Currently in Sioux Falls, the Burger Battle is raging. But in case hitting up a downtown restaurant isn’t in your plans for this month — or heck, even if it is! — I want to share my favorite at-home pan fried burger recipe. Every time I make it I sigh with delight as I bite into its flavorful layers.
Ingredients:
1 lb Svec Farm grassfed ground beef
4 soft and pillowy buns of choice
1 large onion, sliced into half moons about 1/8″ thick
2 Tbl. butter
4 slices of cheese such as mozzarella or mild cheddar
Mayonnaise
Lettuce
Hot sauce if desired
Directions:
Having your mise en place makes preparation a breeze. So I start by making the caramelized onions. Melt 1 Tbl. of butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, then add the sliced onions. Stir occasionally, cooking for about 10 minutes or until jammy and browned.
Meanwhile, form your pound of meat until 4 patties a bit less than an inch thick. Now is also a good time to slice your burger buns if needed, slice your cheese if needed, and get your lettuce and mayo out of the fridge. (Or make homemade mayo! That would be amazing.)
When the onions are ready, remove them and set aside. Then melt a second 1 Tbl. of butter in the same pan, this time over high heat. Add your burger patties and let them cook about three minutes without disturbing them to get a nice crispy browning on them.
While the burgers are frying, heat up another skillet and toast your buns, cut side down. I find it takes the buns about as long to get perfectly browned as it does the burgers, and then the meal comes together.
Flip the burgers and cook another three minutes. If you have an instant read thermometer, I’d use it to check the temperature, because an overdone burger gets rubbery and dry. I like mine done to an internal temperature of about 145 degrees. Once the temperature reaches about 135, pop your cheese slices on and let them get melty during the last little bit of cooking.
When the burgers are done, the buns should also be ready. Slather each bun with mayonnaise, then place a cheesy burger patty on each. Divide up the caramelized onions among the burgers, top with lettuce and hot sauce if desired, and get ready to win the burger battle at home. Ah. Happy sighs!
