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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Honestly this is the perfect burger. we usually skip the step of putting it in the oven and we just cook it on medium high and they’re so so yummy! simple too
The burgers are really excellent! Thanks for this recipe. Quick question, can you freeze the patties when you make them? I assume it’s an easy yes, but just want to make sure. As a single guy it would be great to make and freeze a bunch of patties and just take them out when I want one or two.
Thanks!
Todd
Glad you liked them! Yes, it’s perfectly fine to freeze them – just defrost them in the fridge before cooking them. 🙂
Can you use breadcrumbs instead?
Sure, bread crumbs will work. Hope you enjoy!
Ummm these burgers had a weird texture even though I used only one piece of bread and only a few tablespoons of milk because I only had one pound of beef I liked the flavor it had but my burgers were not juicy like I thought they would be and they were falling apart a bit I will not try this recipe again
You had too much liquid of some sort. Since you only had one pound of ground beef, you had to use only one-third of all of the ingredients. (Milk, Worcestershire, and ketchup). ALL of them cut down or you will end up with crumbly burgers with a very mushy texture.
It is not fair to give a low rating on this person’s recipe because you made a mistake. I made these burgers tonight with only one pound of ground beef and they turned out perfectly. If you follow the recipe exactly or correctly calculate your ingredients for the amount of ground sirloin you have, they are absolutely amazing!!
There is nothing better than these wonderfully, delicious burgers! DO NOT CHANGE A THING WITH THIS RECIPE WHEN MAKING!! Thank you for renewing my faiith in homemade patties tasting great again!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🎉🎉🤗
Fantastic recipe. Simple, easy, and super flavorful and moist. I’ll make my burgers like this from now on
Panade of milk and dried mashed potatoes, onions diced fine, salt pepper Worcester and some olive oil. For gluten free burgers.
My 16 year old daughter just made this today. It was easy and we were really surprised that it was so flavorful and delicious. My family loves it.
Is there a way to not use the Worcestershire
Hi Stephanie, It will have a slightly different flavor, but you could use teriyaki sauce in place of the Worcestershire. Here are some other options you may want to check out. Hope that helps!
These burgers were absolutely terrific! I’ve made lots & lots of burgers in my lifetime, as I’m sure most of you have; however, these were definitely over the top. Mine were cooked well done under a broiler and were the juiciest burgers I have ever eaten. I did not have white bread or milk, so I used a couple handfuls of Italian bread crumbs and a small amount of half & half. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you, Jenn ~ cannot wait to try your next recipe!
Too easy and tastes delicious! Our teenage boys loved them! No need for takeaway!
Made these the other day and they were incredible. boyfriend usually likes my cooking anyway but said these are the best burgers he’s ever had which made me very happy.
Was just wondering if these would be the same swapping the mince for quorn mince if I was to make them for a vegan friend? Thanks in advance 😊
So glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed these! I’ve never worked with quorn so I don’t know how the recipe would work using it — sorry!
These burgers were well liked by adults and kids. I didn’t have Worcestershire sauce, so I used 1tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar and some onion powder and ginger powder as a substitute. Grilled on medium/high gas grill. Froze half for another time. Success.
Meant to comment not reply – sorry.
Awesome recipe! The burgers are so good my non-meat eater said she wishes all meat tasted this good! The whole family loved this recipe and want burgers again.
Make it! You won’t regret it.
Very tasty burger! And they hold together on the BBQ! My new go to burger recipe, thanks Jenn!