Steakhouse Burgers
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No need to go out—these homemade steakhouse burgers are tender, juicy, and full of flavor thanks to a few simple tricks. Easy enough for a weeknight, good enough for company.
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—with garlic and scallions, this steakhouse-style burger recipe comes together in no time.
When my kids were little, this recipe made me a star among their friends. My daughter’s friend Allie nicknamed them “Segal Burgers,” and the name stuck. No matter how old everyone gets, they still ask for them! You can dress them up with condiments like ketchup, mustard, spicy relish, or mayonnaise, add a slice of cheese, or pile on bread and butter pickles, pickled red onions or caramelized onions—but they’ve got so much flavor on their own, you barely need anything at all.
“Best burgers ever! I served them on buns with cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, and butter pickles, but I seriously believe they don’t need any dressing up—they’re that good.”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Steakhouse Burger Recipe
- White Sandwich Bread & Milk: These two come together to form a simple panade—a soft paste that keeps the burgers juicy and tender. Use soft white bread with the crusts removed so it blends right in.
- Ground Beef: Stick with 80 to 85% lean for burgers that are juicy, flavorful, and hold together nicely.
- Garlic & Scallions: Add a fresh, aromatic boost that takes the flavor up a notch.
- Worcestershire Sauce & Ketchup: Bring in that classic steakhouse vibe with a hit of umami, a little sweetness, and just the right amount of tang.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Keep it simple—these basic seasoning bring out the best in the beef.
- Hamburger Buns: Go for soft but sturdy, and toast them if you like a little crunch to contrast the juicy patties.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step instructions
Step 1: Make the panade. In a large bowl, mash the torn-up sandwich bread and milk with a fork until you get a chunky paste.
Step 2: Add seasoning. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire, and ketchup until everything’s mixed together. Adding the seasonings to the panade first ensures they distribute evenly throughout the meat later without overmixing the beef itself.
Step 3: Mix in the beef. Add the ground beef and scallions (if using). Use your hands to mix just until combined—don’t overdo it. Mixing too much can compress the meat and make the burgers dense. Gently folding the mixture with your hands keeps the texture light.
Step 4: Shape the patties. Divide the mixture into 8 portions and roll into balls. Flatten into ¾-inch-thick patties about 4½ inches wide. (Keeping the burgers thick ensures a nice char on the outside without overcooking the inside.) Use a light touch when shaping the patties—packing them too tightly can make them tough. Press a little dent in the center of each one so they don’t puff up while grilling.
At this point, the uncooked burgers can be refrigerated for 24 hours or frozen for up to 3 months. Just pop them into the fridge to thaw overnight prior to cooking.
Step 5: Grill the burgers. Grill the patties for 2 to 4 minutes on the first side, until nicely browned. (Avoid pressing down on the burgers while they cook—it squeezes out juices and can dry them out.) Flip and cook a few minutes more, until they’re done to your liking. (The panade keeps them tender and juicy—even if you prefer your burgers well done—so they’re great for kids, grandparents, or anyone who’s not into pink centers.)
Pro Tip: While I never bother, you can use an instant-read thermometer to determine the doneness of your burgers. You’re aiming for 130–135°F for medium-rare, 140–145°F for medium, and 160°F for well done.
More Burger Recipes You May Like
Steakhouse Burgers
These steakhouse-style burgers are juicy, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned—sure to become your new go-to burger recipe.
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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Made these and was disappointed. Followed the recipe exactly and I suppose I am a purist because I prefer the taste of the meat and natural juices. This recipe seemed to make my burgers less juicy? Also, not enough salt.
Has anyone made this recipe using 90/10 ground sirloin and maybe adding (1) egg to the bread crumb/milk mixture for additional moistness?
why doesnt it say up top how much meat????????????? 1 lb?
Hi Tami, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, under the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
Why don’t you read the whole recipe first before jumping on Jenn’s back???????????????????? And how about being grateful for all the FREE delicious recipes she is offering here??????????
Amen! Jenn is by far the best chef I have ever encountered. And yes, she has the BEST recipes!
This was a disaster for me, a very experienced cook. I ground my own meat, and followed the recipe exactly. I sprayed the grill thoroughly with cooking spray, but the burgers stuck horribly and actually went in between the slits in the grill because they were so soft! I did refrigerate them before grilling. I should not have wasted such lovely ground beef like this.
Shame about it sticking but can’t see how the recipe has anything to do with it.
My husband said they were the best burgers I’d ever made and I loved them as well!
I used Panko crumbs as that’s all I had and worked beautifully 😊
I am a retired engineer who completed a music performance degree after retiring. I do a lot of cooking, particularly now.
I have just made the steakhouse hamburgers for the second time and my wife absolutely loved them. the little trick of using bread and milk guarantees a perfect result every time.
Congratulations and thanks
Glad you enjoy them! 🙂
Can these be made the night before and left in the refrigerator in the ball shape. If so should they be put on the grill cold or should they be brought to room temperature before grilling? Look forward to your reply.
Hi Rick, Yes, they can sit in the fridge for up to 24 hours and I think you can grill them directly from the refrigerator – no need to bring to room temp. Hope you enjoy!
Cooked them on the grill and served for a party! Rave reviews. Followed the recipe.
I was a little more popular than usual after making these.
LOL – glad they were a hit! 🙂
This was really a great recipe! I tried it and the family loved the burgers.
Absolutely the most delicious burger I’ve ever made, thank you so much! Making this for my extended family next Sunday.
I made these burgers last week and they were delicious! So moist and juicy with the bread and milk addition. Making it again for tomorrow’s night dinner. Thanks!
Hi, Jenn!
Can you tell me the how to scale down to only 1 lb. of beef? I’d like to make 4 patties using only a lb. There are only two of us.
Thank you!
Jackie
Hi Jackie, you could cut all of the remaining ingredients by 2/3 but the math would be pretty challenging! If you want to cut it down to 2 pounds of beef, that might be easier math-wise. If you go that route, you can freeze the uncooked burgers for a future meal. Hope that helps at least a bit!
The math is pretty easy cutting the recipe in half which is what we did, Jackie. Since you want 1/4lb burgers you’ll get six total, four of which you can freeze but I guarantee you won’t keep them frozen for long.
We made this recipe when I received it in Jenn’s email over a year ago. Sure it takes a bit longer but the result is worth it.