The Best Burgers

Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8

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These are the BEST Burgers! Made with a mix of ground beef and ground pork, caramelized onions, balsamic vinegar, chili powder and MORE that makes them so much more flavorful than other burgers!

beef burger on bun with lettuce tomato and onion against black background

I just don’t know if there’s anything better than a great burger in the summertime!

Sure, we love these Turkey Burgers and these Hawaiian Chicken Burgers are always a hit, but sometimes you just need a classic homemade beef burger.

However you load it up, a side of these Air Fryer French Fries and a classic milkshake are necessary additions 😉

But back to the burger.

I’ve never eaten another burger that packs in this much flavor!

overhead image of burgers and pickles son wooden platter with toppings on the side

We love to serve them with this easy Brioche Bun recipe or Homemade Burger Buns, with a side of Easy Potato Salad and Easy Homemade Pink Lemonade!

What makes this burger recipe extra special?

I borrowed the caramelized onion and balsamic vinegar ideas from The Pioneer Woman, but I added my own flavors and I really think these are BETTER than your average burger.

Caramelizing things adds flavor, we all know this!

But how often do we see cooked onions, garlic, spices added to burgers? I had never seen it before.

Toasting the garlic and spices with the onions before adding it to the burgers is key — it wakes them up and brings out the flavors so much more intensely!

Be sure to brush with your favorite barbecue sauce (if desired) and top them as you like: cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, mustard, relish — whatever suits your fancy! For me? I’m a plain Jane: just ketchup and pickles!

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Can I make these dairy free? Egg free? Gluten free?

  • Swap the butter for oil for a dairy free burger.
  • If you’re looking to make these gluten free, try subbing the bread crumbs for gluten free bread crumbs, or finely crushed gluten free potato or tortilla chips.
  • The egg does help to bind the burgers, but if you need to make them egg free, you can swap the egg for a couple tablespoons (2-3) of barbecue sauce.

How to make burger patties:

There are lots of different ways to shape burger patties, including small kitchen tools that do the work for you!

These are great if you want uniform patties, but my kitchen is already loaded with knick knacks I don’t use, so I’d rather not add another to the mix!

The easiest way to get uniform burgers is to smooth your burger mix in the bowl so it is flat on top.

Then use your hands to draw a line in the burger mix to mark a half, then the other way to mark a quarter. Then divide each quarter in half to make 8 even burgers.

You want your burgers to hold together, but you also don’t want to overwork them so that they become tough.

I like to make mine a little thicker at the edges and a little thinner through the middle, since the edges will cook more quickly and this way my burgers are perfectly cooked and juicy all the way through.

How to store burger patties:

When I’m going through the effort of making homemade burgers, I almost always make extra so I can freeze some.

I like to flash freeze so I can grab just one or two from the freezer if I need.

shape burgers and place on sheet pan to chill or freeze

To do this, lay your burger patties on a sheet pan and freeze for 2 hours or until firm. Then place your frozen burger patties in a large freezer bag and store in the freezer.

This way, you can easily grab however many you need without having them stuck together.

close up of burger on wooden board with chips on the side

Variations on this burger recipe:

  • You can use ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, ground beef or any combination of ground meats!
  • Don’t have red onion? Any onion will do! I like to use sweet onions for the best flavor.
  • Swap out the ground pork for Italian sausage for an extra kick!
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The Best Burgers

4.95 from 51 votes
These are the BEST Burgers! Made with a mix of ground beef and ground pork, caramelized onions, balsamic vinegar, chili powder and MORE that makes them so much more flavorful than other burgers!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 8
Calories 294cal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 lb lean ground pork
  • 1 lb extra lean ground beef
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup fine seasoned bread crumbs see above for gluten free options
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • Barbecue sauce for basting and toppings as desired

Instructions

  • In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat and add onions, stirring until coated. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, until tender and translucent.
  • Add brown sugar and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes, until caramelized.
  • Add garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat 1 minute. Remove from heat, scrape into a bowl and refrigerate until room temperature (if you’re making this ahead, be sure to cover the dish after the onions have cooled to store for longer periods of time).
  • In a large bowl, combine pork, beef, egg, bread crumbs, vinegar worcestershire sauce and cooled onion mixture and mix just until combined — don’t overmix.
  • Shape into 8 patties for ¼ pound burgers (feel free to make them bigger or smaller according to your preferences).
  • *Recommended: place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. You can also place in the freezer for 2-3 hours. This isn’t necessary but really helps the flavors meld together and helps the burgers stay together when cooked.
  • In a pan or on a grill, cook burgers for about 4-5 minutes per side on medium-high heat until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Serve as desired with buns, garnishes, sauces, etc.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 294cal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 430mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2.5mg

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Barbara says

    These really were the best burgers I’ve ever made! I thought making caramelized onions was a lot of extra work, but it was so worth it! And really not that much extra work.

  2. Amy says

    This was my first time ever making homemade burgers and I am so glad I found this delicious recipe. So much flavour. My family loved them. My husband thought we might need a bit more for a binder as they were a bit loose trying to fall apart (but managed to stay together).

  3. Catherine Webster says

    My son made these and sent the recipe to me. Told me that they are very good. Currently mixing them up and I think they are going to be scrumptious. I am subbing gluten-free potatoe chips for bread crumbs but also for a gluten-free version of this you also have to make sure the worcestershire sauce is a gluten-free one as well. They are all not gluten-free. I have been learning lots cooking for someone who is celiac.

    Thanks for the great looking recipe!

  4. Elba Rivera says

    I combined beef and pork
    They were delicious
    I froze a few
    Thanks for sharing the recipe

  5. Charla says

    Sounds amazing, going to make these next time.

    Trick is to put a hole in the centre of your burger before freezing or cooking. This is allow the meat to cook evenly and stay flat. No baseball burgers.

  6. Sheri Templeton says

    these sound amazing. we live on the lake and grill all summer long here in Tx. these will be on our 4th of July menu. YUM!!!!! Thank you for all your great recipes. do you have one for a quick pickle?

  7. deb donnelly says

    These burgers are the Best Burgers for sure !!!! We enjoyed them totally ,I use a lid from a gallon Jar I wrap it in Saran wrap then just press in the amount that fills it then lift it out with the Saran wrap , I do keep using the Saran until all are made ,easy peasy they are pretty much same thickness, nice size burgers .
    My go to burger now .

4.95 from 51 votes (39 ratings without comment)

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