Best Burger Recipe (So Juicy, Grill Or Stovetop) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

There are few things in life I love more than a homemade juicy burger. It’s one of those staples you need in your back pocket. And while you don’t need a recipe to form a ground beef patty and call it a day, that’s not enough for me. I need next-level juiciness and a golden brown crust. Over the years, I’ve perfected just that. With my secret ingredients and a few tips, you’ll be making the best burger recipe around in no time.

Why This Is My Best Burger Recipe

• Juiciest burgers ever – There are 2 “secret” ingredients I add to the meat make it extra juicy. And I’ve got tips for that golden crust. I’m obsessed with cooking beef perfectly (have you seen all my tips for a perfect steak?), and I’ve got tips for the best burger recipe, too.
• Quick and easy – You can whip these up in less than 15 minutes, with just some beef and pantry staples. And while I do have tricks to help them turn out juicy, it’s super easy to do!
• 2 cooking methods – I’ll show you how to make burgers on the grill or on the stove, so you can decide how you want to do it. I make them year round.
• Versatile – A good juicy burger works for so many occasions. I make them for weeknight dinners, for parties, and all grilling season long for summer cookouts. And of course you can customize the toppings to your heart’s content — see my ideas below!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the ingredients for the best burgers, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Ground Beef – I use 85/15 beef most often, but many people prefer 80/20 (usually ground chuck) for even juicier meat. 90/10 ground beef (usually ground sirloin) can be more dry, but burgers with it still come out quite juicy using the ingredients I add below. Pick what you like! If you want to use turkey, you can add these same ingredients, but I like them better following my turkey burgers recipe instead.
• Secret Ingredients – My secret to juicy burgers is mixing olive oil and Worcestershire sauce into the meat prior to cooking! This locks in the moisture and amps up the flavor. Try it and taste the difference.
• Seasonings – I keep it simple with sea salt, black pepper, and a little garlic powder. You could also use 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic instead. The salt is actually the most important from a flavor perspective. My rule of thumb is to use one teaspoon per pound of meat. Long ago, I read somewhere that this was Julia Child’s recommendation for meat, and she’s right!

How To Make Juicy Burgers

This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Mix the beef, oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder salt, and pepper. Work through using your hands until just combined (see my tips below).
2. Shape the burger patties. Make 1/2-inch-thick patties. Make a thumb print in the center of each patty.

3. Grill or pan fry. Preheat yourgrill over medium-high heat. If you’re using the stovetop, preheat a cast iron skillet or grill pan on the stove instead. Cook burgers until browned on the bottom. Flip, add cheese if you want, and cook until done to your liking. (See my time and temp chart below!)
4. Rest. Remove from heat. Let your homemade burgers rest for a few minutes before serving, which lets the juices settle.

How Long To Cook Burgers?

For medium doneness, I cook burgers on the grill as well as the stovetop for a total of 6-8 minutes. The internal temperature is the best way to tell they are done, so I highly recommend a meat thermometer (I use this one). The USDA officially recommends at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (well done) for beef, but for juicy burgers I recommend medium (140-145 degrees F).

Here’s my handy chart of times and temperatures for the best burger recipe:

The internal temperature will rise an additional 5 degrees from the temperatures above while resting, so these temps are when you’d remove from heat.

Storage Instructions

• Store: To keep my leftover burgers juicy, I wrap them in plastic wrap before placing in an airtight container. Keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Meal prep: It’s totally fine to form the patties a day in advance. Just wrap them tightly and keep in the fridge.
• Reheat: My favorite way to reheat these is actually my air fryer, because it does the best job of not drying them out. But you can also sizzle them on the stove with a little oil, pop in the oven at 350 degrees F, or even reheat burgers on the grill over medium heat.
• Freeze: You can freeze my burger recipe before or after cooking, but I recommend before cooking. I shape the patties, wrap in plastic to avoid freezer burn, and place in a zip lock bag. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking or reheating. You can keep cooked burgers in the freezer for up to 3 months, but it’s much harder to get juicy burgers that were previously cooked. I crumble them and use them in soups instead.

Serving Suggestions

The best burgers deserve the best fixings and side dishes! Here are my faves to serve with them:

• Buns – I usually make a lettuce wrap, but this time I picked up some gluten-free buns (above). You can also make my low carb hamburger buns, or serve your juicy burgers over a salad (like my Big Mac salad, but with a whole patty on top).
• Fixings – My go-to add-ins are tomatoes, onions, my homemade mayonnaise, and sugar-free ketchup. Sometimes I tuck in avocado, bacon, pickles, or even a fried egg. You could also use other condiments — try my sugar-free barbecue sauce, mustard, or spicy mayo (which is similar to burger sauce).
• Fries – I love to pair this homemade burger recipe with a side of garlic parmesan fries, but they are also fantastic with my classic steak fries, or lighter rutabaga fries (shown above) or zucchini fries.
• Veggies – If you’re already grilling, might as well make some grilled broccoli, grilled eggplant, or cauliflower steaks. For indoor days, try my roasted cauliflower or sauteed broccoli.
• Salad – I love a refreshing salad to balance out the rich beef. My faves in the summer are cucumber tomato salad, creamy cucumber salad, and cauliflower potato salad. If you want something a little sweet, my grilled peach salad hits the spot.

• Meat Thermometer– My instant-read thermometer reads so fast. No more overcooking while you wait for the temp!
• Grill Pan– I love grilling burgers, but when the weather doesn’t cooperate, I use this grill pan to make my burger recipe inside. Sometimes I just use a cast iron skillet, but the grill pan is fantastic to get those grill marks.