The elements of the perfect American Hamburger are a patty of ground beef in a soft round bun, served with ketchup, pickles, and onions. You may add other condiments, whatever you like, but the meat itself must be of prime quality or its not worth the effort.
What people prefer on their own American Hamburger can vary from region to region in the United States.
Learn about the History and Legends of Hamburgers by Linda Stradley. Check out more of Linda’s Sandwich Recipes.
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (hamburger)
- Salt and pepper
- 4 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- Accompaniments (see below)
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Preheat barbecue grill; brush and oil the grates.
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Lightly wet your hands with cold water; gently form ground beef into 4 patties, about 1-inch thick and larger than your bun. When forming patties, handle as little as possible. Loosely packed burgers are crisper on the outside and juicier inside. Poke a hole in the center (this will stop the hamburger from rising in the center. The hole will close while cooking).
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Season the prepared patties with salt and pepper.
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Place patties onto hot grill. Cover barbecue with lid, open any vents, and cook 4 to 5 minutes; turn patties over and cook another 4 to 5 minutes (only turn patties once) or until cooked to desired doneness (do not press patties with spatula while cooking as juices will escape and the meat will dry out). Remove from grill and transfer onto a serving plate.
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NOTE: It is recommended that you cook the Hamburger patty to 160 degrees on your meat thermometer to eliminate any chance of e-coli.
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Brush the hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls with melted butter; toast them on the grill, cut side down for 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from grill and place on individual plates. Place the cooked meat onto the bottom slice of the bun and add accompaniments of your choice (see below).
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Makes 4 servings.
ACCOMPANIMENTS IDEAS:
4 slices Cheddar cheese
8 slices cooked bacon
4 fried eggs
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Lettuce, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Sweet pickle relish
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayonnaise
I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer. Originally designed for professional use, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. I only endorse a few products, on my web site, that I like and use regularly.
You can learn more or buy yours at: Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer.
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