A thick, juicy beef burger, briefly seared over a high heat and topped with melted Cheddar, between a soft brioche bun with all the classic toppings. The dish with which America conquered the world, and surprisingly easy to make better at home than at most fast-food chains.
Classic American cheeseburger
Classic American cheeseburger
Method
01
Shape the burgers
Divide the mince into 4 equal portions (approx. 150 g). Shape loosely into flat burgers approx. 1.5 cm thick and slightly wider than the bun (they shrink during cooking). Press a slight dimple into the middle with your thumb; that stops the burger puffing up. Season generously with salt and pepper just before cooking.
02
Toast the buns
Brush the insides of the buns with a thin layer of butter and toast them briefly, cut side down, in a dry hot pan until golden brown. Set aside.
03
Cook
Heat a cast-iron pan or griddle pan until very hot. Put the burgers in and cook for 2–3 minutes without moving them until a dark crust has formed. Turn, immediately place a slice of cheese on each burger and cook for another 2–3 minutes to the desired doneness (for beef mince always well done, core temperature approx. 71 °C).
04
Assemble
Spread the bottom half of each bun with mayonnaise and/or mustard. Add the lettuce, then the burger with cheese, then tomato, onion and gherkin. Spread the top half with ketchup and put it on top.
05
Serve
Serve immediately, with chips or coleslaw on the side.
Tips & notes
Don't shape the burgers too tightly and handle the mince as little as possible; the less you work it, the more tender the burger stays. Fry over a high heat for a good crust (the Maillard reaction); that gives much more flavour than slow cooking over a low heat. Keeps for 2–3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
Variations
- Add fried bacon and an extra slice of cheese for a bacon cheeseburger.
- Replace the Cheddar with blue cheese and caramelise the onion for a more refined version.
Contains:
Gluten
Eggs
Milk
Mustard
Serve with
| Calories | 402 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
