Equipment
Ingredients
Beef Patties
- 600 g ground beef (80/20 lean to fat ratio), cold
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Buns & Cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
- 15 g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cheddar cheese, sliced
Toppings & Condiments
- 40 g iceberg lettuce, torn into bun-sized pieces
- 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
- 40 g dill pickles, sliced
- 30 ml ketchup
- 30 ml mayonnaise
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 686 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 47 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1217 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Trans Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 118 mg
- Potassium
- 550 mg
- Calcium
- 289 mg
- Iron
- 4.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 38 mg
- Phosphorus
- 350 mg
- Zinc
- 7.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 109 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 6.4 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 114 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Divide the cold ground beef into 4 equal portions of 150g each. Gently shape into round patties about 1.5 cm wider than your buns. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each patty. Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Lightly butter the cut sides of the hamburger buns and toast them in the skillet until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Increase the skillet heat to medium-high. Generously season the tops of the patties with salt and pepper. Place the seasoned side down in the hot skillet and immediately season the upward-facing side.
Sear the patties for 3 to 4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip the patties, place a slice of cheddar on each, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 71°C/160°F for food safety.
Spread mayonnaise on the bottom bun and ketchup on the top bun. Layer the lettuce, tomato, cooked patty with melted cheese, and pickles. Cap with the top bun and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Always use ground beef with an 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio. Leaner meat will result in dry, crumbly burgers.
- Keep your beef as cold as possible until the very moment it hits the hot pan. Cold fat renders slower, keeping the final product much juicier.
- Do not salt the meat mixture before shaping the patties. Salt draws out moisture and dissolves muscle proteins, resulting in a dense, sausage-like texture. Only season the exterior right before cooking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store cooked patties and toppings separately. Assembled burgers do not keep well.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze raw patties separated by parchment paper.
Reheating: Reheat cooked patties in a skillet over medium heat or microwave in short bursts until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Patties shrink significantly and puff up in the middle.
Cause: Connective tissues shrink when heated, drawing the edges inward.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked.
Prevention: Press a dimple into the center of the raw patties and make them wider than the bun.
Burgers are dry and tough.
Cause: Overworking the meat during shaping or pressing down on the patties with a spatula while cooking.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but extra condiments can help mask the dryness.
Prevention: Handle the ground meat gently and never press the patties in the pan, which squeezes out juices.
Bottom bun becomes soggy quickly.
Cause: Meat juices and wet vegetables making direct contact with unsealed bread.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled.
Prevention: Toast the buns thoroughly and place lettuce on the bottom bun under the patty to act as a barrier.
Cultural Context
The hamburger is a quintessential pillar of American culinary culture. Evolving from the Hamburg-style chopped steaks brought by 19th-century German immigrants, the modern iteration of placing the meat between bread took hold in America in the early 1900s as an on-the-go industrial worker's meal.
