The hamburger is considered a national dish of the United States. In the United States and Canada, burgers may be classified as two main types: fast food hamburgers and individually prepared burgers made in homes and restaurants.
If you’re looking for a simple and classic plain burger recipe without any specific additional flavors or toppings, here’s a basic recipe for you.
Ingredients:
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
Burger:
- 4 hamburger buns (preferably brioche or sesame seed buns)
- Lettuce leaves
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced onions
- Cheese slices (Cheddar, American, or your favorite cheese)
- Pickles (optional)
- Ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise for condiments
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together gently until well combined. Be careful not to overwork the meat as it can result in tough burgers.
- Divide the meat mixture into four equal portions. Form each portion into a ball and then flatten it to create a patty. Try to make the patties slightly larger than the diameter of your burger buns, as they will shrink a bit during cooking.
- Preheat your grill or stovetop pan over medium-high heat. You can also cook the burgers on a barbecue grill for added smoky flavor.
- Once the grill or pan is hot, cook the patties for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until they reach your desired level of doneness (medium-rare, medium, or well-done).
- If you want to add cheese to your burgers, place a slice of cheese on each patty about 1 minute before removing them from the heat. This allows the cheese to melt and become gooey.
- While the patties are cooking, lightly toast the hamburger buns on the grill or in a toaster.
- Assemble the burgers: Place a cooked patty on the bottom half of each bun. Add lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes, onions, pickles (if using), and any condiments you prefer (ketchup, mustard, mayo).
- Top each burger with the other half of the bun, and your delicious homemade burgers are ready to serve.
