Juicy Homemade Beef Burgers

Who doesn’t love a juicy chargrilled beef burger loaded with melted cheese, tangy pickles and fresh crispy vegetables? I know my family does, which is why I often find myself making these insanely melt-in-the-mouth burgers on the regular. They are so easy to make and super low-cost and only require one pan (or a barbecue!) and 22 minutes – brilliant! I sometimes hide extra chopped veggies in the burgers to up the nutrition factor, and using breadcrumbs in the mix ensures the patties are impossible to dry out or get wrong. I often make more patties than I need as they are freezer-friendly and also make great lunchbox fillers.

Whether you cook your burgers outside in summer on the barbecue for that extra smoky flavour, or whip up a quick kitchen fakeaway on a Friday night, you can be sure that these Juicy Homemade Beef Burgers will never disappoint. As they are highly customisable they will suit the whole family – even fussy eaters. I myself am partial to a classic cheese, pickle and red onion combo, but the rest of my family have their own favourites. So sometimes I melt the cheese onto the burgers in the pan, but then serve the toppings in the middle of the table so everyone can build their own.

What should I serve with Juicy Homemade Beef Burgers?

We love Oven Baked Crispy Potato Wedges or a creamy Homemade Coleslaw! Other ideas are steamed corn, Potato Salad, Macaroni and Cheese, a green leafy salad or freezer chips (fries) for an extra speedy dinner!

What are some great burger topping ideas?

Freshly shredded lettuce, caramelised onions, coleslaw, avocado or sauteed mushrooms are some delicious ideas. And then of course we can head down the “Aussie burger” route, which includes tinned beetroot (beets), a fried egg, crispy bacon and … pineapple! You can’t knock it until you try it, it’s so tasty! If you’re a garlic lover, swap out the regular mayo for some aioli, and spice lovers can add some sriracha or other hot sauce – or mix some sriracha into the regular mayo.

Watch how to make Juicy Homemade Beef Burgers

How can I turn these into sliders?

These Juicy Homemade Beef Burgers can easily be transformed into mini sliders! Divide the beef mixture into 12 pieces and shape into patties. Cook the patties for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Serve in 12 brioche slider buns and all of your favourite toppings. Use a toothpick to hold the sliders in place and serve!

Juicy Homemade Beef Burgers

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5 from 10 reviews

Juicy Homemade Beef Burgers are a quick and easy, meal-in-a-bun favourite with kids and adults alike. You can prep and cook them in under 25 minutes in one pan, using simple, low-cost ingredients, which you can mix and match to suit all palates.

• Total Time: 22 mins
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) regular minced (ground) beef
• ½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1–2 tbsp water (optional)

TO SERVE

• 4 brioche rolls, halved and toasted
• 4 slices gouda cheese or burger cheese slices (see note 1)
• 2 tomatoes, finely sliced
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 1 little gem lettuce, leaves picked and washed
• 2 tbsp sliced gherkins (dill pickles)
• 4 teaspoons whole-egg mayonnaise
• 4 teaspoons ketchup
• 4 teaspoons American mustard

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Instructions

1. To a large bowl, add the beef mince, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine well. Divide the mixture into 4–6 portions, then use your hands to form patties. Their size ideally needs to be just bigger than the burger buns you are using as the patties will shrink slightly as they cook. Want an extra veggie hit? See note 2.
2. Use your thumb to make an indent in one side of the patty. This helps the patties keep their shape during cooking.
3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Cook the burger patties for 10–12 minutes, turning once halfway through. Add the water to the pan in the last 2 minutes of cooking. This step is optional, it allows you to scrape up all of the delicious sticky bits in the base of the pan and they cling to the outside of the patties = more flavour! For a delicious chargrilled result, you can cook the patties in a chargrill pan or cook them on a barbecue plate. Heat the plate to medium–high, spray the plate with oil just before cooking and cook the patties for 10–12 minutes, turning once halfway. 
4. Serve the brioche buns topped with burger patties, cheese, tomato, red onion, gherkins, lettuce, whole-egg mayonnaise, ketchup and American mustard. Serve immediately!

Equipment

Large Wooden Spoon

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Tongs

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Notes

Note 1 – Regular orange burger cheese slices are actually ideal to use as they melt easily and have a smooth, velvety texture. I do like using gouda, though, as it has such a punchy flavour.

Note 2 – I regularly make these beef patties with the addition of finely shredded carrots and zucchini (courgette). These vegetables melt into the patty and provide it with extra flavour! Use a fine grater to grate up to 1 cup of vegetables to add to your mix.

Make ahead:

Make the burger patties ahead of time by preparing them as per the recipe. Refrigerate the uncooked burger patties for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container or reusable sandwich bag. Use baking paper between the layers of burger patties to stop them sticking together. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge and cook as per the recipe.

Leftovers:

Refrigerate leftover, cooked burger patties for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely overnight before reheating. Reheat in the microwave to retain moisture and produce the best results. Prepare the toppings fresh.

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins
• Category: mains, burgers, budget friendly, freezer friendly
• Method: pan
• Cuisine: American / Australian