Thick and Juicy Burgers Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated April 04, 2020
Cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato

Recipe Details

Thick and Juicy Burgers Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 35 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 4 burgers

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds freshly ground beef

  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

  • 4 burger buns, toasted

  • Toppings and condiments to taste

Directions

  1. Set oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 200°F (95°C). Divide meat into four even 1/2-pound portions. Form into four 4-inch-wide patties, leaving slight depression in center of each. Season liberally with kosher salt and black pepper and place patties on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and cook until center of each patty registers 120°F (50°C) on an instant read thermometer for medium rare (110°F (44°C) for rare, 135 °F (57°C) and up for medium well to well), 15 to 30 minutes (time may vary depending on oven temperature cycling). Tent burgers loosely with foil.

  2. Add vegetable oil to 12-inch heavy-bottomed stainless steel or cast iron skillet and heat over high heat until smoking. Add burger patties and cook until browned crust develops on first side, 45 seconds to 1 minute 15 seconds. Flip patties. Add cheese if desired. Cook until second side develops dark brown crust, additional 45 seconds to 1 minute 15 seconds. Transfer to buns, top as desired, and serve immediately.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
807Calories
45gFat
29gCarbs
67gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories807
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g57%
Saturated Fat 16g78%
Cholesterol 202mg67%
Sodium 998mg43%
Total Carbohydrate 29g11%
Dietary Fiber 1g5%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 67g
Vitamin C 1mg4%
Calcium 164mg13%
Iron 8mg46%
Potassium 941mg20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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