Cast Iron Skillet Burgers
Made and assembled in less than 30 minutes, these impeccably juicy cast iron skillet burgers give the grill a run for its money. Cooked to perfection every time and stacked with all the fixings, this recipe is arguably the best way to enjoy a cheeseburger.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds ground beef*, 80/20
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tomato
- 4 leaves romaine lettuce
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 potato buns
- 8 slices American cheese
- pickles, for serving**
Special Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Divide the ground beef into four equal portions weighing 5 ounces each. Make the patties by gently rolling each portion into a ball and setting on a plate or cutting board. Leaving them on the plate or cutting board, press each ball into a disk standing 1 inch tall and 4 ½ to 5 inches in diameter (depending on the size of your buns). The disk should be about ½ inch larger than your bun. Create a well about ½ inch deep in the center of the burger by pressing down on the patty with your fingers, leaving a rim all around the edges. Disperse the kosher salt across each of the four patties, then let rest at room temperature while preparing the toppings and special sauce, ideally 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the toppings and special sauce. Slice the tomatoes and lay them in a single layer on a paper towel to drain. Prep each romaine leaf, then dice the onion. Finally, make the special sauce by combining the mayonnaise, hot sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, and salt in a small bowl or jar and whisking to combine.
- Heat a 10- to 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.** Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl the pan to coat, then, working in batches, toast the inside surface of each potato bun until golden. Set the buns aside. To the same pan, add the remaining extra virgin olive oil and the diced onions and saute until softened and browned. Using a spatula, create 3-4 small piles of sauteed onions in each quadrant of the cast iron, depending on the size of your skillet. Add each patty flat side down, rim side up directly covering each pile of onion, then add a few cracks of black pepper. Sear for 1-2 minutes, then flip, replacing any onions that fall off on top of the burger patty. Add two slices of cheese to each patty just after flipping and cook the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes. If needed, cover the skillet until the cheese is melted.
- Assemble the burgers by spreading 1-2 tablespoons of special sauce on the top side of each bun. Add a patty to the bottom half of each bun, then top with a leaf of romaine, a slice of tomato, and a few pickles. Add the top bun and serve immediately.
Notes
*For the perfect meat-to-bun ratio we've called for 1 1/4 lbs. of ground beef in this recipe, but in a pinch you can stick to 1 lb. and divide it among 4 patties.
**Your favorite high-quality pickle will do. If you'd like to make the pickles yourself, thinly slice an English cucumber and set in a medium tupperware. To a small sauce pan, add ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup water, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, and ½ tablespoon granulated sugar, then bring to a boil and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Pour the mixture over the English cucumbers and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
**If you have a smaller cast iron skillet, proceed with the recipe as normal, cooking the patties in batches of two rather than all four at a time.