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! We love to serve them with this easy Brioche Bun recipe or Homemade Burger Buns, with a side of Easy Potato Salad and Easy Homemade Pink Lemonade!
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.
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. 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.
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!
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