All-American Burgers

beef burger with lettuce, tomato onion on a sesame bun

5 from 1 vote

This classic All-American Burger is perfect for a nice summer cookout. The burgers come out so juicy and flavorful, and each bite is so delicious! Served on a sesame burger bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, and other condiments. It's a classic American burger that everyone will love!

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time23

Course: Burgers, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 527kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Outdoor grill, or stovetop grill pan for indoors
Spatula

Ingredients

1 ½ to 2 pounds ground chuck beef (80/20)
Burger seasoning blend
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
4 sesame burger buns

Toppings and condiments

Green leaf lettuce
Sliced large tomatoes
Red onion slices thinly sliced into rings
Mustard
Ketchup

Instructions

Make sure you have your toppings sliced and prepped.
Divide the ground beef into 4 portions and form 4 burger patties without overworking the meat. Do not season the ground beef before forming the patties. Each burger patty should be about ½ to ¾ inch thick, and about 1 inch larger than the size of the burger bun (they will shrink on the grill).
Make a slight indentation or depression in the center of each burger patty, and if needed, press around the edges a few times to smooth it out. This will prevent them from puffing up in the center.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. If needed, clean the grill grates.
Right before you’re ready to grill, season each side of a burger patty with ¼ teaspoon of my homemade burger seasoning blend. Alternatively, you can also season with salt and pepper only.
Grill the burgers: Cook the burgers to your liking. For medium well, cook 4 minutes on one side and 2-3 minutes on the other side, and then top with a slice of cheese and cook for another 1 minute (covered) until the cheese is melted. For more cooking times, see the recipe notes below. Tips: Only flip the burgers once, after you get a good sear. Do not press the burgers with the spatula as they cook, as this can squeeze out all the juices.
Assemble the burgers with the toppings. I usually do it in this order: bottom bun, burger with melted cheese, tomato, onion, lettuce, ketchup and mustard, and top bun.

Notes

Equipment: Outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan for indoors, spatula.
Cooking times: Rare: About 4 minutes total; Medium-rare: About 5 minutes total; Medium: About 6 minutes total; Medium-well: About 7 minutes total; Well-done: 9 minutes total.
To ensure you get juicy burgers, use 80/20 ground chuck beef (20% fat, 80% lean).
Season only the exterior of the burger patties. Do not mix the seasoning into the ground beef before.
Make the patties about ½ to ¾ inch thick, and about 1 inch larger than the size of the burger bun. They will shrink on the grill.
Make a slight indentation or depression in the center of the burger patties before cooking. This will prevent the center from puffing up.
Remember to NOT press the burgers while they are cooking, as this will release all the juices, and can result in dry burgers.
Make-ahead: the burger patties can be shaped the day before (don't season them until ready to grill though) and refrigerated. The toppings can also be sliced and prepped in advance.

Nutrition