Welcome to your new favorite way to make hamburgers! This ultimate Hamburger Recipe delivers an incredibly juicy, cheese-stuffed patty, nestled between perfectly toasted brioche buns, and topped with all your preferred fresh veggies and an irresistible secret burger sauce. Get ready to elevate your grilling game and impress everyone with these homemade masterpieces.

For a complete and unforgettable meal, consider pairing these phenomenal burgers with refreshing sides like this Blackberry Lime Fruit Salad, classic Macaroni Salad, or a zesty Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. Each complements the rich flavors of the burger beautifully.

The Best Cheese-Stuffed Hamburger Recipe You’ll Ever Make

My journey to perfecting the ultimate hamburger took an incredible turn when I had the privilege of attending BUSH’S BBQ Bootcamp. Imagine learning from none other than the grilling legend himself, Steven Raichlen! Yes, the acclaimed author of 28 grilling books and a lecturer at Harvard — a true master of the flame.

This experience was nothing short of transformative. I absorbed countless invaluable tips and techniques, particularly when it came to constructing a burger that’s truly out of this world. The insights I gained have fundamentally changed how I approach grilling, and I’ve been eagerly waiting to share every secret with you.

This particular hamburger recipe, born from those lessons, has become my absolute favorite to prepare. It’s surprisingly simple, yet the results are consistently spectacular. Not only will you learn how to craft the perfect cheese-stuffed patty, but I’m also revealing my go-to flavorful corn salsa and the essential burger sauce that ties everything together. Prepare yourself for a grilling adventure!

What To Serve With Hamburgers: Perfect Pairings

A great burger deserves equally great companions. Here are some of my top recommendations for sides that perfectly complement this juicy hamburger recipe, ensuring a well-rounded and satisfying meal:

• Crispy Fries: A timeless classic that always hits the spot. Whether seasoned, waffle, or sweet potato, fries are the quintessential burger side.
• Creamy Coleslaw: The cool, crisp texture and tangy dressing of coleslaw offer a fantastic contrast to the rich burger. For an extra layer of flavor, try incorporating Chick-Fil-A style coleslaw directly into your burger!
• Hearty Potato Salad: A creamy and satisfying side, potato salad brings a comforting element to your barbecue spread.
• Flavorful Baked Beans: These aren’t just any baked beans; they are the absolute best! Their sweet and savory profile makes them an ideal partner for grilled meats.
• Fresh Pasta Salad: Light yet filling, a vibrant pasta salad loaded with your favorite seasonal vegetables and a zesty dressing adds a refreshing touch.
• Grilled Corn on the Cob: Sweet, smoky, and utterly delicious. A simple preparation with butter, salt, and pepper is all you need.
• Fresh Green Salad: For a lighter option, a simple mixed green salad with a vinaigrette can balance the richness of the burger.

Essential Hamburger Recipe Ingredients for the Perfect Burger

Crafting the perfect burger starts with selecting the right ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is crucial for achieving that irresistible flavor and texture:

• Ground Beef (80/20 Chuck): Opt for 80/20 ground chuck; the fat content is key for a juicy, flavorful burger that doesn’t dry out on the grill. Always keep your beef very cold until you’re ready to mix and shape the patties. This not only makes it easier to handle but also prevents overmixing, which can lead to tough burgers.
• Minced Garlic: Freshly minced garlic provides an aromatic depth that elevates the beef flavor. Avoid garlic powder if possible; the fresh cloves offer a much more vibrant and pungent taste.
• Green Onions (Scallions): Finely slice green onions and incorporate them into the patties. Their mild, fresh onion flavor spreads evenly throughout the meat, adding a subtle zest without overpowering the burger.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Just a touch of Worcestershire sauce works wonders. It adds a deep, savory, umami flavor that complements the beef perfectly, enhancing its richness without making the flavor too strong or acidic.
• Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese: The star of our cheese-stuffed burger! Shred your own extra sharp cheddar cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheeses often contain anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting smoothly. Freshly shredded cheddar melts beautifully into a gooey, savory core.
• Salt and Pepper: Simple yet essential. Generously season both sides of your burger patties just before grilling. This ensures the seasoning penetrates the meat, bringing out all the fantastic flavors. A good quality coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper make a noticeable difference.
• Brioche Buns: These rich, buttery buns are ideal for burgers. Their slightly sweet flavor and soft, yet sturdy, texture hold up well to juicy patties and plentiful toppings. Brushing them with melted butter and toasting them on the grill adds an incredible golden crispness and further enhances their flavor.
• Burger Sauce: The secret weapon! Our special burger sauce adds a tangy, creamy, and slightly spicy kick that ties all the flavors together. You can adjust its heat level by varying the amount of chipotle sauce, or explore other fantastic options like this crack burger sauce for a different twist.
• Toppings as Desired: Customize your burger with your favorite fresh toppings. Classic choices include crisp lettuce, ripe tomato slices, thinly sliced red onion for a slight bite, and tangy pickles. Don’t be afraid to experiment with avocado, bacon, or even a fried egg!

How To Make the Best Cheese-Stuffed Hamburger Patties

Creating the perfect cheese-stuffed hamburger patty is simpler than you think. Follow these steps for juicy, flavorful burgers every time:

1. Prepare the Mixture: In a large bowl, combine your very cold ground beef with minced garlic, finely sliced green onions, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix gently and briefly, just enough to incorporate the ingredients without overworking the meat. Overmixing leads to dense, tough patties.
2. Form the Cheese-Stuffed Patties: Divide the meat into six equal portions. For each portion, separate it into two parts, with one slightly larger. Form the larger part into a patty about 4 to 4.5 inches across with 1-inch thick sides, making a shallow depression in the center. Fill this depression with about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese. Cover the cheese with the smaller portion of meat, sealing the edges to encase the cheese fully. Gently re-depress the center of the newly formed patty – this crucial step prevents the burger from puffing up in the middle during cooking. Place patties on a parchment-lined sheet pan and chill until ready to grill.
3. Butter the Buns: Melt the unsalted butter and generously brush both sides of the brioche buns. Set them aside for later toasting.
4. Grill the Patties to Perfection: Once your grill is preheated and oiled, carefully place the cheese-stuffed patties indent-side-down. Cook to your desired doneness, flipping only once halfway through. Resist the urge to press down on the burgers with your spatula, as this squeezes out precious juices and flavor.
5. Toast the Buns: In the final minute of the patties’ cooking time, place the buttered buns on the grill over indirect heat. Watch them closely, as they toast quickly, typically within 30 seconds to a minute, achieving a beautiful golden-brown crispness.
6. Assemble and Serve: Remove both burgers and buns from the grill and let the patties rest for 1-2 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a maximally juicy burger. Finally, assemble your masterpiece with a generous spread of burger sauce and your favorite fresh toppings.

Expert Tips for Grilling the Perfect Hamburger

Grilling a truly exceptional hamburger involves a few key techniques that can make all the difference. Heed these expert tips to ensure every burger you make is a masterpiece:

• Grill Preparation is Key: Before you even think about placing patties on the grill, ensure it’s spotless. Clean the grill grates thoroughly with a sturdy grill brush. Then, generously oil the grates. I find it effective to drench a tightly rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it over the hot grates. This creates a non-stick surface and helps achieve a beautiful sear, preventing your burgers from sticking.
• Maintain Cold Meat, Handle Minimally: Start with very cold ground beef straight from the refrigerator. Cold meat is easier to work with and helps prevent the fat from rendering out prematurely. The less you handle the meat, the more tender your burgers will be. Overworking the meat can compact it, resulting in a dense, dry, and chewy burger.
• Mix Lightly for Tender Patties: When combining the beef with other ingredients like garlic and green onions, use a light hand. “Fold” the ingredients in just a few times, for no longer than 30-40 seconds, until everything is just incorporated. This minimal mixing ensures your patties remain loose and crumbly enough to be tender, rather than tough.
• The “Dimple” Secret: As mentioned in the instructions, always make a shallow depression or “dimple” in the center of your patties (especially after stuffing with cheese). This technique prevents the burger from puffing up into a dome shape during cooking, ensuring an even thickness and consistent cooking across the patty.
• Flip Once, and Only Once: Patience is a virtue when grilling burgers. Resist the temptation to constantly flip them. A single flip halfway through the cooking process is all you need. This allows for a great crust to form on each side, locking in those precious juices.
• Never Press Your Burgers: This is a golden rule of burger grilling. Pressing down on the patties with your spatula forces out all the delicious juices and flavorful fat. The result is a dry, less flavorful burger. Let the heat do its work naturally.
• Choose the Right Spatula: A wide, thin metal spatula is your best friend for grilling burgers. It provides ample surface area to support the entire patty, making flipping and removing them from the grill much easier and preventing breakage.
• Resting is Essential: Just like a perfectly cooked steak, burgers benefit immensely from a brief rest after grilling. Transfer them to a clean platter and let them sit for 1-2 minutes before serving. This allows the internal juices, which have migrated to the center during cooking, to redistribute throughout the patty, resulting in a uniformly juicy and flavorful bite.

More Delicious Hamburger Recipe Sides

Beyond the classics, here are a few more fresh and exciting side dishes that pair wonderfully with our ultimate hamburger recipe, adding variety and flavor to your spread:

• Refreshing Cucumber Salad: This incredibly easy-to-make salad offers a cool, crisp, and tangy counterpoint to a rich burger.
• Authentic Elote (Mexican Street Corn): Elevate your corn game with this flavorful Mexican street corn. Sweet corn grilled to perfection, slathered with a creamy, spicy, and cheesy sauce – truly irresistible.
• Healthy Italian Salad: A crisp, vibrant Italian salad tossed with a flavorful herb dressing provides a refreshing and light option.
• Simple Caprese Salad: Fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and fragrant basil drizzled with balsamic glaze create a simple yet exquisitely delicious side.
• Fresh & Flavorful Broccoli Salad: A delightful salad featuring crunchy broccoli florets, dried cranberries, and a bright lemon-poppyseed dressing – a surprising and delicious choice.

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5 from 12 votes

Ultimate Cheese-Stuffed Hamburger Recipe

By
Chelsea Lords

This ultimate Hamburger Recipe features incredibly juicy cheese-stuffed patties, butter-toasted brioche buns, fresh veggies, and the perfect burger sauce. It’s truly the best homemade burger you’ll ever make!

Prep Time:

20 minutes

Cook Time:

5 minutes

Resting Time:

3 minutes

Total Time:

28 minutes

Servings:

6 large burgers

Equipment

• Grill
• Large sheet pan (15″ x 21″)
• Parchment paper
• Pastry brush
• Wide metal spatula
• Meat thermometer

Ingredients

For the Burgers

• 2 pounds ground beef (very cold, 80/20 chuck is recommended)
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup extra sharp Cheddar cheese (freshly shredded)
• Salt and pepper (about 1 ½ teaspoons total for all burgers)
• 6 brioche buns
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Burger sauce (see Note 1 for recipe)
• Toppings as desired (such as lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pickles, etc.)

Optional Corn Salsa

• 4 ears fresh sweet corn (shucked)
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus some for corn and pepper)
• 1 cup baked beans (canned, drained)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (diced)
• 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño (seeded and finely diced)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
• 1 to 2 limes (for fresh juice)

Instructions

For the Burgers

1. Preheat your grill to a high heat, aiming for 450–500°F. Ensure the grill is clean and well-oiled before cooking.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the very cold ground beef, minced garlic, thinly sliced green onions, and Worcestershire sauce. Using your hands, gently fold the ingredients together for no more than 30–40 seconds until just incorporated. Be careful not to overwork or overhandle the meat, as this can lead to a tough burger.

3. Line a large sheet pan with 2 layers of parchment paper. Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal portions. For each burger, split one portion into two parts (one slightly larger than the other). Gently form the larger portion into a patty about 4 to 4 ½ inches across, with sides approximately 1 inch thick. Create a shallow depression in the middle of this patty.

4. Fill each depression with 2 tablespoons of freshly shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese. Cover the cheese with the smaller patty, carefully connecting and sealing the beef together to fully encase the cheese. Form it into a uniform patty, again making a depression in the center. This dimple is crucial for preventing the burger from shrinking excessively and puffing up during grilling. Cover the patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate until your grill is fully heated.

5. Melt the unsalted butter. Using a pastry brush, generously brush both cut sides of all the brioche buns. Set them aside.

6. Once the grill is fully preheated, clean the grates with a grill brush. Liberally oil the grates (I do this by drenching a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rubbing it over the hot grates). Remove the burgers from the fridge. Season both sides of the patties generously with salt and pepper. For all 6 patties, I typically use about 1 ½ teaspoons each of salt and pepper.

7. Place the patties indent-side-down onto the hot grill. Cook to your desired doneness (refer to the Quick Tip section above for internal temperatures and approximate times). Flip the burgers only once, halfway through cooking. Crucially, never press down on the patties with your spatula, as this will force out the juices and diminish flavor. Use a wide metal spatula for the best results when flipping and removing the patties.

8. When the burgers have about 1 minute of cooking time remaining, add the buttered buns to the grill, placing them over indirect heat along the edges. Watch them carefully, as they toast quickly, typically in about 30 seconds to 1 minute, achieving a beautiful golden crispness.

9. Remove the cooked burgers and toasted buns from the grill and transfer them to a clean platter. Allow the burgers to rest for 1–2 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a tender and moist burger. Assemble your ultimate hamburgers by spreading a generous amount of burger sauce (see Note 1 below) on the buns and stacking with your favorite fresh veggies such as lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and red onion.

For the Optional Corn Salsa

1. Brush the shucked corn ears and green bell pepper with olive oil, then season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the corn over medium-high heat (400–450°F) until it’s browned on all sides, about 8–12 minutes, flipping every 2–3 minutes. Transfer the grilled corn to a cutting board to cool. Grill the green bell pepper until it’s softened and browned on all sides, approximately 2–3 minutes per side, then also transfer it to the cutting board.

2. While the grilled vegetables are cooling, prepare the rest of the salsa ingredients. Finely chop the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the green onions, finely dice the jalapeño (removing seeds for less heat), and chop the fresh cilantro. Juice the limes to get about 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice. In a large mixing bowl, combine these prepared ingredients with the canned baked beans and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss everything gently to combine.

3. Once the grilled corn and bell pepper have cooled enough to handle, carefully slice the kernels off the corn cobs and finely dice the grilled pepper. Add these to the mixing bowl with the other salsa ingredients. Toss all the ingredients together again to ensure they are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed. This vibrant corn salsa is ready to be enjoyed alongside your delicious burgers!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Homemade Burger Sauce Recipe
To create the ultimate burger sauce, combine the following ingredients in a small bowl: ½ cup of good quality full-fat mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of finely grated onion, 1 tablespoon of sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo (increase for a spicier kick), and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir all ingredients until they are thoroughly combined and smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings to your personal preference, adding more adobo sauce for extra heat if desired. This sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Note
Please be aware that the provided nutrition facts are an approximation and do not include the burger sauce, but they do account for the optional corn salsa. Nutritional values can vary based on specific ingredient brands and preparation methods.

Storage Instructions
Cooked hamburger patties can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. For longer storage, individually wrap cooled patties in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. Always store burger toppings and bread separately to maintain their freshness and texture.

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Serving: 1 serving
Calories: 959 kcal
Carbohydrates: 62g
Protein: 44g
Fat: 61g
Saturated Fat: 27g
Cholesterol: 270mg
Sodium: 794mg
Potassium: 847mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 5g
Vitamin A: 1226IU
Vitamin C: 30mg
Calcium: 211mg
Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. It does not include the burger sauce.

There you have it – the comprehensive guide to crafting the most incredible, juicy, cheese-stuffed hamburgers, complete with expert grilling tips, a fantastic burger sauce, and delightful side pairings. This recipe is more than just a meal; it’s an experience that brings people together and satisfies even the most discerning burger connoisseurs. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or simply craving a gourmet burger at home, this recipe will quickly become a cherished favorite.

So fire up your grill, gather your ingredients, and prepare to create burger magic. Don’t forget to experiment with your favorite toppings to truly make it your own. Enjoy the process, and savor every mouthwatering bite!

If you loved this recipe and found these tips helpful, we’d love to hear from you!