A savory and generous burger prepared from scratch with tender ground beef patties, golden toasted buns, and a symphony of fresh toppings. The perfect recipe to impress family and friends with a burger worthy of the finest restaurants, prepared in your own kitchen.
⏱️55 min
📊Medium
👥4 servings
🍽️Main
familyfestivebudget-friendly
Ingredients
500 gquality ground beef (80/20)
4 piècesburger buns
2 piècestomatoes
1 piècecrispy lettuce
1 piècered onions
150 gEmmental cheese
50 gbutter
5 gfine salt
3 gfreshly ground black pepper
100 mlmayonnaise
Instructions
1PREPARE THE GROUND BEEF PATTIES: Pour the ground beef into a cold bowl and handle it gently to avoid compressing it excessively. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions of approximately 125 g each. Shape each portion into a slightly flattened disk about 10 cm in diameter, being careful not to overwork the meat as it would lose its tenderness. Make a slight indentation in the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent it from puffing up during cooking. Season both sides generously with fine salt and freshly ground black pepper just before cooking.
2PREPARE THE TOPPINGS: Rinse the tomato and slice it into 8 regular slices approximately 5 mm thick. Gently detach the lettuce leaves and soak them in cold water for 5 minutes to make them extra crispy, then pat dry with paper towels. Peel the red onion and slice it into thin rings, then place them in a bowl with a little white vinegar to soften them slightly. Cut the cheese into 4 squares to cover the patties.
3COOK THE PATTIES: Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet over high heat for 3 minutes until it is very hot and slightly smoking. Gently place the 4 ground beef patties in the skillet without moving them for 3 to 4 minutes, so as to form a golden, caramelized crust that seals in the juices. Flip the patties with a spatula and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes for medium-rare to rare in the center (57°C internal temperature).
4FINISH THE PATTIES: When the patties are cooked to your preference, place a square of Emmental cheese on each one. Lower the heat to medium and cover the skillet with a lid or improvised dome for 1 minute, so the cheese melts slowly into a savory coating on the hot meat. The cheese should be glossy and slightly liquid, without burning. Remove the skillet from heat and let the patties rest for 2 minutes on a warm plate.
5TOAST THE BUNS: Cut the 4 burger buns in half lengthwise. Generously butter the inner faces of the 8 bun halves with 40 g of softened butter. Heat a griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Place the bun halves, buttered side down, for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn golden and crispy with light grill marks. Be careful not to let them burn or they will harden. Remove the toasted buns and place them on a serving plate.
6ASSEMBLE THE BURGERS: Arrange the 4 toasted bun bases, buttered side up, on a cutting board or work surface. Spread 1 generous tablespoon of mayonnaise on each bun base. Next, place a leaf of crispy lettuce on each base, then 2 slices of fresh tomato side by side. Top with a ground beef patty covered in melted cheese, then a few drained red onion rings. Crown with the toasted bun top, buttered side down, and press lightly to seal everything together without squashing the patty.