Tavern Style Hamburgers

By lihui

4 Person

20 Minutes

0 Calories

Here is the hamburger you get in better taverns and bars, plump and juicy, with a thick char that gives way to tender, medium-rare meat. It is best cooked in a heavy, cast-iron skillet slicked with oil or fat. Ask a butcher for coarse-ground chuck steak, with at least a 20 percent fat content, or grind your own. Keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook, and then when you do, form your patties gently. Season after the meat is in the pan.

Ingredients

Condiments, as desired
Lettuce leaves
4 Soft hamburger buns
4 slices Cheese (optional)
Black pepper
Kosher salt
2 pounds Ground chuck, at least 20 percent fat
1/2 tsp. Neutral oil, like canola

Method

01

Add oil or butter to a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet and place over medium heat. Gently divide ground beef into 4 small piles of around 8 ounces each, and then lightly form these into thick patties of around 3 1/2 inches in diameter, like flattened meatballs. Season aggressively with salt and pepper.
02

Increase heat under skillet to high. Put hamburgers into the skillet with plenty of distance between them and allow them to cook, without moving, for approximately 3 minutes. Use a spatula to turn hamburgers over. If using cheese, lay slices on meat.
03

Continue to cook until meat is cooked through, approximately another 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove hamburgers from skillet and allow to rest for approximately 5 minutes; meanwhile, toast the buns. Place hamburgers on buns and top as desired.

Related Tags

Tavern Style Hamburgers

4.5

( By lihui )

01 Information

Grade easy
Serving 4 servings
Total Time 20 Mins

02 Ingredients

Condiments, as desired

Lettuce leaves

4 Soft hamburger buns

4 slices Cheese (optional)

Black pepper

Kosher salt

2 pounds Ground chuck, at least 20 percent fat

1/2 tsp. Neutral oil, like canola

03 Method

Step 1

Add oil or butter to a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet and place over medium heat. Gently divide ground beef into 4 small piles of around 8 ounces each, and then lightly form these into thick patties of around 3 1/2 inches in diameter, like flattened meatballs. Season aggressively with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Increase heat under skillet to high. Put hamburgers into the skillet with plenty of distance between them and allow them to cook, without moving, for approximately 3 minutes. Use a spatula to turn hamburgers over. If using cheese, lay slices on meat.

Step 3

Continue to cook until meat is cooked through, approximately another 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove hamburgers from skillet and allow to rest for approximately 5 minutes; meanwhile, toast the buns. Place hamburgers on buns and top as desired.

04 Author