Steakhouse Burgers
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Replicate your favorite steakhouse burgers at home — these are 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 — these are 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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These really are the best burgers! I follow the recipe exactly and I can also vouch for the freezing instructions. One summer I was throwing a BBQ and wires got crossed with another guest about what to bring so we ended up with so much meat to grill. I decided to not cook up the burgers I had prepared ahead of time and froze them instead. It was a happy mistake because then my husband and I had delicious dinners ready a few times that summer with barely any work! Now I always make a big batch at the beginning of summer and freeze them. Add a side salad and we have dinner in no time. Yum!
This is simply the best burger recipe ever. My kids have always liked my husband’s burgers off the grill until they tried these. One night my husband didn’t have time to make the patties so he asked me to do it. I saw this recipe and made it after reading all of the reviews. My kids loved it and said they were the best burgers they have ever had. So tender, juicy and very flavorful. We have been making them like this ever since.
Made these burgers just the other day and they were easy peasy DELICIOUS!
Only changes were whole wheat bread to make panade, steak sauce replaced the ketchup and diced a fresh jalapeño to add some spice. Will definitely make them again! Any recipe of yours has never let us down. Thanks Jen!!
These are the juiciest and most flavorful burgers I have had, including restaurant burgers. I follow the recipe exactly as written with the exception of the scallions. They freeze beautifully and stay juicy even when well done. This is my go to burger recipe…a keeper.
These burgers turned out amazing. I normally purchase premade burger patties because my homemade attempts have always been bland and fallen apart. These were juicy, thick and full of flavor. My husband now requests them for dinner once each week. Can’t wait to try out other recipes from this site. You’re making me look good in the kitchen! 😂
Absolutely don’t listen to the bad reviews! Simple and delicious! Will be by go to!
This recipe is my go to recipe when making burgers. It got great reviews from all of our kids and one doesn’t even like burgers! The recipe is easy to follow, always turns out great and we are thankful to have it!
Once Upon a Chef hits a home run again! I made this recipe for a fourth of July cookout and my guests loved the juicy flavorful burgers. Thank you very for this well written recipe!
My husband and baby LOVED these burgers! They were so simple and easy! YUM.
I tried these tonight and they were unbelievable! So juicy and tender when cooked. They were amazing. Thank you for the recipe!
Gday Jenn, these burgers were dead set brilliant! Whacked them on the barbie, cracked a cold one and even before I’d finished my beer, they were done! Only made a couple of slight changes, used a multigrain bread and like Mari suggested, I just splashed a little bit of dead horse and Worcestershire sauce and she was apples! Thanks legend, Australia Day is sure to be a cracking day with these beauties!!
These burgers are the best!!! I make them and freeze since there is only 2 of us.
Mine were a disaster , mixture was far too wet and totally disintegrated , very disappointed
This was fantastic!!
My family loves this burger recipe. These burgers are bursting with flavor. Can these be made ahead and frozen? Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes.
So glad you like the burgers! Yes, they can be frozen; see the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions.
This will replace my go-to burger recipe! The only small addition I made was adding a half teaspoon of pimenton – out of this world good.
Best burgers indeed, easy to prepare, stay moist and the dimple in the middle is not only functional but when observed by our guest created a bit of a buzz.
These are the best burgers. Everything I make from your site is always delicious. Thanks for sharing your excellent recipes. Your cookbook rocks as well.
I made these burgers last night for dinner for my family and they were absolutely delicious. Everyone raved about them – even my super-picky eater who only eats well done burgers. Even her burger turned out juicy & delicious. Highly recommend this recipe!
Everyone in the family enjoyed this recipe, even my 8-yr-old who is hard to please. I excluded the scallions (to please the kids) and cooked it stove top. The only reason that I’m not giving 5 stars is because it really tastes more like meatloaf than a burger. I love meatloaf, so it was fine. Next time, I will reduce the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce to make it more burger-like.
This has become my favorite go-to recipe for burgers, and everyone always raves. The seasoning is really nicely balanced, and the burgers come out tender and juicy without tasting overworked or processed. Thanks so much!!
Hello! This may sound like a weird question, but do you cook the side that is concave first? Or the flat side?
Not a weird question! Start with the flat side of the patties down. Hope you enjoy!
Can you use wheat bread or does it have to be white?
Wheat bread is perfectly fine. Enjoy!
wow amazing burger
Just made these today and was a huge hit with my family of hamburger snobs! So delicious. The only ingredient I didn’t have was the bread but happen to have a little Panko (1/4c). Not sure if that was too little or too much of a measurement but seemed to work. Thoughts?
Typically I’d suggest about 3/4 cup of panko or breadcrumbs, but I’ve never made them this way so it’s good to know that 1/4 seemed to be the perfect amount — glad you enjoyed them!
Out of this world burger 5 stars.
These were most definitely the best burgers that I’ve made. Most certainly the real deal! Thanks so much for sharing. From sunny South Africa.
The Steak House burgers were delicious! Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes. I’ve tried four recipes so far and my family has loved every one.
I think we would have enjoyed these without salt. Too much salt.
Love this recipe! I never have scallions on hand so I grated 1/2 yellow onion into the mixture and it was wonderful.
Made these burgers for a bbq back in the summer and remembered how amazing they tasted everyone raves about them, so having them again today, absolutely beautiful! Definitely recommend, best burgers I’ve ever had without a doubt
I made these using chicken mince. The mixture was runny because the mince didn’t drain enough so I added corn flour. I also used white onions as well as spring onions and coriander.
OMG. These were incredible. 10/10
Using panade as I learned in this recipe makes all the difference and is the only way I make burgers now. I also found that using ground lamb from my local farmer is more flavorful and juicer due to a higher fat percentage.
Amazing
Delicious very moist and tender
Followed your recipe exactly, and those burgers were awesome. Didn’t change anything like some of the reviews. Tried your Strawberry Rhubarb crisp and that was excellent too, thank you very much
These are seriously the best burgers ever! I follow the recipe, just cut back a tad on the salt. One question, can you recommend a non-beef substitution? We have Indian friends who love burgers and would love to make something comparable for them.
So glad you like these, Laurie! Unfortunately, I don’t know much about beef substitutes so I don’t have a lot of wisdom to share – sorry!
Not bad…but not a hamburger per se. It’s more or less meatloaf on a bun
Green jackfruit is a good meat substitute with a similar texture.
Try the Beyond Meat plant-based ground meat substitute. It’s kinda pricy but it’s a great sub.
Just made these burgers tonight…. Absolutely delicious!!!
I modified the recipe slightly by substituting Montreal Steak Spice instead of ground pepper, garlic powder and dehydrated onion as that’s what I had in the cupboard. Either way it would have been great. 3lb is just enough meat for the big eaters in my house. These were one of the best burger’s I’ve made in a while!!! 5++++
Excellent recipe! Much like I usually do them. I left out the bread and milk and that didn’t make a big difference. Thank you.
These are awesome, and make a fun project to do with others! You get 8 juicy burgers that are extremely thick. Only complaint is that these burgers end up being notably more expensive than your typical store-bought; however, the flavour difference is well-worth the price if you can afford it. Plus, you can make 12 thinner burgers instead of 8 thick ones if you absolutely need to.
Excellent recipe made a phenomenal burger. I cooked on my stove top griddle plate came out excellent!!
I was searching for a highly rated burger recipe when I came across this website. I liked the simplicity of the ingredients so I jumped to the reviews. I carefully read what people liked/disliked about the recipe. I saw that some complained about the salt content and I was on high alert to be careful with it. But while assembling the ingredients I realized where the confusion might lie. The recipe does NOT specify how many pounds of beef to use (it only states 8 patties). I knew this recipe asked for 3 lbs beef because someone asked that question. 2-1/2 ts (tea spoons) of salt are not too much for 3 lbs of beef (I used 2 ts salt). Also, if people put more Worchestire sauce than required or add other ingredients, that can increase the salt content.
So I followed the recipe pretty closely, except that I added a little high quality ground lamb to the ground beef to keep the burgers juicy and to enhance the flavor profile. I cooked them over the stovetop in a nonstick pan (slightly oiled) with the cover on. They came out juicy and very flavorful. Truly a high quality burger. I served them with home fries, cut and prepped by my 9 y/o. Everyone loved the dinner.
Thank you chef for a simple yet amazing recipe.
Perfect!
I didn’t add the scallions but did add a teaspoon of dry thyme.
AMAZING.
Wonderful, wonderful, a 1000 times wonderful. I am late to the game in terms of learning how to cook. As an adolescent and young adult, I never cooked cause I never thought about food till I was hungry and then it was too late to cook, by then I had to EAT! But somehow in God’s infinite wisdom, I have become the family cook for my wife and 2 children. I’m getting pretty good actually. But then a recipe like this changes everything. I thought my burgers were good. And they were.. fine. Not bad. But when I tried this impossibly simple and impossibly good recipe (and *cough learned about panade) my whole cooking reality changed. Opened. Broadened. You might say this is exaggerated, overblown hyperbole about a good burger. “How can a burger change the trajectory of someone’s life????” You might say.
Try this recipe to find out.
Would give it a family 5 but older sister farted on younger sister so she gave it an angry 3 lol. Great simple recipe and love that it uses ingredients found in most homes.
Tough but fair.
I searched, and sampled, so many hamburger recipes that just didn’t get a pass from my picky grandsons. This one worked! My husband even loves it. I’ll never attempt another hamburger recipe because this is the bomb!
I make these and always freeze a few so for a quick dinner.
Thank you for such great recipes! I just bought your cookbook and read your emails regularly!
Hello,
Thank very much for burger repice. I made few modification, one i change beef to lamb/chicken combo (cheap at deli), season ONLY paprika, (son doesnt like salt), NO NO NO green onion! Woker sauce good! Dont know what is “sclaion”, so I used potato instead. I also added a little bit of sugar for my hubby (he sweet tooth!!! :))) . Came out under seasoned, dry, and WAY to sweet. highly unrecommend for everyone UNLESS you like under seasoned, dry and WAY to sweet foods.
All in all good burger 🙂
THank you,
Eiline.
Great stuff, will be making again. My wife practically hates any meat I cook, even she loved them!
Just found this recipe by googling “best and easy hamburger recipe” – and am happy to report it lived up to its reputation! Amazing flavour. Like some of the other reviewers, I did cut back on the salt – only used about a tsp. Other than that, stayed true to the rest. Also, I did them in a non-stick frying pan – turned out perfectly and did not fall apart in the least.
Burnt a few but so tasty
These are fantastic. I’m surprised I even looked up a recipe – didn’t feel like cooking for 2 of us midweek & was putting it off by searching. My mince was the leanest so added a dash of oil from anchovy jar (less salt).cooked in frypan w caramelised onions. No sticking/falling apart & I didn’t even put sauce or cheese on them (or pineapple/bacon) – just mesculan, ripest toms, b&b cues and brioche buns – keeper.
So simple, so good.
These were AMAZNG!
Made this in a cast iron skillet. Modified the recipe to half the amount of meat. Cooked to medium-well but still moist. Did not put on too heavy of condiments, it will mask those wonderful flavors in the burger. Will make again, like tomorrow!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. They turned out great!!!! I felt like I was at my favorite restaurant eating one of their delicious burgers. I followed the recipe as written, except I used rye bread (it was all I had!) and they still turned out great. They are salty, but that is part of what makes them tasty.
Wow what a flavorful recipe. I used yellow onions instead of green, and they were a little soft, but if you let them cook all the way on one side before your first flip, it will help them stay together. Will make again!