Juicy Flavorful Summertime Burger

How to grill the juiciest homemade hamburger,

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Juicy Flavorful Summertime Burger

A backyard favorite that never goes out of style—these homemade grilled hamburgers are packed with juicy, beefy flavor in every bite. Perfect for cookouts, weeknight dinners, or anytime you're craving that classic burger magic hot off the grill!

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Rest Time3

Total Time38

Course: lunch, dinner, outdoor entertaining

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1/4 lb burgers

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Mary Lou Coon

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb high-quality ground chuck beef 80/20 blend
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 hamburger buns
2 tbsp softened butter for toasting the buns
Your favorite toppings and condiments

Instructions

Prep the Meat Gently

Place the ground chuck in a medium-sized bowl and loosen lightly with your fingertips.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and Dijon mustard, then pour over the ground chuck. Mix gently with fingertips. Do not overmix.

Form the Patties

Divide into 4 equal portions (about ¼ pound each).
Shape the meat into patties about ¾-inch thick, and don’t forget the key trick—press a shallow dimple into the center of each one. This simple step keeps the burgers from puffing up in the middle as they cook. Try to keep the patties uniform in size and thickness so they cook evenly. You can shape them by hand, or if you’re all about convenience (and neatness!), a hamburger patty press works like a charm.

Chill Briefly

This is optional but helpful. Chill patties for 15 minutes. This helps them to hold together and sear evenly on the outside.

Grill Prep

Make sure the grill has been cleaned and the grates oiled.
Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat between 375-450℉. This is hot enough to give it a good sear. Getting the heat right is important. If your grill is not heated to between 375-450℉, you will not get the crusty sear mark on your burgers. Too low a heat on your grill and you will simply be steaming your burgers.
Most grills have a built-in thermometer. If yours doesn't, you can purchase a relatively inexpensive grill temperature gauge.

Cooking Guidelines

Cook each side of the burger:
(5 minutes Med. Rare 130-135 degrees) (6 minutes Medium 140-145 degrees) (7 minutes Medium Well 150-155 degrees) (8-10 minutes Well Done 160 and above degrees). Consider purchasing a food temperature gauge with a timer to eliminate the guesswork from internal cooking temperatures..
Always start with a preheated grill. Once you sear the burger for 1 minute on each side, reduce the heat to a medium heat of 350-375℉ to finish cooking. Important note: The 1-minute sear per side is part of the total cooking time listed above, not extra. So, if you're aiming for a medium burger (which usually takes about 6 minutes per side), that includes the searing time.

Grilling Tips

Thumbprint indent in center and sear-first cooking locks in the juices and prevents a dome-shaped center.
Flip burgers only once after searing when the juices start appearing on top of the burger.
Once burgers are done, allow them to rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Toast Buns

While the burgers cook, butter the buns on the cut sides and then place the cut sides face down on a baking sheet. When burgers are coming off the grill, toast buns in a preheated oven at 350℉ until golden brown.

Notes

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