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This Is My Best Burger Recipe, Hands Down
There are few things in life I love more than a homemade juicy burger. And while you don’t need a recipe to form a ground beef patty and call it a day, that’s not enough for me. I need next-level juiciness and a golden brown crust. Over the years, I’ve perfected just that. With my secret ingredients and a few tips, you’ll be making the best burger recipe around in no time. Here’s why I call it that:
- Juiciest burgers ever – Most hamburger recipes just use a seasoning, but I add 2 “secret” ingredients to mine to make it extra juicy, plus a method for that golden crust. I’m obsessed with cooking beef perfectly (have you seen all my tips for a perfect steak?), so naturally I’ve got tips for the best burger recipe, too.
- Quick and easy – You can whip these up in less than 15 minutes flat.
- 2 cooking methods – I’ll show you how to make burgers on the grill or on the stove, so you can decide how you want to cook. I make them year round.
- Versatile – A good juicy burger works for so many occasions. I make them for weeknight dinners, for parties, and all grilling season long for summer cookouts. And of course you can customize the toppings to your heart’s content.
Pick up some ground beef and a few basics, make this recipe with me, and get ready for the juiciest hamburger you’ve ever had!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the ingredients for the best burgers, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground Beef – I use 85/15 beef most often, but many people prefer 80/20 (usually ground chuck) for even juicier meat. 90/10 ground beef (usually ground sirloin) can be more dry, but burgers with it still come out quite juicy using the ingredients I add below. Pick what you like! If you want to use turkey, chicken, lamb, or even bison, you can add these same ingredients, but I like them better following my turkey burger, chicken burger, bison burger, and lamb burger recipe instead.
- Secret Ingredients – My secret to juicy burgers is mixing olive oil and Worcestershire sauce into the meat prior to cooking! This locks in the moisture and amps up the flavor. Try it and taste the difference.
- Seasonings – A good burger doesn’t actually need a lot, so I keep it simple with sea salt, black pepper, and a little garlic powder. You could also use 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic instead. The salt is actually the most important from a flavor perspective. My rule of thumb is to use one teaspoon per pound of meat. Long ago, I read somewhere that this was Julia Child’s recommendation for meat, and she’s right!
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VARIATION: Try my seasoning blends!
If you want more intense flavors, you can season burgers with 1 tablespoon of my jerk seasoning for a spicy and zesty kick, or Montreal seasoning for a savory steak flavor. Both already have salt and heat, so you can skip the separate salt and pepper.
For something more subtle, I love adding a teaspoon of Italian seasoning to my burger recipe.
How To Make Juicy Burgers
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the beef, oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder salt, and pepper. Work through the mixture using your hands until just combined (see my tips below).
- Shape the burger patties. Make 1/2-inch-thick patties. Make a thumb print in the center of each patty.
- Grill or pan fry. Preheat your grill over medium-high heat. If you’re using the stovetop, preheat a cast iron skillet or grill pan (I have and love both of these) on the stove instead. Cook burgers until browned on the bottom. Flip, add cheese if you want, and cook until done to your liking. (See my time and temp chart below!)
- Rest. Remove from heat. Let your homemade burgers rest for a few minutes before serving, which lets the juices settle.
My Best Hamburger Tips
- Don’t overwork the meat. Mixing or mashing too much pushes the juices out and leads to a tough burger. This is why I always mix the seasonings first and then add the beef, so I don’t have to mix it longer than necessary.
- Use cold hands if you can. I just wash my hands with cold water first. This prevents the meat from heating up and becoming rubbery.
- Form the hamburger patties gently. Again, this is to avoid driving out the juices. You might notice a common theme in my burger recipe tips — we’re doing everything to keep the moisture inside the meat!
- Remember that thumbprint. I do this for virtually all my burger recipes. It prevents them from puffing up as they cook, which happens because the heat pushes the juices to the middle. If you start out with an imprint in the middle, you’ll get the best burgers that are not only nice and flat, but also more evenly cooked. I place them on the grill or pan flat side down first, which helps with a nicer sear, and by the time I flip the thumbprint on top is less pronounced or even gone.
- Crank up the heat. I recommend medium-high for both the grill and the stovetop, and you want to give it enough time to heat up. This will give you a nice sear (hello, golden brown crust — I love those little crispy bits on the edges!), prevents sticking, and also makes for super juicy burgers.
- Avoid moving them around. Once you add the patties, leave them undisturbed for 4-5 minutes, then flip only once. Again, it’s all about that sear!
- Don’t push down on the burgers. I don’t know who started this idea, but pushing down with a spatula literally pushes all the juices out. Just don’t.
- Let them rest, and don’t cut open to check. If you cut them open to find out if they are done, all the juices will leak out and you’ll end up with a dry burger. Instead, use a meat thermometer or my time chart below to check for doneness. And wait a few minutes after cooking before you eat — this lets the juices settle, so they don’t all run out.
- Prefer a thinner, crispier patty? This burger recipe is not that — it’s better for thick, juicy burgers. If you’re going for thin and crispy, make my smash burger recipe instead.
How Long To Cook Burgers?
For medium doneness, I cook burgers on the grill as well as the stovetop for a total of 6-8 minutes. The internal temperature is the best way to tell they are done, so I highly recommend a meat thermometer (I use this one). The USDA officially recommends at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (well done) for beef, but for juicy burgers I recommend medium (140-145 degrees F).
Here’s my handy chart of times and temperatures for the best burger recipe:
| Doneness | Temperature in Fahrenheit | Temperature in Celsius | Total Cook Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120 to 125 degrees | 49 to 52 degrees | 4-5 minutes |
| Medium Rare | 130 to 135 degrees | 54 to 57 degrees | 5-6 minutes |
| Medium | 140 to 145 degrees | 60 to 63 degrees | 6-8 minutes |
| Medium Well | 150 to 155 degrees | 65 to 68 degrees | 8-9 minutes |
| Well Done | 160 to 165 degrees | 71 to 74 degrees | 9-10 minutes |
The internal temperature will rise an additional 5 degrees from the temperatures above while resting, so these temps are when you’d remove from heat.
Best Burger Recipe (So Juicy, Grill Or Stovetop)
By
This is my best burger recipe for homemade, juicy burgers, thanks to 2 simple secret ingredients. Includes grill or stovetop options!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the ground beef, and work through using your hands until just combined. Be careful not to overwork the meat.
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Shape into 1/2 in (1 cm) thick patties, about 1/4 pound each. Make a thumb print in the center of each patty to keep the burgers from bulging out when cooking.
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Preheat an outdoor grill, or cast iron grill pan or cast iron skillet on the stovetop, to medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook 4-5 minutes with the lid closed, until browned on the bottom and the only juices visible are no longer red. Do not push down on the burgers or move them around. Flip over, top with cheese if desired, and cook 2-3 minutes for medium, or until done as desired. (For best results, use a meat thermometer. See time and temp chart in the post above!)
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Remove burgers from heat. Let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 burger (~1/4 pound before cooking)
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get super juicy burgers every time, with a perfect golden crust.
- Time chart: I have cook times here on the recipe card, but find it helpful to use the visual time and temperature chart here.
- Store: To keep my leftover burgers juicy, I wrap them in plastic wrap before placing in an airtight container. Keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Meal prep: It’s totally fine to form the patties 1-2 days in advance. Just wrap them tightly and keep in the fridge.
- Reheat: My favorite way to reheat these is actually my air fryer, because it does the best job of not drying them out. But you can also sizzle them on the stove with a little oil, pop in the oven at 350 degrees F, or even reheat burgers on the grill over medium heat.
- Freeze: You can freeze my burger recipe before or after cooking, but I recommend before cooking. Shape the patties, wrap in plastic to avoid freezer burn, and place in a zip lock bag. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking or reheating. You can keep cooked burgers in the freezer for up to 3 months, but it’s much harder to get juicy burgers that were previously cooked. I crumble them and use them in soups instead.
- Note on nutrition info: These numbers are based on 85/15 lean ground beef, and do not include optional cheese.
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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The Best Juicy Burger Recipe
Serving Ideas
The best burgers deserve the best fixings and side dishes! Here are my faves to serve with them:
- Buns – I usually make a lettuce wrap, but this time I picked up some gluten-free buns (above). You can also make my low carb hamburger buns, or serve your juicy burgers over a salad (like my Big Mac salad, but with a whole patty on top).
- Fixings – My go-to add-ins are tomatoes, onions, my homemade mayonnaise, and sugar-free ketchup. Sometimes I tuck in avocado, bacon, pickles, or even a fried egg. You could also use other condiments — try my sugar-free barbecue sauce, mustard, Big Mac sauce, or spicy mayo (which is similar to burger sauce).
- Fries – I love to pair this homemade burger recipe with a side of garlic parmesan fries, but they are also fantastic with my classic steak fries, lighter rutabaga fries (shown above), or zucchini fries.
- Veggies – If you’re already grilling, might as well make some grilled broccoli, grilled eggplant, or cauliflower steaks. For indoor days, try my roasted cauliflower or sauteed broccoli.
- Salad – I love a refreshing salad to balance out the rich beef. My faves in the summer are cucumber tomato salad, creamy cucumber salad, and cauliflower potato salad. If you want something a little sweet, my grilled peach salad hits the spot.
311 Comments
Barbara
0This was delicious, cooked in grill pan stovetop. Could you also add sodium content with your nutrition? Some of us need to watch our sodium.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Barbara, Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. If you have questions please see my nutrition policy.
Rhonda Watras-Gayman
0This recipe was awesome! I have 3 finiky boys, and they loved it! I made it for a family meal including my daughter-in-law. Thank you!
Tara
0I’m going to make these but have lean ground beef only. I read that you could add a bit of water to the meat to help it be juicy. Do you think this is a good idea? Thanks
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Tara, I would not add water to the meat. My secret to juicy burgers is mixing olive oil and Worcestershire sauce into the meat prior to cooking (which is what this recipe uses). This locks in the moisture and flavors giving you the juiciest burgers.
Gary Wade Batts
0which side to cook first? Thumb imprint up or down?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Gary, Cook the flat side down first to help form a crust, then flip and cook the side with the thumbprint down. By then the thumbprint will be less pronounced or even gone.
Louri Graham
0Great recipe, came out delicious.
Joanne Herrman
0These were so salty that I couldn’t eat them and I threw them out. You can always add salt but can’t take it out.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Joanne, You can omit the salt in this recipe if you wish.
Jane
0This burger is the best I’ve ever had! It’s so juicy and flavorful, and so easy to make. This is my new go-to recipe for burgers—I’m never going back!
JD Alewine
0Such an amazing burger recipe!!!!
Addison
0Such a juicy and delicious burger! Tasted restaurant quality at home!
jennifer fisher
0Yes!!!! I am all about the beef and the juicy burgers… have even taught classes on it!!! You nailed it and I love that you knew the thumb indention in the center of the patty hack (to keep it from puffing up)! Have a great and burger-a-licious weekend!
Sage Scott
0Due to a tick-borne food allergy to mammalian meat, I substituted ground emu for the ground beef — and these were still the juiciest burgers ever. Yum!
Diane Markey
0So tasty. Other ground turkey recipes have left me wanting or just had a slightly off taste. The spices made these delicious and the added oil made the texture so much better. I will definitely make these again. Thank you!
Will
0I don’t know. We made it last night and it was so bland. The Worcestershire sauce was a great idea as that is what we put in ours all the time but we also would add fresh chopped onions. I think you could double up on the spices and sauce and it still wouldn’t be enough. Perhaps next time we’ll do this and see if it’s tastier.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Will, Sorry to hear that! Did you by chance use 90/10 lean ground beef? This usually comes out less juicy, even with the added oil and Worcestershire sauce. You can definitely put in other add-ins, such as onions or other spices. My goal with this one was just a basic juicy burger recipe and you can customize it with spices.
Ankie
0Maya you did it again, what a great burger we had tonight. You are the BEST!
Jackie
0Thank you.
Debbie
0Can I make prep these ahead of time and keep in the fridge until ready to cook?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Debbie, Yes, absolutely!
Jane Precht
0Absolutely delicious! Truly the juiciest burger we’ve ever made at home. I cooked them on the stove top following the recipe exactly as written – no need to change a thing! We used toasted mini pita rounds for the buns and topped them with honey mustard and our homemade bread and butter pickles. We will be making these burgers a lot – fast prep and fast clean up, too!
Robbi
0Thank you for the recipe. I had to adjust the time and grill height using my new breeo firepit. It turned out moist and delicious.
Jamie
0I’ve been looking for the ‘best’ BBQ burger recipe for a very long time. This is it! Less is more!
Joanne Williams
0I really like your recipe. Thank you so much for sharing..
Diane
0Looking at some of the comments and I will try your recipe. One person commented that you use a lot of egg whites but I don’t see them listed as an ingredient for your hamburgers??? Am I missing something? The reason I am looking for new recipes for hamburgers is I can’t find a good one yet as they all fall apart and I wondered if it was because they didn’t use eggs?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Diane, There are no egg whites in the recipe so I am unsure what comment you saw. I don’t recommend using eggs in your burger recipe.
Vblackert
0What happened to the recipe for the gravy? We all know how to cook a hamburger…
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Vblackert, This recipe doesn’t include gravy… What type of gravy are you looking for?