I don’t cook with ground round very often because Cole isn’t a huge fan of red meat, but occasionally, I crave a good juicy burger. Even though people typically envision a grill filled with flames when making burgers, my favorite way to cook them is in a pan on the stovetop. Not only is this easy, but it also allows me to avoid standing in front of the grill when it’s a cold, chilly, Wisconsin night. Pan-fried burgers are a great go-to when a quick and easy dinner is needed, and the best part about burgers is that they can be dressed up with so many different toppings. That way each person sitting around the table can have their own personal preferences, whether that’s a classic burger, a buffalo burger, or even throwing BBQ sauce on top of it.
*This recipe makes three ⅓ lb burgers. If you are cooking for a family, you will want to double or triple this in accordance to how many people you are serving.
Ingredients
1 lb Ground Round
¾ tsp Gourmet Burger Seasoning
1 ½ tbsp Butter
Burger Toppings of Choice – Cheese Slices, Bacon, Pickles, Ketchup, etc.
Burger Buns
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the burger seasoning with the ground round. It is easiest to mix these two ingredients together with a large serving fork so that the meat and seasoning can both slip through the tines as it combines.
2. Use a kitchen scale and weigh out ⅓ lb balls of ground round. Shoot for the scale to read 5.3oz to 5.7oz as the meat is divided.
3. Spread a layer of wax paper over the top of a plate, then put each ball into a burger press to create perfect patties. Transfer the patties onto the wax-lined plate as they are created.
Kitchen Tip 1: For a long time I believed that burger presses were a waste of money because patties can be easily formed with your hands, but I was WRONG. I won my burger press as part of a grilling basket in a raffle, and I have LOVED it ever since. Burgers cook more evenly when they are formed in a press because they are the same thickness throughout. Long story short, while you can still make this recipe without a burger press, I highly recommend adding this tool to your kitchen.
4. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium high heat. (My stovetop has numbers 2-8 on it, and I set it to 6 for burgers.)
5. After the butter is melted, Set the patties into the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Slice your cheese flavor of choice during this time. Do NOT press down on the patties with a spatula while they are cooking!
6. Flip the burgers, set the cheese on top of each patty, and hold a pot cover over the top of the pan for the next 3 minutes to trap the steam and allow the cheese to melt completely.
Kitchen Tip 2: Cooking the patties for four minutes on medium high will create a burger that is done medium well, with just a tint of pink in them. This is my personal preference for burgers. If you like yours cooked differently, adjust your cooking time accordingly.
That’s all there is to it! About 10 minutes of prep, 6 minutes of cooking, and dinner is done! The perfect solution for a home-cooked meal on a busy week night. All that’s left is to set the patty on a bun, and serve with your choice of toppings. Below I’ve featured my two favorite combinations of burgers.
#1 The Classic Burger: Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Pickles, and Mayo
#2 The Buffalo Burger: Pepper Jack Cheese, Bacon, Sautéed Mushrooms, and Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
*Side note: The Buffalo Burger in the picture has cheddar cheese on it instead, which also tastes delicious. I do prefer this one with pepper jack, but I was unfortunately out of it the evening that I made these burgers.
**If you want to make a Cajun Burger, you can substitute Cajun Seasoning for the Gourmet Burger Seasoning, and then top with sautéed mushrooms and onions, pepper jack cheese, and my Cajun Mayo.
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