Recipes Made Out Of Hamburger

The best hamburger recipes are made with nothing more than beef, salt and pepper. I’m talking the ones you get from good steakhouses and diners. A great crust on the outside, juicy, beef and tender on the inside.

Homemade hamburgers are made for piling on toppings of choice. So don’t let anyone tell you what should and shouldn’t go on your burger!

In my youth, I learned how to make hamburgers from a celebrity chef who insisted that you needed breadcrumbs, egg and seasonings for a truly great burger. And that’s how I made it for years, thinking that was the right way.

In N Out Cheeseburgers

After multiple trips to the States (sorry Australia, but no one does burgers like America!), too many burgers, and watching countless cooking shows, meeting chefs, caterers and restauranteurs, I’ve been converted to the right way.

The secret to a truly great homemade hamburger recipe is to use beef that’s nice and fatty. Ideally, a good quality ground beef / mince from a butcher, but nowadays, supermarkets sell very good quality beef too.

When it comes to cooking with meat, here’s a big takeaway from this hamburger recipe: fat = flavour. If you mix pork fat into lean beef then cook it up, you’d swear you’re eating pork.

Mediterranean Ground Beef Stir Fry

Thus, the big secret is revealed. The very best burgers you’ve had are made with nothing more than fatty beef, salt and pepper.That’s the way it’s done at all your favourite burger joints and diners (McDonald’s aside, because who knows the secret spices in those burgers??).

Dent the surface of the patty using your fingers. You’ll still get some shrinkage, but substantially less. Great tip I picked up from Bobby Flay!

As a food blogger, it’s sometimes hard to resist making food look crazy irresistible. I confess to being a sucker for this, and such is the case with the first hamburger recipe I published, pictured below, with that mouth watering runny yolk and golden crispy bacon.

Classic Hamburger Recipe

Truth be told, I never order burgers fully loaded. Because classic hamburgers done right are crazy delicious as they are, and also for practical reasons – whose mouth is big enough to shove THIS in????

For me, if you’ve got a big, juicy hamburger patty topped with melted cheese, all you need is a big dollop of a condiment of choice (relish, ketchup, mustard, mayo), lettuce, tomato and pickles.

PS I’m a sucker for hamburgers on the BBQ, but ironically, I usually make them on the stove because it’s easier midweek.

Country Hamburger Skillet Dinner

Recipe video above. All you need for great beef hamburgers is decent beef and lots of salt and pepper. This is the way it's done by all the grilling masters like Bobby Flay, and your favourite diners!

1. Fat is where the flavour is, so use a 20%+ fat beef mince (ground beef, preferably chuck). In Australia, even supermarket 20% fat beef mince is terrific, though quality beef from butchers (especially wagyu) will make exceptional hamburgers.

To make this using lean mince, use this recipe which has flavourings added to compensate for less fat which provides flavour in this recipe. This is the original recipe I shared on the basis of making hamburgers using lower fat beef.

Best Hamburger Ever Recipe

3. Nutrition including: 200g/7oz hamburger patties, 1 slice cheese, 2 tbsp tomato relish, lettuce, tomato, hamburger buns. It is about 40 calories higher than actual as it does not take into account fat discarded from pan.

This inflatable cone (the alternative to the plastic Cone of Shame) – he loves it. It’s like an inbuilt pillow. He’s been like this for hours! (Yeah, he ain’t cute when he sleeps!)

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper.