The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

These are the BEST Burgers! Made with a mix of ground beef and ground pork, caramelized onions, balsamic vinegar, chili powder and MORE that makes them so much more flavorful than other burgers!

The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (1)

Table of Contents

  • What makes this burger recipe extra special?
  • Can I make these dairy free? Egg free? Gluten free?
  • How to make burger patties:
  • How to store burger patties:
  • Variations on this burger recipe:
  • The Best Burgers Recipe

I just don’t know if there’s anything better than a great burger in the summertime!

Sure, we love these Turkey Burgers and these Hawaiian Chicken Burgers are always a hit, but sometimes you just need a classic homemade beef burger.

However you load it up, a side of these Air Fryer French Fries and a classic milkshake are necessary additions 😉

But back to the burger.

I’ve never eaten another burger that packs in this much flavor!

The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (2)

What makes this burger recipe extra special?

I borrowed the caramelized onion and balsamic vinegar ideas from The Pioneer Woman, but I added my own flavors and I really think these are BETTER than your average burger.

Caramelizing things adds flavor, we all know this!

But how often do we see cooked onions, garlic, spices added to burgers? I had never seen it before.

Toasting the garlic and spices with the onions before adding it to the burgers is key — it wakes them up and brings out the flavors so much more intensely!

Be sure to brush with your favorite barbecue sauce (if desired) and top them as you like: cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, mustard, relish — whatever suits your fancy! For me? I’m a plain Jane: just ketchup and pickles!

Can I make these dairy free? Egg free? Gluten free?

  • Swap the butter for oil for a dairy free burger.
  • If you’re looking to make these gluten free, try subbing the bread crumbs for gluten free bread crumbs, or finely crushed gluten free potato or tortilla chips.
  • The egg does help to bind the burgers, but if you need to make them egg free, you can swap the egg for a couple tablespoons (2-3) of barbecue sauce.

How to make burger patties:

There are lots of different ways to shape burger patties, including small kitchen tools that do the work for you!

These are great if you want uniform patties, but my kitchen is already loaded with knick knacks I don’t use, so I’d rather not add another to the mix!

The easiest way to get uniform burgers is to smooth your burger mix in the bowl so it is flat on top.

Then use your hands to draw a line in the burger mix to mark a half, then the other way to mark a quarter. Then divide each quarter in half to make 8 even burgers.

You want your burgers to hold together, but you also don’t want to overwork them so that they become tough.

I like to make mine a little thicker at the edges and a little thinner through the middle, since the edges will cook more quickly and this way my burgers are perfectly cooked and juicy all the way through.

  • The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (3)
  • The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (4)
  • The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (5)
  • The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (6)

How to store burger patties:

When I’m going through the effort of making homemade burgers, I almost always make extra so I can freeze some.

I like to flash freeze so I can grab just one or two from the freezer if I need.

The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (7)

To do this, lay your burger patties on a sheet pan and freeze for 2 hours or until firm. Then place your frozen burger patties in a large freezer bag and store in the freezer.

This way, you can easily grab however many you need without having them stuck together.

The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (8)

Variations on this burger recipe:

  • You can use ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, ground beef or any combination of ground meats!
  • Don’t have red onion? Any onion will do! I like to use sweet onions for the best flavor.
  • Swap out the ground pork for Italian sausage for an extra kick!

The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (9)

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The Best Burgers

written by Ashley Fehr

4.94 from 48 votes

These are the BEST Burgers! Made with a mix of ground beef and ground pork, caramelized onions, balsamic vinegar, chili powder and MORE that makes them so much more flavorful than other burgers!

The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (11)

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Course Main Course

Servings 8

Calories 294cal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 lb lean ground pork
  • 1 lb extra lean ground beef
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup fine seasoned bread crumbs see above for gluten free options
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • Barbecue sauce for basting and toppings as desired

Instructions

  • In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat and add onions, stirring until coated. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, until tender and translucent.

  • Add brown sugar and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes, until caramelized.

  • Add garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat 1 minute. Remove from heat, scrape into a bowl and refrigerate until room temperature (if you’re making this ahead, be sure to cover the dish after the onions have cooled to store for longer periods of time).

  • In a large bowl, combine pork, beef, egg, bread crumbs, vinegar worcestershire sauce and cooled onion mixture and mix just until combined — don’t overmix.

  • Shape into 8 patties for ¼ pound burgers (feel free to make them bigger or smaller according to your preferences).

  • *Recommended: place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. You can also place in the freezer for 2-3 hours. This isn’t necessary but really helps the flavors meld together and helps the burgers stay together when cooked.

  • In a pan or on a grill, cook burgers for about 4-5 minutes per side on medium-high heat until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Serve as desired with buns, garnishes, sauces, etc.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 294cal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 430mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2.5mg

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The Best Burgers Recipe - SO flavorful! - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

How do you make hamburgers more flavorful? ›

  1. Grinding your own meat is a way to ensure you're getting high-quality ground meat for your burgers. ...
  2. Add bacon bits to your ground beef. ...
  3. You can also add vegetables like mushrooms. ...
  4. Worcestershire sauce adds tang to beef. ...
  5. Minced garlic also adds a lot of flavor to beef.
May 26, 2023

What makes a burger so tasty? ›

When you're talking about what makes a good burger, the first thing to address is the beef. The best burgers are made of certified Angus beef. At Burger Republic, we're proud to serve certified Angus beef burgers, which have the fullest flavor and the optimal amount of fat for premium juiciness.

What makes the perfect burger patty? ›

Use Ground Chuck Beef (80/20) – grind your own or buy it ground, but 20% fat is ideal and keep it refrigerated until you're ready to use it. Don't overwork your meat – this will make it tough and dense. Shape the patties 1” wider than the bun since they shrink on the grill.

Why do my homemade burgers taste bland? ›

Using meat that's too lean results in burgers that are lacking in both flavor and texture, and easily end up dry and crumbly. → Follow this tip: A good-tasting, juicy burger needs to be made using ground beef with a high fat content.

Should you mix seasoning into burgers? ›

If you are forming your own patties, you can season the blend as you mix and shape them. If possible, season at least 30 minutes (and up to to two hours) before cooking to let that seasoning work its way into the patty. There's no skipping this step: Unseasoned burgers will always taste bland.

What to season burgers with? ›

Beef burgers need nothing more than a sprinkle of salt, preferably kosher salt, to cook up juicy and delicious. Some black pepper is also welcome, and there's no reason not to branch out with any number of hamburger-friendly seasonings: herbs, spices, onions and more.

What is the most important thing in a burger? ›

Get the meat to fat ratio right

It's literally the most important aspect of a good burger. Ideally your meat will have an 80 percent meat to 20 percent fat split – that's the magic ratio for burgers that melt in your mouth without falling apart in your hands.

Should I add egg to hamburger patties? ›

Egg yolk acts as a binder and adds flavor

After forming it into a patty, he explains that the egg actually helps bind the meat together, and adds an incredibly rich flavor to the burger patty. As a good rule of thumb, it's best to add one yolk per pound of ground beef.

What keeps burgers juicy? ›

Water is your friend. If you just can't resist buying lean ground beef, try adding a bit of water to it. A little extra moisture helps even well-done burgers stay juicy and tender, even if they're made from 90% lean ground beef.

What makes burger patties fall apart? ›

When you're making your burgers, try not to manhandle them too much or else you'll end up breaking the meat into smaller pieces than you have to. We recommend simply shaping the beef into a vague burger shape with the least amount handling as possible.

Do you mix egg with ground beef for burgers? ›

Instructions for How to Make Ground Beef Patties for burgers: In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 egg, and a generous amount of salt and pepper to season (half tsp each). Egg is a burger binding agent for the ground beef patty. Divide the well mixed beef into four equal round balls and form into patties.

Do you put seasoning on burgers before grilling? ›

Avoid mixing these seasonings into the burger meat, however, since adding salt to ground beef prematurely can toughen it. Instead, season the patties with ample kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper after they're shaped and right before you plan to take them out to the grill.

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