Two cheeseburgers with red onion, lettuce, and pickles on sesame buns on a wooden serving board.

5 from 1 vote

Classic Cheeseburger

This classic cheeseburger is made with freshly ground chuck, salt, and pepper, and little else. Sometimes, the classics really are the best. Simple to make--no messing around with trendy ingredients or techniques--it'll knock your socks off.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Mains

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 446

Ingredients

▢ 1 1/2 pounds chuck roast, (ask your butcher to grind it for hamburger)
▢ Healthy pinch kosher salt
▢ Freshly cracked black pepper
▢ 6 slices sharp Cheddar cheese*
▢ 6 hamburger buns
▢ Condiments of your choice
▢ Pickles, homemade or store-bought
▢ 1 red onion, thinly sliced

US - Metric

Instructions

Shape the ground chuck into 6 patties, each about 1/2-inch thick. Be careful not to pack the meat too tightly or you'll end up with dry burgers. Sprinkle a healthy pinch of salt over each burger. Crack some pepper over the top as well.
Prepare a grill or place a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
Place the burger over the heat, seasoned side down. Toss some salt and pepper over the now top of the burgers and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for 2 minutes more. Flip the burgers again and grill for 1 minute more. Flip the burgers again, place a slice of cheese on each burger, and cook for 1 minute more. The burgers will be medium-rare. If you prefer your burgers cooked medium to well-done, transfer them to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat under the pan to medium-low and leave the burgers on the heat a little longer.
Transfer the burgers to a warm plate but do not cover them. Place the hamburger buns, cut side down, on the heat and warm until the desired toastiness.
Assemble the burgers and buns on a clean plate, using any condiments you like. You're now ready to bite into the tastiest, juiciest burger ever.

Notes

*What You Need To Know About What Type Of Cheese To Use

What kind of cheese goes on a burger is quite the personal matter. We understand that. You needn’t feel compelled to use Cheddar just because this recipe calls for it. Any cheese that turns melty, stringy, or gooey when heated will do just swell. Although actually, you needn’t use any cheese at all, seeing as a bare burger can be a thing of beauty, too. Hey, maybe that’s how the little ditty about how the cheese stands alone came to be? Someone scraped it off their cheeseburger and then felt sorry for it!

Nutrition