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The ultimate homemade beef burgers

Name: The ultimate homemade beef burgers
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 1kg good-quality British beef mince, about 20% fat; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tsp dijon mustard; Small handful chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 large dill pickle/gherkin, finely chopped; 1 large free-range egg yolk; Vegetable oil for brushing; To serve; 1 tbsp sunflower oil; 200g good melting cheese, such as cheddar, gruyère or taleggio, sliced; 8 burger buns; 4 tbsp mayonnaise; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; Avocado, tomato and red onion, sliced; Lettuce leaves; You’ll also need; Griddle pan, heavy based frying pan or barbecue

By: Jess Meyer
Former deputy food editor, delicious.

Published: 31 May 09
Updated: 11 Apr 25

These ultimate homemade beef burgers are meaty, juicy and flavourful. You can enjoy them straight away but they’re also freezable – ideal for sunny days when you spontaneously want to fire up the barbecue.

Flavour hacks: We’ve amped up the umami of the beef mince with Worcestershire sauce, mustard and finely chopped pickle – secret ingredients for fully-flavoured homemade beef burgers.
Prep ahead: This recipe can be made in advance and chilled or the patties can be frozen for up to three months. The hands-on time prep time is under 20 minutes, too.
Flexible recipe: Easily double the quantities to cook burgers for a crowd – ideal for parties, barbecues and sports events.

Our community of cooks love this recipe because:

“It’s easy to cook on the barbecue or in the kitchen.”
“The family are barbecue burger buffs and this met all standards – no worries about what to cook next time.”
“It’s quick, easy and is a favourite with all the family and friends’ kids as well.”

Branch out from the classic with this trendy smash burger recipe or try our easy lamb burgers with feta and harissa – they’re ready in just 30 minutes.

Easy
June 2009

Test kitchen approved

Serves 8
Hands-on time 20 minutes, plus chilling (and defrosting, if needed)

Flavour hacks: We’ve amped up the umami of the beef mince with Worcestershire sauce, mustard and finely chopped pickle – secret ingredients for fully-flavoured homemade beef burgers.
Prep ahead: This recipe can be made in advance and chilled or the patties can be frozen for up to three months. The hands-on time prep time is under 20 minutes, too.
Flexible recipe: Easily double the quantities to cook burgers for a crowd – ideal for parties, barbecues and sports events.

Our community of cooks love this recipe because:

“It’s easy to cook on the barbecue or in the kitchen.”
“The family are barbecue burger buffs and this met all standards – no worries about what to cook next time.”
“It’s quick, easy and is a favourite with all the family and friends’ kids as well.”

Branch out from the classic with this trendy smash burger recipe or try our easy lamb burgers with feta and harissa – they’re ready in just 30 minutes.

Freezable

Nutrition: Per patty (without bun and toppings)

Calories: 299kcals
Fat: 21.1g (8.9g saturated)
Protein: 25.3g
Carbohydrates: 1.6g (1.3g sugars)
Fibre: 0.6g
Salt: 0.4g salt

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Before you start

Once you’ve built the burgers, wrapping them in foil and leaving them to rest for a minute or two will help amalgamate all the layers together, preventing fillings from slipping out.

Wait until your griddle pan is smoking hot – the majority of the flavour in a burger patty comes from the dark caramelisation of the exterior, so you want the heat to be as fierce as you can get it.

Avoid lean beef mince for burgers – you want a fat content of 20% to ensure they remain juicy after cooking.

Before you start

Once you’ve built the burgers, wrapping them in foil and leaving them to rest for a minute or two will help amalgamate all the layers together, preventing fillings from slipping out.

Avoid lean beef mince for burgers – you want a fat content of 20% to ensure they remain juicy after cooking.

Ingredients

1kg good-quality British beef mince, about 20% fat
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dijon mustard
Small handful chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
1 large dill pickle/gherkin, finely chopped
1 large free-range egg yolk
Vegetable oil for brushing

To serve

1 tbsp sunflower oil
200g good melting cheese, such as cheddar, gruyère or taleggio, sliced
8 burger buns
4 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Avocado, tomato and red onion, sliced
Lettuce leaves

You’ll also need

Griddle pan, heavy based frying pan or barbecue

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Method

Put all the ingredients except the vegetable oil in a large bowl, season with plenty of salt and ground black pepper, then scrunch everything together with your hands to mix well.
Using wet hands, shape the mixture into into 8 equal patties. Arrange on oven tray(s), cover, then chill for about 1 hour (see Make Ahead).
Heat the pan over a high heat or prepare the barbecue for high direct heat. Brush both sides of the burgers with oil, then cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until well browned and cooked to your liking.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium hot (if cooking on the hob). Top each burger with a slice of cheese and grill for 2 minutes until bubbling. Toast the burger buns until lightly golden.
Mix the mayonnaise with the mustard and spread over the base of each bun. Add some tomato, lettuce and avocado slices, then the burger, red onion slices and the other half of the bun.
Serve with a small bowl of ketchup and fries, if you like. Or, serve in
buns with your choice of condiments and garnishes.

See all our burger recipes for more toppings and flavour inspiration.

Recipe from June 2009 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 299kcals
Fat: 21.1g (8.9g saturated)
Protein: 25.3g
Carbohydrates: 1.6g (1.3g sugars)
Fibre: 0.6g
Salt: 0.4g salt

FAQs

Do you put egg in beef mince for burgers?
Yes – we've used egg yolk to help to bind the mixture together and stop the burgers from falling apart.

What type of beef mince should be used for burgers?
Follow the 80/20 rule: a minimum of 20% fat content is needed for juicy burgers. Chuck steak is recommended, or chuck mixed with brisket and shortrib.

delicious. tips

Watch our handy video on three different ways to serve these ultimate homemade burgers:
To freeze the raw burgers, stack them in a freezer-safe container between layers of compostable baking paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge (3-4 hours or overnight), then follow step 2.
For a juicy burger with great texture, grind your own beef or ask the butcher to do it for you. Chuck steak or a combination of chuck, shortrib and brisket works well – and go for a coarse grind.

The rich meaty burgers benefit from a sharp, acidic garnish such as slaw, kimchi or these pickled onions: thinly slice 1-2 red onions, then put in a glass bowl or jug. Sprinkle over 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar, then add enough lemon or lime juice to cover and leave for 15-20 minutes. Drain, then serve.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Jess Meyer
Former deputy food editor, delicious.

Published: 31 May 09
Updated: 11 Apr 25

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rebecca dowson says:

22nd Jun 2015 at 6:50 pm

i love this recipe because its what we call a Proper burger,no calorie counting just pure deliciousness x

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Nina Sanderson says:

22nd Jun 2015 at 5:18 pm

I love this recipe because it’s yummy and easy to cook on the BBQ or in the kitchen :)

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Susan Skinner says:

4th Jun 2015 at 10:58 am

I love this recipe because the family are barbecue burger buffs and this met all standards, so no worry about what to cook next time.

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jamie baker says:

1st Jun 2015 at 1:58 pm

I love this recipe because it’s quick, easy and is a favourite with all the family and friends kids as well.

Log in to Reply