Description
This Classic Cheeseburger recipe features juicy 80/20 ground beef patties seasoned and grilled to perfection, topped with melted cheddar or American cheese, fresh lettuce, ripe tomato, and onion slices. Served on soft hamburger buns with a tangy homemade burger sauce made from mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, sugar, and white vinegar, this recipe guarantees a delicious all-American cheeseburger experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Burger Patties
- 1/3 to 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20) per patty, 2 patties total
- Salt, to season
- Pepper, to season
Burger Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Toppings and Buns
- Medium cheddar or American cheese slices, 2 slices
- Ripe tomato slices, enough for 2 burgers
- Iceberg or green leaf lettuce, enough for 2 burgers
- Thinly sliced onion, enough for 2 burgers
- 2 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Form Patties: Shape the ground beef into 2 round patties, each weighing about 1/3 to 1/2 pound. Handle the beef gently and avoid compressing too tightly to retain juiciness.
- Season Patties: Just before grilling, sprinkle salt and pepper evenly on both sides of the patties to help form a flavorful crust.
- Preheat Grill: Heat your grill on high heat until it's very hot to promote great searing and crust development on the burgers.
- Grill Patties: Place patties on the hot grill and cook according to desired doneness: rare at 120 degrees F, medium-rare at 130 degrees F, medium at 140 degrees F, medium-well at 150 degrees F, and well-done at 160 degrees F or above.
- Add Cheese: When burgers are almost done, place cheese slices on top of each patty and allow them to melt for 1-2 minutes while still on the grill.
- Prepare Burger Sauce: In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, sugar, and white vinegar until well combined.
- Assemble Burgers: Toast hamburger buns lightly if desired. Spread the burger sauce on bun halves, then layer with lettuce, cheese-topped patties, tomato slices, and onion slices. Top with the other half of the bun and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use 80/20 ground beef for the best balance of flavor and juiciness.
- Don’t over-handle or press the patties to keep burgers tender and juicy.
- Season patties right before grilling to help create a nice crust.
- Use a meat thermometer to cook burgers to your preferred level of doneness.
- Toast buns on the grill for extra flavor and texture.
- Customize toppings such as adding pickles or different cheeses if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
