If you’re looking for a juicy, delicious, straight-up hamburger recipe, you can’t go wrong with this one. They are hands down the best burgers I have ever cooked. They’re Steak and Shake good. Since grilling season is about here, burgers will be a regular in our dinner recipe and this is always my go to recipe.
There are a few ingredients in these hamburgers that I’ve never seen in another burger recipe- bread, milk, and bacon fat. You won’t be able to detect the bread or the milk in the burger, but they really do help keep the inside moist and the added bacon grease allows the exterior to develop a wonderful, crispy char as well as a smokey flavor.
These burgers are so tasty they really don’t need a lot in the way of toppings. You’ll already have bacon to add to them since you need to fry some up to get the bacon grease to add to the ground beef. Add some lettuce, tomato, and onion for a super delicious burger. You might want to also cook up some slow cooker bourbon baked beans and jalapeno creamed corn to round out the meal.
Happy grilling!
Simply the Best Hamburgers
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon
- 1-2 slices white sandwich bread,, crusts removed, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef,, 85-90% lean
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large garlic clove,, minced
- 4 buns
- toppings of choice
Instructions
- Fry bacon in large skillet until crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Spoon 3 tablespoons of bacon fat into small bowl and set aside
- Place bread in small bowl and add milk. Let sit for 5 minutes. Mash with fork to form a paste.
- Place ground beef in large bowl and add salt and pepper, garlic, bread paste, and reserved bacon fat. Make sure bacon fat has cooled first. If necessary put in refrigerator for a few minutes.
- Using hands mix all ingredients together until evenly distributed.
- Divide into 4 portions. Form into balls and gently flatten into 3/4 inch patties. Try to make the center part a little thinner because it will poof as it cooks.
- Grill over hot fire for 7-10 minutes flipping once.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: adapted from Cook’s Country
These are simply delish…. Thank you. Have you ever tried to freeze the patties after making the mixture to take out patties as you want them from the freezer?
Excellent…. Juicy, flavorful and everyone loved the burgers.
This was the best burger ever!!!!
We thought these were delicious! Contrary to what some commenters said, I don’t think I’d use the recipe for a meatloaf, but I would use it for hamburgers again.
Fantastic! Never fails to satisfy. It’s equally delicious as meatloaf. My absolute favorite hamburger recipe!
WOW! You took me back 50 years to my country roots. My grandma made burgers with bacon fat and a smothered Vidalia onions in an old iron skillet. I could never get the taste right, but these taste like them. Steak & Shake good?? No way-they could only wish theirs were this good. Thanks for giving me that taste of the past back. I have so many of your recipes and have never been disappointed.
That’s awesome Becky. I am so happy these burgers reminded you of your grnadmothers.
Every thing you is always good but check your heading think you meant THE BEST AND NOT THE BEAT BURGERS.. No big deal , my fat fingers do the same thing when I don’t want them to also;
Doug
I’m not a big red meat fan but was craving a burger. Bravo! Absolutely delish!