Steakhouse Burgers
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Replicate your favorite steakhouse burgers at home — they’re packed with flavor and reliably juicy, even when cooked to well-done.
Who doesn’t love a big, tender, and juicy steakhouse burger? Problem is, they’re difficult to replicate at home because most steakhouses blend different cuts of beef, like sirloin, chuck, and short ribs, to customize the flavor and fat content of their hamburgers. While it’s possible to grind your own meat or ask your butcher for a special blend, there’s an easier way. By combining ordinary supermarket ground beef with a panade — or mixture of bread and milk — and lots of seasoning, you can make steakhouse-style burgers in no time. This recipe has made me a star among my kids’ friends. My daughter’s friend Allie nicknamed them “Segal Burgers” — it stuck, and now we all call them that too.
What You’ll Need To Make Steakhouse Burgers
Step-by-Step instructions
Begin by making the panade. In a large bowl, mash 2 pieces of white sandwich bread (cut into small pieces) and 1/3 cup milk together with a fork until it forms a chunky paste.
Add 2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons of ketchup.
Stir until well combined.
Add 3 pounds of 85% lean ground beef and 3 finely sliced scallions (if using).
Mix everything together until just combined.
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape into balls. Flatten each ball into a 3/4-inch-thick patty that’s about 4-1/2 inches across. (Keeping the burgers thick ensures a nice char on the outside without overcooking the inside.) To prevent the burgers from forming a domed shape on the grill, create a slight depression in the center of each patty.
Grill the burgers 2 to 4 minutes on the first side until nicely browned. Flip and cook on the second side a few minutes more, until desired doneness is reached. The panade in these burgers keeps the meat tender and juicy, even when overcooked, so these burgers are ideal for kids, the elderly, pregnant women, or anyone who just prefers their burgers well done.
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Steakhouse Burgers
Replicate your favorite steakhouse burgers at home — they’re packed with flavor and reliably juicy, even when cooked to well-done.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces white sandwich bread, crusts removed and cut into ¼-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 pounds 80 to 85% lean ground beef
- 3 scallions, white and green parts, very finely sliced (optional)
- 8 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- In a large bowl, mash the bread and milk together with a fork until it forms a chunky paste. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and mix well.
- Add the ground beef and scallions and break the meat up with your hands. Mix everything together until evenly combined. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and form compact balls. Flatten the balls into ¾-inch patties about 4½ inches across. Form a slight depression in the center of each patty to prevent the burgers from puffing up on the grill.
- Oil the grilling grates. Grill the burgers, covered, until nicely browned on the first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip burgers and continue cooking for a few minutes more until desired doneness is reached. Before serving, toast the buns on the cooler side of the grill if desired.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The uncooked burgers can be frozen for up to three months. (Freeze the burgers on a baking sheet or plate so their shape sets, then transfer them to a sealable plastic bag for easy storage.) Defrost the burgers overnight in the refrigerator prior to serving and then cook as directed.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 burger
- Calories: 517
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Sodium: 567 mg
- Cholesterol: 116 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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The best burger recipe ever! Everyone at my backyard cook-outs scream for the recipe. :^)
You will not find a better burger on the planet!!
Every time I make them I get compliments.
There are only 2 in our family. I cook 2 burgers and vacuum seal packages of 2, so we always have burgers on hand.
Another favorite! My family loves every recipe I’ve ever tried on your site. Thank you!
Which are better as meatballs: this recipe or your meatball recipe?
I want to do cocktail size meatballs in a delish sauce
Hi Joni, I’d go with the meatball recipe. 🙂
These are the BEST. The only recipe I ever make now and everyone raves over them.
Always make big batch and freeze like you advise and they are sooo good, maybe even better than fresh.
Delicious! The only hamburgers my family requests!!
How much of the ingredients would you use for just making one burger?
Carlie, I’m not sure about the amount of each ingredient you need for one burger, and my math isn’t quite good enough to help with that – sorry! If it helps at all, you could make the full (or even half) recipe and freeze the uncooked burgers. They freeze beautifully!
White sandwich bread?
Does anyone actually eat that anymore?
Could you offer another filler?
Maybe panko or even whole wheat bread crumbs..
Thx so much
Hi Barb, Any kind of bread will work here. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Barb, I am making these for the first time and am just going to use some leftover hot dog buns. I think panko might be too crunchy.
These are the only hamburgers we make! So delicious! It’s only two of us so I vac seal the extras to freeze. I recommend 100% Yummy!
These burgers are so delicious! Definitely my go to. Would this recipe be okay to make ahead and freeze for future use? Thanks!
So glad you like them! And, yes, you can freeze the uncooked patties. See the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions.
Hello again, Jen! After looking on the web, it seems that perhaps kosher salt is always coarse? Having the label indicate Kosher Salt, with the word “coarse” as a descriptor beside it, it seemed to me that there was actually a choice of types, but I could find no indication of that in my search. So I went ahead using the coarse kosher salt I have on hand — the burgers are now in the freezer, ready for our family feast. Did I make the right decision? Hopefully I won’t have to redo them!! Thank you for your advice & encouragement!
Hi TL, whether the label says kosher or coarse salt, either is fine. 🙂
Hi Jen! To avoid a trip to the store to purchase white bread, may I substitute rustic rosemary bread or brioche buns or very thin-sliced 3″ square whole wheat bread for the panade?
If so, which bread would be best & what amount of cubes would be equivalent to the necessary amount? Also, the meat I have is 90% ground sirloin — will other changes in the recipe be required because of this? We’re all looking forward to feasting on your Steakhouse Burgers. Thank you for your ever-ready expertise & advice, which is much appreciated.
Hi TL, Yes, I’d probably go with the whole wheat bread, and guesstimate you’d need 1 – 1 1/2 cups of chopped bread. And you can use the sirloin without making any other changes. Hope you enjoy!
Followed the recipe, came out looking very gross
Excellent! I used kosher salt and could have gotten away with 1.5 teaspoons. Also, I grilled my burgers and the flavor and texture was excellent. The recipe really doesn’t need cheese as the flavors are bold. Overall, this is a reliable recipe.
Question— can you use any liquid for the panade, or must it be milk? I was thinking that mushroom broth would be delicious… but maybe it’s not fatty enough on its own?
Hi Melissa, mushroom broth would be fine – enjoy!
Don’t add the salt. Recipe calls for way to much salt
I have added this to my recipe software as a Base meal, rather then a Main Course, as I use it in almost every recipe that has a hamburger patty.
First, as a business owner constantly dealing with online reviews, I note that ALL of your recipes are rated 5 stars – even with plenty of 1-star comments. So I appreciate your recipes but always check the 1-4 star comments.
With this recipe, you can’t add milk and bread to burgers without getting a meatloaf or meatball texture. A juicy burger requires fat. The best mixture is simply 1 part ground pork to 3 parts 80-85% ground beef. A good burger requires nothing else except seasoning AFTER it’s put on heat.
Better than grilling, a burger in a ball shape dropped into a hot (almost smoking) cast iron skillet, smashed flat, seasoned, turned once, and seasoned on the other side, is going to be juicy and flavorful if it’s not overcooked. The texture remains true, without reducing an otherwise great piece of meat to that of a slice of fried meatloaf.
Sounds like you should start your own food blog instead of hijacking someone else’s with the way *you* make burgers. If you didn’t like the texture, just say that. No need to post a passive aggressive “here’s how I would make it because I’m so culinary and skilled” comment.
Suzanne, The tone of your comment is really unpleasant! Why would you do this to a stranger? Some opinions are better kept to ourselves.
This is now our go-to recipe for hamburgers. Always moist. Guests ask for the recipe!