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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Could you use this recipe for a meatloaf Jenifer?
Hi Lauren, I’m not certain how well these would work as one big meatloaf as it may be kind of crumbly. You could potentially shape them into mini meatloaves and bake them that way. I suspect they’d take about 30 minutes. Or, if you want some meatloaf options that are guaranteed to work, you can try this Italian Meatloaf or this BBQ version. Hope you enjoy whatever you make!
Thank you for the best burger recipe, super tender and juicy!
I love this recipe. the only way I will make burgers!
I want to make them today, but I dont have any bread. I have hamburger buns or bread crumbs. What would be better to use?
I’d go with the hamburger buns (I’ve done this in a pinch, too!).
I am very new to home cooking and these always turn out perfectly when I make them. I never have scallions around and so I always make them without, but they are still the best patties ever, even if I cook them from being frozen. I use a patty mold so I have eight perfectly equal patties. I also tried this with bacon jam slathered onto the bun and I died in burger heaven. Thank you for the recipe!
This is our go-to hamburger recipe. Super moist. I use BBQ sauce (sweet/honey base) and also either red or sweet onion. Last, I sprinkle with Montreal steak seasoning and then refrigerate for 30-45 minutes before grilling.
The recipe calls for three scallions. Does this mean the entire scallion or only the white or light green parts?
Hi Richard, it’s both the white and green parts. I’m going to update the recipe to make it more clear. 🙂
We cooked these hamburger steaks on the grill and then had sautéed mushrooms and onions so each guest could decided how much to use. We served with squash, green beans , corn and dinner rolls. Delicious!
What would measurements be if you where cooking 4 burgers.
Hi Kaitlyn, You’d just cut all the ingredients in half. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you Jenn, so glad to have learned about mixing the mince with bread and milk. We really enjoyed this burger recipe.
WOW so juicy and flavorful. I used wheat bread & almond milk instead of white bread and milk since that’s what I had on hand – and it turned out delicious and didn’t compromise the quality. I usually make my burgers medium rare but unintentionally cooked it to medium instead making this- it still was so juicy and delicious. This is one for the books! I used 90% lean beef and it still turned out so tasty.
The numerous comments that said their burger crumbled and fell apart – my take is they either used too lean of a beef cut or did not compact their burger tightly enough. I’ve made this recipe twice with no issues.
WOW so juicy and flavorful. I used wheat bread & almond milk instead of white bread and milk since that’s what I had on hand – and it turned out delicious and didn’t compromise the quality. I usually make my burgers medium rare but accidentally cooked it to medium instead making this- it still was so juicy and delicious. This is one for the books!
Wow! Jenn!
These are absolutely delicious! I made them for dinner guests, and they raved and raved about them. I’m fact, my sister asked for the recipe! She said it was the best burger that she had ever tasted in her life and she has gone to chef school!
Thank you so much!
Ruth
These fell apart on me. Not sure what happened. I followed the recipe exactly and they broke in half when I flipped them.
Sorry to hear the burgers fell apart. It could be that you didn’t form them firmly enough into patties. Also, did you grease the grill grates? If they stick to the grates, that can cause them to get crumbly.
Hi A,
My hamburgers fell apart the first time that I cooked them too. I then realized that my grill was not hot enough and I had not left the patties long enough before flipping for the first time. The next time that I cooked them, they turned out perfectly!
I have made them at least 3 times since then! I preheat the bbq to 450. Then I let the patty cook for 2 minutes before rotating it on the same side, and leave it for another 2 minutes. (My patties are thick— 1 1/2 inch thick). They now stay perfectly together when I flip them. Hope that helps.
This recipe is awesome! I couldn’t believe how juicy the burgers were, even after overcooking a few of them!
Can this recipe also be used using ground turkey?
So glad you like them! You can use turkey here, but have you tried my grilled turkey burgers? They’re delicious and are easier to pull together than these!
I just have to tell you, first of all, that you are my favourite chef! My family and I have been using your recipes for years and they always turn out perfectly delicious! We love, love, love your turkey recipe!
I can’t wait to try out this recipe! My sister has trouble with gluten. Will gluten-free bread work just as well?
Thanks so much,
Ruth (A fan!)
Ruth, so glad you like the recipes! ❤️
Yes, it’s perfectly fine to use gluten-free bread here. Hope you enjoy!
Can you use wheat bread instead of white?
Yep 🙂
The best burgers. I’ve shared this recipe with the young adults in my family. They love these in the warm weather and your chili in the winter!
Hi Jenn,
We made them for dinner tonight and they were absolutely delicious. So juicy and tasty.
Do you know if I can use gluten free bread instead of regular bread?
I want to make them for a friend who can’t have gluten.
Look forward to your feedback.
Thanks
So glad you like them! Yes, gluten-free bread will work fine here.
This is my favorite burger recipe. The burgers are so juicy. I usually make them using a cast iron skillet on my stovetop. My family loves these burgers. Thank you!
Have made and suggested for years. Def. the best burger recipe with very little effort. Thank you always for this!
What sorcery is this?! I’ve been making homemade bbq burgers my entire adult life at least a few times a month – once a week during the summer months. They’ve been once of my “specialties” for years. But I’ve never had a burger turn out like this. I’m not sure how, but these burgers are just more barbecuey. They seem to take on more of that amazing grilled flavour and marry it perfectly with the simple flavours of the seasoning and beef. Plus, they were insanely tender and juicy. RIP my old burger recipe. There’s a new kid in town.
made these burgers for family cookout! everybody loved them! 5 stars
These are the best, juiciest, most flavorful burgers I’ve made. And maybe ever eaten. Thanks for the tips! I have a question though: how best to adapt this to indoor cooking. I don’t have a grill pan. Could you use the broiler? Or would you have to pan-fry? Thanks!
Hi Jessica, Glad you like the burgers! You can broil them; just place them on a broiler pan or rack so the juices can drip down.) Cook time should be about the same.
We recently purchased a 1/4 cow and have several packs of grass-fed ground beef. Our very young daughters weren’t crazy about the “all natural” taste of the burgers we made with grass fed beef. (ESP the 3yo) I’m looking for recipes that would help tame the slight game flavor the ground beef has—is this one you would use for grass-fed beef or is there another that you would recommend? Any tips are greatly appreciated. 🙂
Because there are some flavorful additions to the beef in this recipe, I think it would be a good one to try. Please LMK if it gets the thumbs up from your daughters! 🙂
Made this for Father’s Day and it was a huge success. Everyone wants the recipe! Thanks so much for sharing! I wish you had a “Share” button as well as a “Print” button!
So glad you liked the burgers! If you’d like to share a recipe, there are a few options under the recipe title at the top of the page (you can share to Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter or email it). 🙂
Or you can do it the old-fashioned and best way. Copy the URL and share it wherever you want.
The salt in this made it hard to eat and now a few hours after dinner I feel sick. I will not make this again.
Dana, did you use kosher salt or table salt? Because if you used table salt, you would use less salt than the 2-1/2 teaspoons called for in the recipe. The ratio I’ve seen is for every teaspoon of kosher, you would use 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of table salt.
Sounds like someone used a Tablespoon instead of a teaspoon of salt. I’ve done it, and so have many of the greats!
I can’t believe how good these burgers are. My husband just loved them and kept asking “ are you sure you didn’t use ground steak for these ?” Nope…. Just used regular lean ground beef.
I love your recipes. I realized about a month ago that so many of my book marked recipes are from you. So now I am on your mailing list. I really enjoy your newsletters. Keep them coming and thank you!
💗
So flavorful and juicy!
We broiled the burgers about 10 inches from the broiler, for 11 mins on one side, turned over, and then 9 mins on the other side. Next time we’ll do closer to the broiler and cook for less time.
My go to recipe for burgers and meatballs !
I was sad to see this recipe go from 5 stars to 4.5 over a salt mistake. This recipe is beyond fantastic and use it everytime I make burgers.
Thank you for this amazing recipe Jenn !!
This is absolutely the best hamburger we have ever had. Not only a napkin needed but two napkins, so juicy. We grilled it two nights ago and going to grill again tonight. Definitely 5 plus stars.
Dear Jen, love all your recipes, always a huge success, thank you for sharing.
These burgers look absolutely fabulous, and I know they will be, by the comments left by your loyal admirers.
My question, is could I also make meatballs and just cook them in the oven on a rack?
I will definitely make the burgers but wanted to try them as meatballs, as well.
Thank you and keep on cookin, 😘
So glad you like the recipes, Bonnie! Yes, I think this will work as meatballs. Hope you enjoy!
Been doing these for a couple of years since finding this recipe. I will NEVER go back to anything else. So savory and delicious!! I’m a 1 burger lady but really want to eat 2 of these!! Perfect recipe as is!!!
Great recipe, a little extra and a few notches up from my regular lean ground and seasoning salt.
Thank You
KGL
I absolutely love this recipe but my husband is saying there’s a sour aftertaste. What might be causing that? Maybe I could put less of worchestershire sauce if that’s what is causing it?
Hmmm…I’ve never heard that. I would agree that the only real possibility is the Worcestershire sauce, so yes, I’d cut that back a bit.
Made these for my family and they all said how delicious these were. Of course there were requests for the recipe. They were so moist and tasty, this will most definitely be in my recipe file. Thank you for another prize winning recipe.
I made these burgers for my husband and myself last weekend. He said it’s the best burger he’s ever had! I work for a state beef council so I’m privy to many great burger recipes, but this is the best ever! I shared the recipe with my co-workers and with family. It’s simple and ingredients are readily available. Thanks Jen! Another great recipe!
Hi Jenn! Made these burgers last night….my husband loved them.my new go to burger. Thankyou.
Best burgers ever, hands down! Finally a homemade burger to rival the best restaurant burger! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Made these burgers for Memorial Day weekend, and…,,they were absolutely amazing!!! Great recipe! Thanks!
Doesn’t work well. I’ll go back to mixing in egg instead
It’s simply amazing recipe! Thank you👍
Hi! Can I make these today, refrigerate overnight and cook tomorrow?
Definitely!
You haven’t lived until you have one of these burgers!
These are the first burgers I’ve ever made that I was proud of! They were tender and flavorful. Thank you!
This may seem like too much work for burgers, but once you’ve made them once, you’ll be a believer that the time is worth it. The burgers are so flavorful and hold together when grilling.
Hi Jen: We don’t have a grill. Would this recipe work indoors, and for 4 people, can I just cut ingredients in half?
Hi Pamela, It’s fine to make them indoors. You can use a grill pan (or cast iron pan) on the stove or broil them in the oven. (If you broil them, just place them on a broiler pan or rack so the juices can drip down.) Cook time should be about the same. And it’s perfectly fine to cut the recipe in half. Hope you enjoy!
I need a good burger recipe and would like to try this one because it has so many excellent reviews. However, I am trying to limit my intake of beef and wonder if I could do this with ground pork or chicken instead? If so, would you recommend any alterations to the cooking method?
Many thanks.
Hi Tony, If you’d like to use something other than beef, I’d go with the pork. Make sure you generously grease the grill grates as the pork may be more prone to sticking than beef. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try it!
I’m looking forward to making these burgers but Printable recipe states 3 lbs hamburger and detailed instructions state 2 lbs. If you could clarify, I’d appreciate it very much.
Thanks so much for pointing that out Shirley! The correct amount is 3 pounds. I just updated the recipe. Sorry for any confusion!
Haven’t made my own burgers in a long time – totally worth the effort and SO delicious!!!
Hi Jenn, Thank you for so many awesome recipes. You are truly a Chef, second to none. At this point, my recipe file is all Jenn, Once Upon a Chef. You really know your stuff and my family, and I Love your deliciously flavorful and easy to cook recipes. Thank you! Tom
Delicious. Everyone loves them
My favorite burger. Delicious, and juicy!!
Disappointment! It may have had the look of a burger but it was more like baby food on the inside of the burger. The only thing we ended up chewing on was the lettuce and bun! I DO NOT recommend this at all.
No way did you follow this recipe correctly. I make these burgers all the time and never had slop burgers. It’s either the quantity of ingredients or the quality of meat you are using, or possibly the thickness and cooking time for the burger you formed to be mush.
That happens if you over mix the beef and ingredients. You want to mix lightly, and squash it around like dough. Also if you have too much milk, that can happen.