Classic Beef Burgers
Steakhouse-style burgers with a smoky BBQ and Worcestershire kick, bound with a bread-and-milk panade for extra juiciness, grilled and topped with melted cheese.
- 1 piece white sandwich bread, crust removed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup milk (2% or whole)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce, plus additional for basting
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 pounds 80% to 85% lean ground beef
- 6 good quality hamburger buns
- 6 slices cheese
- Green leaf lettuce, tomato, thinly sliced red onion, pickles, for topping (optional)
- 1 recipe Awesome Burger Sauce, for topping (optional)
- Prepare the coals in your BBQ, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat. Let the grill come fully up to temperature before you start cooking so the patties sear properly instead of steaming.
- In a large bowl, mash the bread and milk together with a fork until it forms a chunky paste. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, BBQ sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and mix well — this soaked bread mixture, called a panade, is what keeps the burgers tender and juicy instead of dense.
- Add the ground beef, breaking it up with your hands as you add it, and mix everything together only until just combined. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into balls, then flatten into 3/4-inch patties. Press a slight depression into the center of each patty with your fingers so they cook up flat instead of puffing into a dome.
- Coat both sides of the patties with nonstick cooking spray, or oil the grates on your grill instead. Either way keeps the patties from sticking and tearing when you go to flip them.
- Grill the burgers, covered, until nicely browned on the first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for a few minutes more until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 160°F. Brush with additional BBQ sauce toward the end of the grilling time if desired, then top with cheese, cover, and cook just until the cheese melts.
- Before serving, toast the buns on the cooler side of the grill or under your oven's broiler, if desired, watching closely so they don't burn.
- Serve the burgers on the toasted buns with your desired toppings.
Chef's Note: The soaked bread-and-milk panade is the real secret to a steakhouse-style burger — it keeps the patties juicy even at the higher internal temperature needed for food safety, something lean ground beef alone tends to struggle with. Mixing the meat only until just combined also matters more than it seems; overworking ground beef packs it too densely and turns burgers tough instead of tender.
Keep the formed patties chilled right up until they hit the grill rather than letting them come to room temperature — unlike other cuts of beef, cold ground beef holds together better and stays juicier. If you want to get ahead, shape the patties in advance, separate them with parchment paper on a foil-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate tightly covered until you're ready to cook the same day.
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