The Best Cheeseburger

Last Updated June 15th, 2023 at 09:44 pm by Lisa

Is there anything more American than a hamburger recipe or a classic cheeseburger? This favorite recipe for burgers also has a copycat In-N-Out Burger Sauce made famous in Southern California!

There is nothing better than a big fat juicy cheeseburger. Top with tons of melted cheese and the best toppings for burgers like pickles, tomato slices, and crisp cold lettuce...

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Best Hamburger Recipe

A good burger starts with the best burger recipe. Choose good ingredients, and add a juicy burger seasoning. Above all, be sure to serve your perfect burger with crisp hot golden french fries, or open a nice bag of kettle potato chips and cool drinks!

• 8 grilled hamburger patties
• 8 slices American cheese or Cheddar try Deli Deluxe Kraft cheese
• 8 pieces of iceberg lettuce
• 24 dill or sweet pickle chips
• 8 slices tomatoes
• 3-5 slices of onions
• 8 hamburger buns
• 4-6 tablespoons butter (softened)
• burger sauce

Ground Beef Burger Patties

To make the best burger recipe, you also need some chef secrets up your sleeve. Today we will cover everything you need to make a drive-through restaurant burger any home cook will be proud to serve.

• 80/20 ground beef (ground chuck)
• burger seasoning (see below for ingredients)
• Worcestershire sauce

PRO TIP: Ground chuck has the most flavor due to the 20 percent fat content and is the classic choice for burger recipes. You want a good amount of fat to make them taste good. Fat equals flavor! It will be labeled 80/20 at the grocery store.

Seasoning Juicy Burgers

Good hamburger recipes taste even better with seasoned ingredients. A basic recipe for a spice mix makes all the difference in the grilled flavor!

• brown sugar
• paprika
• cracked black pepper
• kosher salt (coarse sea salt)
• lemon pepper
• chili powder
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• celery seeds
• cayenne pepper

Mix in a bowl, a small whisk or fork helps to blend it well. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. This is a multi-purpose seasoning and one of those easy recipes you will make over and over. It's a great way to add tremendous flavor to grilled steaks, chicken, or pork.

1. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, and Grill and BBQ Rub until mostly combined for about 1 minute. IMPORTANT: Don't over mix, this creates pockets and makes a tender burger.
2. Line a sheet pan or baking sheet with parchment paper, using a large ice cream scoop, portion out the seasoned ground beef, and press into round patties.

PRO TIP: You can swap in ground turkey for beef in this burger patty mix too to make turkey burgers!

Mix The Burger Sauce

There is nothing like a good cheeseburger, and a secret sauce takes it right over the top.

• mayonnaise
• ketchup
• dill relish
• white wine vinegar
• sugar

1. In a bowl using a whisk, mix mayo, ketchup, relish, white wine vinegar, and sugar.
2. Cover and chill in a small bowl or a condiment squeeze bottle. Can be made days ahead, and the great thing is this keeps for a month.

Grill The Best Homemade Cheeseburgers

1. Wire brush the grill well, then use vegetable oil on a paper towel for a non-stick surface.
2. Butter the inside of the buns with soft butter, this helps them toast on the grill and taste so delicious.
3. Heat the grill direct heat to medium-high, 450-500 degrees. Grill how you prefer, I prefer them to medium-well. Cook one side for 4-5 minutes and flip for another 4-5 minutes of cooking. Don't press them down in the middle of the patty, that causes flare-ups and pushes out all the juices. If the fire flares, reduce the heat and shut the lid on the grill. If you like them rarer, then grill for less time. The minimum internal temperatures of all your cooked burgers should be 160 degrees. Test with a good meat thermometer.
4. Toast the buttered buns until light marks form, and they are lightly toasted to a golden brown. Any buns you like work, the ones with sesame seeds or soft brioche buns would make a great burger.
5. Once the burgers are almost done, add slices of cheese to the center of each patty. Remove to a platter with the buns.
6. Add the toppings you love. I added melted American cheese, iceberg lettuce, dill pickle chips, tomato slices, and sauce.

Hamburger Recipe Tips

Here are some top tips and secrets to make the best hamburger recipes for your next cookout party. Your friends and the entire family will love these cheeseburger recipes...

What Ground Beef To Buy?

Really good cheeseburgers the best quality ingredients. Buy ground chuck, the classic choice for burger recipes.  It has the most flavor due to the higher fat. Fat equals flavor! It will be labeled 80/20 at the grocery store.

There are lean ground beef options like grass-fed beef. However, those don't have the flavor due to their lower fat content. Again, you want some fat in the meat for the best cheeseburger flavor!

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Best Burger Cheese

You will want to use the best burger cheeses. A good American Cheese like Kraft Deli Deluxe melts beautifully and is a better way to go. And in my humble opinion is the best cheese on a burger.

I also chose American cheese because it's just like In-N-Out burgers! Other cheese options for the best cheeseburgers are...

• Swiss Cheese
• Aged Cheddar Cheese
• Brie
• Monterey Jack
• Pepper Jack
• Provolone
• Smoked Gouda
• Stilton blue cheese

PRO TIP: Place a slice of cheese on the patties while still on the grill for just a couple of minutes then remove them to a platter. You will look like a grilling guru!

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Seasoning Burgers

• Season the ground beef with a good seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, as it adds an umami flavor and works as a meat binder to hold the patties together.
• Only mix for under a minute, this is the best thing that makes them juicy and amazing with "nooks and crannies".

Hamburger Recipe Portions

• To get equal portions of ground beef per burger, use a large ice cream scoop, this also makes the prep go faster.
• Press the beef patties on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper for fast easy cleanup.

Grilled Hamburger Recipes

• To keep the meat from sticking on the grill, the only thing you need to do is wire brush the grill well. Then use vegetable oil on a paper towel and rub the grills for a non-stick surface!
• Spread soft butter on the buns, and toast the buns on the grill for maximum flavor and those crispy edges, yum!

Delicious Burger Ideas

• Gourmet hamburger recipes can really take it over the top. With the addition of diced caramelized onions, pickled onions, sauteed mushrooms, and other fancy toppings, these are some of the best cheeseburger ideas as far as toppings. Or use ground meat for lamb burgers or chicken burgers!
• The most important thing is the Burger Sauce. This recipe is very similar to the fast food restaurant burger spread at In-N-Out in Southern California. I grew up eating In-N-Out, where I live so I know that taste...I have had hundreds. 🍔🍟🥤

Burger Eating Tips

• Wrap your messy hamburgers in small sheets of parchment paper. It really helps to hold them together when loaded with toppings and makes eating them easier!
• One of the best ideas for burgers, is to order inexpensive plastic food baskets and paper liners to serve at Cookouts!

Hamburger FAQ

Best Burger Topping Ideas

There are endless burger toppers for this best grilled hamburger recipe. Here is a collection of inspiring ideas to top burgers at your next dinner, Cookout, or backyard party. Whether you keep it classic or go wild, it is so fun to try out new flavors with simple ingredients...

• Crispy Bacon
• Grilled Onions or Caramelized Onions
• Sauteed Mushrooms
• Dijon Mustard
• Burger Sauce
• Pickle Chips
• Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Remoulade
• Ortega or Hatch Chiles
• BBQ Sauce
• Creamy Horseradish Sauce
• Cheeses: Cheddar Cheese, Blue Cheese, Pepper Jack, etc.
• Guacamole
• Ranch Dressing
• Pickled Jalapenos
• Red Onions
• Fried Onions
• Your Favorite Hot Sauce

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More Hamburger Recipes

These are some of my best ground beef recipes. When you crave the real thing, here is my favorite copycat recipe of the In-N-Out burger spread special sauce. It is a new recipe, and a very messy burger situation, with all that drippiness and melted cheese.

Burger Seasoning makes flavor-filled juicy hamburgers. Mix up a batch of hamburger seasoning for your next cookout, grill, or BBQ party.

Cheeseburger Sliders are the best burger recipes. Oven baked mini burgers are stuffed with cheddar cheese, baked, then spread with burger sauce.

In the winter when you can't grill outside, oven bake one of the best burger dinner ideas! These are fun Party Food for summer Cookouts, or celebrations like birthdays and Graduation Parties.