Easy Hamburger Patty Recipe
By Whether thick or thin, grilled or cooked on the stovetop, this is the best and easiest all-purpose recipe for perfect hamburger patties every time! These juicy, flavorful homemade hamburgers are ready in under 30 minutes and are a must-make for your next cookout.
Best Hamburger Recipe
Close your eyes and imagine the ideal hamburger.
Is it a thin diner-style patty or a thick steakhouse burger? Seared to perfection on a grill or in a flat griddle?
With or without cheese?!
Make your own burgers and have them turn out perfectly every time with what I consider to be the Best Hamburger Patty Recipe, in my humble opinion.
It’s a traditional all-American recipe for juicy burgers that can be made on the grill, on the stovetop, as thick 1/3-pound patties, or as ultra-thin griddle patties.
People, get ready because you’re about to make the burger of your dreams!
The Best Hamburger Patties
What makes this the Best Hamburger Patty Recipe in the World?
These burgers have a rich and meaty flavor with a punch of zesty herbs that can be customized to your liking. No matter which cooking method you prefer, a few key ingredients help to consistently produce juicy hamburger patties.
And, while you’ll enjoy the fantastic savoriness of these homemade hamburgers on their own, they’re also great for piling on your favorite toppings to make one helluva great burger. This will undoubtedly become your go-to recipe for homemade burger patties!
What You’ll Need to Make Homemade Hamburgers
The addition of crushed crackers or panko breadcrumbs to hold in the natural fat and juices is the key to incredibly juicy burger patties.
If you have crackers, we highly recommend using them. Crushed crackers are an old-fashioned way to add flavor to plain breadcrumbs. It’s also great for using up that package of crackers that’s been sitting in the pantry for weeks.
Here is everything you need to make the best homemade hamburger patties:
Ground chuck – For the juiciest burgers, we prefer an 80 lean/20 fat ratio.
The best binders for juicy hamburgers are crushed crackers or Panko bread crumbs. (Possibly gluten-free!)
Worcestershire sauce – Provides a rich, beefy, smoky flavor.
To bind all of the ingredients together without drying them out, use an egg.
Milk contains enzymes that help soften and tenderize ground beef.
Seasonings of choice: salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, or other spices
By using dried spices instead of fresh herbs in the hamburger mix, you can save time and add a lot of flavor to your patties. You can add red pepper flakes for a spicier burger, cumin and chili powder for a Southwestern-inspired bite, or parsley and dill for a Mediterranean flavor.
Comment below with your favorite hamburger seasonings!
How to Make The Perfect Burger Every Time
Making restaurant-quality hamburgers from scratch takes literally seconds. Prepare your workspace and ingredients before you begin, and you’ll be whipping out hot plates from your home kitchen (or backyard) in no time!
Here’s how…
To begin, combine the ground beef, crushed crackers, egg, Worcestershire sauce, milk, and spices in a large mixing bowl.
Using your hands, thoroughly combine the ingredients until the mixture is very smooth.
Next, press the meat into an even disc in the bowl. Cut and divide the hamburger patty mixture into 6 – 1/3 pound grill or skillet patties, or 12 thin griddle patties, using a knife. As an example:
To hold the patties, line a baking sheet with wax paper or foil. Gather the patty mixture one at a time and press firmly into patties of your desired thickness. Because hamburger patties shrink slightly during the cooking process, they should be slightly larger than the buns they’ll be served on.
Place the patties that have been formed on a baking sheet. Make a dent in the center of each thick patty so it doesn’t puff up while cooking.
You can stack the patties with sheets of wax paper between layers if needed.
Then, preheat the or a skillet to medium heat, approximately 350-400 degrees F.
- I love using a cast-iron skillet for getting that drool-worthy caramelized sear on the burgers.
Best Burger Recipe Continued
Grill or fry thick patties for 3-4 minutes per side for a medium burger.
Cook for 2 minutes per side on the griddle for thin patties.
Ideally, you should only flip your burgers once or twice while they are cooking.
Homemade cooked hamburger patties will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Easy Burger Recipe
Stack the hot patties on buns and top with your favorite hamburger toppings and condiments.
Lt. Dan’s dream burger, pictured below left, is a thick backyard barbecue classic with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a touch of mayo and mustard.
My gotta-have hamburger, on the bottom right, features two thin patties, each topped with a slice of melted American cheese and piled high with tomato, pickles, crispy fried onions, and bbq sauce.
Other great toppings include red onions, ketchup, butter-grilled buns, and onion rings or sweet potato fries.
At the very least, we can all agree that the best homemade hamburgers come with a heaping side of cajun fries, shoestring fries, or baked french fries!
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT ELSE CAN BE ADDED TO THIS PERFECT HAMBURGER PATTY RECIPE?
This easy, fantastically basic recipe for Easy Homemade Hamburger Patties is ideal for seasoning with your favorite spices.
Try incorporating some flavor punches by adding any of the following ingredients to the raw hamburger mix or directly on top of your cooked burgers:
Red pepper, crushed
Serrano (hot!) or jalapeno (milder) peppers, shaved
fresh scallions or cilantro, chopped
Sauce for barbecuing
The soy sauce
red or white onion, diced
Cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, or blue cheese, shredded or crumbled
CAN YOU BAKE THEM IN THE OVEN?
When baking hamburger patties, high heat is required to form an exterior crust. Preheat the oven to 450°F and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up like a griddle. Transfer the patties to the hot pan once they are hot. Bake or roast thin patties for 2-3 minutes per side. Bake or roast thick patties for 5–6 minutes per side.
Looking for More Delicious Burger Recipes?
Easy Hamburger Patty Recipe
Description
Best Hamburger Patty Recipe – Thick or thin, made on the grill or stovetop, this is the best and easiest all-purpose recipe for perfect hamburger patties every time!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Set out a large mixing bowl. Add in the ground beef, crushed crackers, egg, Worcestershire sauce, milk, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Mix by hand until the meat mixture is smooth, but stop once the mixture looks even. (Overmixing can create a dense heavy texture.)
- Press the meat down in the bowl, into an even disk. Use a knife to cut and divide the hamburger patty mixture into 6 – 1/3 pound grill or skillet patties, or 12 thin griddle patties
- Set out a baking sheet, lined with wax paper or foil, to hold the patties. One at a time, gather the patty mix and press firmly into the patties. Shape them just slightly larger than the buns you plan to use, to account for shrinkage during cooking. Set the patties on the baking sheet. Use a spoon to press a dent in the center of each patty so they don’t puff up as they cook. If you need to stack the patties separate them with a sheet of wax paper.
- Preheat the grill or a skillet to medium heat. (Approximately 350-400 degrees F.)
- For thick patties: Grill or fry the patties for 3-4 minutes per side.
- For thin patties: Cook on the griddle for 2 minutes per side
- Stack the hot patties on hamburgers buns, and top with your favorite hamburgers toppings. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Homemade hamburger patties will keep well tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- If you substitute regular dried breadcrumbs for the crackers or panko, reduce to 1/4 cup. They are denser and will create a “meatloaf texture” if you add the regular amount.
