How to Cook a Cheeseburger

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 1, 2022 Tested

Cheeseburger is a traditional, American favorite. It can be grilled, fried, or oven baked, and purchased at almost any corner or fast-food restaurant. For a tasty treat, try a homemade cheeseburger.

Ingredients

1 lb. (453g) 85% lean ground beef/chuck
6 burger buns
1 egg yolk

Recommended seasonings:

½ small red or white onion (optional)
Ketchup (optional)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 tbsp mustard (optional)
1 garlic clove (optional)
Handful fresh herbs, chopped roughly (optional)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Recommended toppings:

2 thinly sliced tomatoes (optional)
6 slices of cheese (optional)
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Ketchup and mayonnaise on the table

Steps

1
Start with good meat. Get a butcher to grind chuck beef for you with a 15% fat content. (More fat and it will just drip off the meat and cause fire flare-ups; less and the burgers will be dry.) If possible, buy the meat the day you’re going to cook it.
- Ask the butcher to grind the meat twice, once in the coarse plate of the grinder and then through the fine plate.
2
Place the ground beef in a bowl.

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3
Roughly chop the onion and garlic. Put them in a bowl and mix them together until combined.
- Add any of the ingredients you're wanting to be a part of the burger – the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, and the chopped herbs.
4
Add the egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper and mix everything together.
5
Mix it all together. It is easier to start mixing with a spoon; then use your clean hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
6
Create the burgers. Handle the meat as little as possible, so you don’t squeeze out the juices.
- Shape the mixture into 6 equal-sized balls using your hands.
- Press the balls down to make flat burger shapes about ½ inch (1.27cm) thick. Make a small indentation in the center of the burger with your thumb. This prevents the center from swelling, leading to uneven cooking.
7
Arrange the burgers on a plate. Cover them with plastic wrap or wax paper. Chill for 30 minutes to a few hours to make the burgers firmer and easier to cook. Burger meat is best cooked cold.
8
Choose your cooking method. The homemade burgers can be cooked with a broiler or grill, fried in the skillet or frying pan, or barbecued. They can also be baked. The method used depends on what you have available and what you prefer by way of taste and texture. Whichever method you choose, after taking the patties out of the fridge, spritz them with a little cooking oil or brush them with some melted butter before cooking.
- Broiler/grill: Preheat the broiler (upper level grill) to medium heat. Line a broiler pan with foil, for easier cleanup after cooking. Place the burgers in the broiler pan. Broil them for 6-7 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked.
- Frying pan or skillet: Add oil or butter to the pan and fry the burgers well. Be sure to use low heat and a long cook to properly cook the burgers the whole way through.
- Place on the barbecue grill. Cook as usual for hamburgers on the barbecue.
- Bake: Place in the oven on 350ºF/180ºC for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness. You may like to flip them over halfway, testing doneness regularly.
9
While the burgers are cooking, prepare the toppings:
- Wash the lettuce and tomatoes.
- Halve the burger buns, then thinly slice the tomatoes.
- Place the ketchup and mayonnaise on the table for diners to make their own choice.
10
Cover each with the top half of its bun, and enjoy.

Community Q&A

Question

What should the internal temperature of the cooked meat be?

Community Answer

Beef is cooked at 77°C (170°F) and chicken at 75°C (165°F). You may find that reaching these internal temps leads to a dry product, so some people only cook it to an internal temperature of about 150°F.
Question

Where do I get chicken burger patty stuff?

Community Answer

You can usually buy ground chicken in your grocery store's meat section. Check near the chicken and the ground turkey. Not every store will have it, but most will.
Question

Why do I need butter/oil when the fat from the meat is enough for skillet frying?

Havarti2

Community Answer

If you're using lean meat, there isn't enough fat to cook it without burning.

Warnings

Remember to wash your hands after touching the raw meat every time

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 19 Not Helpful 8
Make sure your burger is well-cooked. Though you may prefer your meat rare or medium-rare, it does increase the risk of food poisoning. Cooked meat needs to reach a certain temperature for a specified period of time in order to kill any bacteria that may be inside.

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Helpful 18 Not Helpful 9

Things You'll Need

Chopped or ground meat: Chuck, Sirloin, Angus, etc.
Cheese slices: Cheddar, American, Colby, Monterey Jack, Provolone, etc.
Hamburger buns: Plain, Sesame Seed, Onion, Kaiser Roll, etc.
Optional ingredients:
- Eggs and Bread crumbs
- Onion soup mix
- Seasoning
- Mixing bowl
- Toppings: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, Pickles, etc.
- Condiments: Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, Salad Dressing, etc.