USA · Meat Dishes · Quick

Classic American Burger

Name: Classic American Burger
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 700 g ground beef, 80/20 fat ratio; 4 brioche burger buns; 4 slices American cheese or cheddar; 4 tbsp mayonnaise; 2 tbsp ketchup; 1 tbsp yellow mustard; 2 tbsp dill pickle relish; 1 tsp white wine vinegar; 4 leaves iceberg lettuce; 2 ripe tomatoes; 1 white onion; 8 dill pickle slices; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper

A proper smash burger with a deeply caramelized crust, melted American cheese, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, and the perfect special sauce. Simple technique, extraordinary results.

25 min 680 kcal 4 serves Medium⚡Quick🇺🇸USA★★★★★4.5· 4 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

700 gground beef, 80/20 fat ratio
4 brioche burger buns
4 slices American cheese or cheddar
4 tbspmayonnaise
2 tbspketchup
1 tbspyellow mustard
2 tbspdill pickle relish
1 tspwhite wine vinegar
4 leaves iceberg lettuce
2 ripe tomatoes
1 white onion
8 dill pickle slices
1 tspsalt
1 tspblack pepper

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“The best burger I ever made followed three simple rules: 80/20 beef (that's 80% lean, 20% fat), a screaming-hot cast iron skillet, and never — ever — press the patty down with a spatula. That press squeezes out the juices that make a burger worth eating. I'm a firm believer in the smash technique for thin patties: a ball of loosely packed meat pressed flat once on a ripping-hot surface creates an incredible Maillard crust with lacy, crispy edges. For thicker pub-style burgers, season the outside generously with salt and pepper right before cooking — never mix seasoning into the meat, or you'll end up with a dense sausage texture. The bun matters more than most people think: a soft potato bun, lightly toasted with butter, is the ideal ratio of structure to squish.”

Form your patties about 20% wider than your bun — they shrink significantly during cooking. Press a small dimple in the center with your thumb to prevent the burger from puffing up into a ball.

Method

Make special sauce: mix mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish and vinegar. Refrigerate until needed.
Divide ground beef into 4 equal balls (about 175g each). Do not season or compress yet — handle the meat as little as possible to keep it tender. Refrigerate until the pan is ready.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over the highest heat for 3–4 minutes until smoking. Do not add oil — the beef's own fat is sufficient.
Season each beef ball generously with salt and pepper. Place in the pan and immediately smash flat with a heavy spatula to about 1cm thick. Press firmly and hold for 10 seconds. Do not move. Cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until a deep mahogany crust forms on the bottom — this Maillard crust is everything.
Flip once. Immediately place a slice of cheese on each patty. The cheese will melt in about 60 seconds from the residual heat. Cook 1 minute more for medium. Do not press down after flipping.
Toast buns cut-side down in the same pan for 30 seconds until golden. Spread special sauce on both bun halves.
Build the burger: bottom bun, sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, patty with cheese, pickles, more sauce, top bun. Serve immediately — burgers wait for no one.

FAQ

The two biggest culprits for dry, tough burgers are overworking the meat and overcooking it. Handle the ground beef as little as possible — mix in any seasonings with just a few folds, never knead or squeeze it like dough. Overworking aligns the proteins and makes the patty dense and rubbery. Equally important: cook to the right internal temperature and no further. A patty cooked to 71°C (160°F) is safe and still juicy; at 77°C+ it begins to dry out noticeably. Use a thermometer rather than guessing. Also, let the patty rest off the heat for 1–2 minutes before serving — the juices redistribute instead of running out when you bite.

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Comments (2)

Просто Мария
29d ago
Делали с детьми бургеры на выходных, все были в востроге! Булочки правда покупные взяла, надо будет в следущий раз самой испечь. Котлету не пережаривайте, внутри должна быть чуть розовая.
Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
Salt the ground beef at least 30 minutes before cooking classic american burger, or right before — never in between. Salt draws moisture to the surface; given 30+ minutes it reabsorbs. At 10 minutes, it's just sitting there making things wet.