers: Serve warm with a side of crispy french fries or sweet potato wedges and a side salad. I love a good potato salad or a pasta salad with this.
• How to freeze hamburger patties: You can freeze the uncooked hamburger patties for up to 3 months. Place them on a parchment lined baking tray and place in the freezer for an hour. Then, stack them up and layer small squares of parchment paper in between them. Store in an airtight ziploc bag and place back in the freezer. To use them, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and follow the recipe.
• Make your own artisan hamburger buns. You can make your own easy homemade hamburger buns in under 3 hours with only 15 minutes of actual prep work. These buns are soft, fluffy, and so airy. Totally worth the extra effort.

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes (+1 hour marinate time)    Cook Time: 10 minutes