Description
These Best Ever Cheeseburgers feature juicy, perfectly seasoned beef patties topped with melted cheddar cheese, served on toasted brioche buns with a tangy homemade burger sauce and fresh classic toppings. Easy to prepare on the stovetop, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavors in about 40 minutes, perfect for a satisfying meal any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Burger Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon dill pickle juice
- 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cheeseburgers
- 2 pounds ground beef, 20% fat
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter (divided)
- 6 slices cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
- 6 Brioche hamburger buns
- Green leaf lettuce, for topping
- Sliced tomato, for topping
- Sliced red onion, for topping
- Dill pickle hamburger chips, for topping
Instructions
- Prepare Burger Sauce: In a medium-size bowl, combine mayonnaise and ketchup by whisking together until smooth. Then add dill pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Whisk again to fully incorporate all the ingredients. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the sauce while you prepare the burgers to let the flavors meld.
- Form Patties: Gently shape the ground beef into six evenly sized patties, approximately 1 inch thick each. Arrange the patties on a large platter and season liberally on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance the beef flavor.
- Cook First Batch of Patties: In a large cast iron skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of salted butter over medium-high heat. Place three of the patties into the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until they develop a light char and reach your desired doneness. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a slice of cheddar cheese to melt. Once done, transfer the cooked patties to a warm oven set at 200°F to keep warm.
- Cook Second Batch of Patties: Repeat the cooking process in the same skillet for the remaining three patties using the remaining tablespoon of butter. Again, cook about 4 minutes per side until done and cheese melts on top.
- Toast Buns and Assemble Burgers: Lightly toast the brioche hamburger buns in the skillet or oven until golden and slightly crisp. Spread a generous amount of the prepared burger sauce on the buns, then layer with green leaf lettuce, sliced tomatoes, red onion, dill pickle chips, and finally place the cheesy beef patties on top. Close the burgers with the top buns.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the assembled cheeseburgers immediately while warm with your favorite side dishes or condiments. Enjoy the classic, juicy, and flavorful homemade cheeseburger experience!
Notes
- Do not overwork the ground beef when forming patties to keep them tender and juicy.
- Using a cast iron skillet helps achieve a nice sear on the burgers for added flavor.
- The burger sauce can be made a day ahead to deepen the flavor.
- Keep cooked patties warm in a low oven to ensure even temperature when serving all burgers together.
- Feel free to substitute cheddar with other melting cheeses like Swiss, American, or pepper jack according to preference.
- Adjust seasoning and cayenne pepper in the sauce to control heat level.
