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These Homemade Burgers are incredibly juicy and perfectly seasoned. Topped with your favorite fixings, these will become your favorite weekend, picnic, or BBQ meal!
I haven’t had a burger in months and sometimes you just crave something so bad that you’d do anything to get a bite of that food. I usually stay away from ordering burgers at restaurants, I just find them too dry and a little lacklustre. Which is why if I’m going to have a burger, I will make it myself because then I know what goes into it and I can stuff it and load it with my favorite ingredients.
That’s why I loaded these burgers today with lots and lots of crispy bacon, melty Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, juicy patties, all between two perfectly soft buns. Is your mouth watering yet? I know mine is, so let’s get into it.
The Beauty With Burgers
The thing I love about burgers is how they’re such a blank canvas for adding and creating any flavors you’d like. Do you want to lather your bun with buffalo sauce and load up the patty with blue cheese, well then go for it! Do you want to load it with peanut butter and create an Elvis inspired burger? I won’t stop you!
My recipe today is a great, simple, classic burger. It’s as all American as it gets, loaded with fresh quality ingredients and made with lots and lots of love. Okay, this is starting to sound a little bit too much like a fast food ad, but believe me, mine delivers so let’s get into it.
Ingredients
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Bacon – Because the answer is always bacon. Always.
- Beef – Ground beef, we want it to be about 20% + fat content as it’ll ensure our patties are nice and moist.
- Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
- Olive oil – To caramelize our onions and to brown our burger patties.
- Onions – Cut into rings to be caramelized and spooned onto our burgers.
- Cheese – Sharp cheddar or Swiss cheese sliced up and laid gently over top our patties.
- Buns – Your favorite perfectly soft hamburger buns are crucial, ideally fresh.
How To Make The Best Homemade Burgers
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Fry the bacon: In a large skillet until nice and crisp. Set aside.
- Form the patties: Separate beef into 4 equal portions. Use your hands to form into patties that are about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. Don’t overwork the meat, soft patties = juicy patties. Season each patty generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Caramelize the onions: Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until wilted and caramelized. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Season the onion with salt and pepper then transfer to a plate.
- Cook the patties: Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil over high heat in the same skillet. To avoid the patties from shrinking up and having a dome, made a small dent in the center of each patty. Add two patties to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until deep golden brown. Do not press anymore and only flip patty once the one side has a great crust. Once you flip the patty cook for 1 more minute. Top with 2 slices of cheese, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for another minute until the cheese melts. Repeat with remaining burgers.
- Serve: Toast the cut side of the buns lightly. Spread the base of the buns with the condiment of choice, such as ketchup, mustard or relish or all. Top with hamburger, patty, pile with onions, 2 slices of bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles and more condiments if preferred. Add the top bun and serve immediately.
How Else Can I Cook My Burgers?
You can either make these on the stove top, the grill, in a cast iron skillet, or on a flat top grill. Just cook the patties on 3 – 4 minutes on each side, that may change depending on how thick your patties are or how well done you like your burgers.
Some Tips
- Don’t overwork the hamburger meat when you’re mixing it! It will result in tough, dry patties.
- You can cube your cheese and pop them into the middle of your patties before covering with more meat, creating a molten cheesy middle
- If you don’t feel like toasting your hamburger buns, just pop them in the microwave for 10 – 15 seconds and it’ll really enhance your feasting experience!
- Use fattier meat for juicier more flavorful burgers. You can also use a combinations of ground pork and ground beef.
How To Serve
You can pair it with some salad, some fries, whatever you’d like! Here’s some awesome sides!
- Avocado Tomato Salad
- Garlic Herb Red Potato Salad
- Coleslaw
- Dirty Fries
- Loaded Pub Fries
- Fries Supreme
- Cowboy Caviar
- Potato Salad
- Macaroni Salad
The beauty with burgers is that they are whatever you want to make them! Have fun with some drool worthy flavor combinations like the ones I’ve listed below!
- Burgers with Guacamole aka “The Beast”
- Blue Cheese and Crispy Fried Onion Burgers
- Greek Lamb Burgers
Storing Leftovers
You can store these patties in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. If you’d like to make this recipe in advance, just freeze the patties raw in an airtight container and allow to thaw in the fridge when ready to cook. This method will ensure they’ll last for up to 3 months.
Craving More Handheld Snacks? Try These Delicious Recipes:
- French Dip Sandwiches
- Chicken Shawarma
- Hawaiian Turkey Cola Sandwiches
- Burgers with Guacamole aka “The Beast”
- Blue Cheese and Crispy Fried Onion Burgers
- Greek Lamb Burgers
- Dutch Meatballs
- Garlic Parmesan Skillet Rolls
The Best Homemade Burgers
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 1½ pound ground beef 20% + fat
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onions sliced into rings
- 8 slices Swiss cheese or cheddar cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
Fixings
- lettuce
- tomato slices
- ketchup
- mustard
- relish
- pickles
Instructions
- In a large skillet until nice and crisp. Set aside.
- Separate beef into 4 equal portions. Use your hands to form into patties that are about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. Don't overwork the meat, soft patties = juicy patties. Season each patty generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until wilted and caramelized. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Season the onion with salt and pepper then transfer to a plate.
- Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil over high heat in the same skillet. To avoid the patties from shrinking up and having a dome, made a small dent in the center of each patty. Add two patties to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until deep golden brown. Do not press anymore and only flip patty once the one side has a great crust. Once you flip the patty cook for 1 more minute. Top with 2 slices of cheese, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for another minute until the cheese melts. Repeat with remaining burgers.
- Toast the cut side of the buns lightly. Spread the base of the buns with the condiment of choice, such as ketchup, mustard or relish or all. Top with hamburger, patty, pile with onions, 2 slices of bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles and more condiments if preferred. Add the top bun and serve immediately.
Tips & Notes:
- Use a fattier ground beef for lots of flavor, plus it results in juicier burgers.
- You can store these patties in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. If you’d like to make this recipe in advance, just freeze the patties raw in an airtight container and allow to thaw in the fridge when ready to cook. This method will ensure they’ll last for up to 3 months.
- Nutritional information includes hamburger buns, bacon and cheese but does not include any optional fixings.
