Best hamburger recipe

Nothing beats a juicy flavorful homemade hamburger! If you’re ready to amp-up your grilling game, you’ll love this simple yet flavorful recipe. I call this the “best hamburger recipe” because it bursts with classic flavors, but you can easily adjust it or make it spicier to your tastes. There are so many different flavor combinations that you can put together to make a great hamburger. And this is a classic hamburger recipe to start with.

Get grilling with this juicy flavorful hamburger

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Hamburgers are delicious anytime of year, but we definitely enjoy more of them in the summer months. Hamburgers are an easy way to feed a big hungry group of family and friends. And that’s why they’re so popular for summer backyard BBQs and gatherings. This recipe is for four people, but you can easily double it or triple it as needed for more people.

Tips for a flavorful hamburger

I was recently reading my cookbook Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home and realized that my recipe for hamburgers is similar to Julia Child’s. In the book, Jacques describes her recipe as seasoned beef more similar to a meatloaf. He says this is the way he used to make them in France before he became more accustomed to the more Americanized way of not putting any seasoning into the meat prior to cooking it.

1. In this recipe, I add minced onions, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper, gluten-free or regular fine bread crumbs and just enough egg to bring it together. Sometimes I’ll switch up the onions for minced shallots or add a splash of milk if it is a little dry.

2. In addition to the seasoning, choose an organic or grass-fed ground beef with a fat content of 20 percent, gently shape the beef patties with cupped hands just until they come together. Do not squash them or press too hard.

3. Make little indents on the patties with your fingers and drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over the patties.

Seasoned with onions, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper

Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on before grilling for more flavor

Tips for grilling hamburgers

Now that we’ve discussed how to season the hamburger, let’s talk about how to grill them.

1. Always start with a clean grill. Scrape off any yuck leftover from a previous cookout. I also typically use a little non-stick cooking spray on the grill grates to help prevent sticking.

2. According to many grill-masters, the best temperature for the grill is medium to medium-low rather than hot, hot, hot. I have to agree with this as it helps control flare-ups and burning.

3. Turn the hamburgers once! It can be hard to resist the urge to flip, flip, flip. But the more you turn the hamburgers over, the more they will dry out.

4. It is recommended by the USDA to cook hamburgers until they reach an internal temperature of 160 F because E. coli bacteria is killed at 155 F. If you prefer a more “rare” hamburger use your best judgement and proceed at your own risk. Use a Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer inserted diagonally for the best reading.

   
   

A backyard hamburger cookout wouldn’t be the same without all the sides and fixings. Whether your BBQ has a theme or is an anything goes potluck, you can’t go wrong with any of these party favorites. Do you have a favorite side you pair with hamburgers? Some of my favorite salads to go with a hamburger cookout include the peach Caprese salad, Northwest potato salad, healthy potato and green bean salad, Tuscan farro salad and strawberry and spinach salad.

Sizzling on the grill

Are you a ketchup or BBQ sauce fan with your hamburgers? I’m happy to say this best hamburger recipe flavor tests well with either. As I said earlier, the simple flavors in this best hamburger recipe will pair perfectly with almost anything you like. If you’d like to make your own BBQ sauce, give my bourbon infused BBQ sauce recipe a try. And don’t forget the pickles! I love a crispy dill pickle with my hamburger. How about you? Maybe sweet bread and butter pickles are more your thing?

I hope you enjoy this best hamburger recipe. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Happy cooking,

Michelle

If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo.

Best hamburger recipe

1. Serves 4

2. Prep 10 mins

3. Cook 25 mins

This best hamburger recipe includes onion, oregano, garlic powder and seasoning. It’s a great all-round hamburger to go with any hamburger toppings.

1. 1 – 1 1/4 lbs fresh ground beef, preferably organic grass fed, 15 – 20% fat content

2. 2-3 tbsp sweet onion, finely diced

3. 1 tbsp dried organo

4. 1/4 tsp garlic powder

5. 1 pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

6. 2 – 2 1/2 tbsp bread crumbs

7. 1 egg beaten

8. 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

9. hamburger buns

10. condiments such as lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles

11. Pre-heat the grill to 350 F (a medium to medium-low temperature). Scrape off any burnt on food from previous cook-outs.

12. In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together the beef, onion, all the seasonings and bread crumbs evenly. Add in just enough beaten egg to moisten the meat so it starts to come together. Half of the egg liquid is often enough. It should not be too wet.

13. Divide the meat into four 1/4 lb sections. Use your hands to gently form and press down to make round patties. Do not overwork the meat mixture. Use your fingers to press small indentations on the patties. Drizzle the tbsp of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the patties.

14. Carefully and lightly spray the grill with a non-stick cooking spray. Grill the hamburgers, flipping once until they reach an internal temperature of 160 F.

Notes:

· Use your favorite kind of onion. I prefer a white onion or Walla Walla sweet.

· Gluten-free bread crumbs can be used. Mince half a slice of plain gluten-free bread to make your own crumbs.

· The USDA recommends cooking hamburger meat until an internal temperature of 160 F is reached. Use a digital thermometer inserted diagonally for accuracy.

·  Try these great flavor combinations: 1) Caprese burger: Tomato, fresh soft mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and arugula. 2) Maui burger: Fried sweet caramelized onions, Dole pineapple ring, sweet BBQ sauce, lettuce. 3) All-American: Grated cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, bread and butter pickles.

Source: northwestspoon.com

#beef #hamburger