Tastenexa
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American
Classic Cheeseburger
22 min total10 prep12 cook2 servings640 cal
ClassicFlexitarianContains glutenContains dairy
A thick, juicy beef patty seared hard in a hot skillet, melted under a slice of cheddar, and stacked with crisp lettuce, tomato, and onion on a toasted bun. Simple diner-style comfort food, ready in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
meat
- 300 gground beef
bakery
- 2burger buns
dairy
- 2 slicescheddar cheese
- 1 tbspbutter
produce
- 4 leaveslettuce
- 1tomato
- 0.5onion
pantry
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper
Steps
- Divide the ground beef into two portions and gently shape into patties slightly wider than the buns, pressing a shallow dimple into the center of each. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Slice the tomato and onion into thin rounds, and separate the lettuce leaves.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the patties and cook for 3–4 minutes without moving them, until a deep brown crust forms.
- Flip the patties and cook for another 3–4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 71°C / 160°F.
- Top each patty with a slice of cheddar during the last minute of cooking, and cover the pan briefly to help it melt.
- Transfer the patties to a plate and let rest for 2 minutes. Melt the butter in the same skillet and toast the buns cut-side down for 1–2 minutes until golden.
- Build each burger on the bottom bun with lettuce, the cheesy patty, tomato, and onion, then close with the top bun.
- Serve immediately while the patties are hot and the cheese is still melted.
Tips
- Handle the ground beef as little as possible when forming patties — overworking it makes for a dense, tough burger.
- Press a shallow dimple into the center of each patty before cooking to stop it from puffing up into a dome.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to confirm 71°C / 160°F for a safely cooked, still-juicy patty.
- Toast the buns cut-side down in the same skillet after the burgers rest — they'll soak up flavor from the drippings.
