Description
This Classic Cheeseburger Recipe delivers a juicy, flavorful burger with a perfectly seared crust topped with melted cheddar cheese, fresh lettuce, ripe tomatoes, sliced onions, and a tangy homemade burger sauce. Grilled to your preferred doneness, this all-American cheeseburger is a nostalgic favorite reminiscent of iconic burger joints.
Ingredients
Scale
Burger Patties
- 1/2 lb 80/20 ground beef
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Burger Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Assembly
- 2 medium cheddar or American cheese slices
- 2 ripe tomato slices
- Lettuce leaves (iceberg or green leaf), enough for 2 burgers
- Thinly sliced onion, to preference
- 2 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Form Patties: Gently shape the ground beef into two round patties of about 1/2 lb each. Avoid overhandling the meat to keep patties loose, which helps retain juiciness.
- Season Patties: Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the patties just before grilling to help form a flavorful crust.
- Preheat Grill: Heat your grill on high heat to ensure a hot cooking surface that can sear the burgers and develop a crust.
- Grill Burgers: Place the patties on the hot grill and cook until the desired internal temperature is reached: 120°F for rare, 130°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium, 150°F for medium-well, or 160°F+ for well-done.
- Add Cheese: When the burgers are almost done, place a slice of cheddar or American cheese on each patty. Let melt for 1-2 minutes.
- Make Burger Sauce: While burgers cook, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, sugar, and white vinegar in a small bowl until combined.
- Toast Buns and Assemble: Lightly toast hamburger buns on the grill. Spread burger sauce on the buns, then layer lettuce, tomato slices, the cheeseburger patty, and sliced onions. Top with the other bun half and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use 80/20 ground beef for the ideal fat content to keep burgers juicy and flavorful.
- Do not overwork the ground beef when forming patties to avoid dense burgers.
- Season patties with salt and pepper just before grilling for the best crust development.
- Adjust cooking times based on desired doneness using the provided temperature guide.
- This recipe makes two large burgers suitable for a hearty meal.
- For extra flavor, you can add pickles or mustard as additional toppings.
- Use a grill or stovetop grilling pan if a grill is not available, maintaining high heat for searing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger
- Calories: 700 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 50 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
