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.
Who doesn’t love a big, tender, juicy steakhouse burger? Problem is, they’re hard to replicate at home because most steakhouses use custom blends of beef—like sirloin, chuck, and short ribs—to get the perfect balance of flavor and fat. While you can 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—a mixture of bread and milk—plus garlic and scallions, these steakhouse-style burgers come 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, honestly, they’re so flavorful, 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
Ingredients
- 2 pieces white sandwich bread, crusts removed and cut into ¼-in (6-mm) pieces
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 lb (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-in (2-cm) patties about 4½ in (12 cm) 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.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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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We normally aren’t burger people, but we had purchased some local grassfed beef, and thought this would be a perfect time to try it. What a great idea, adding the milk and bread to make them juicier. Brilliant!! The burgers were out of this world 🙂
Loved this.
Used 2 lbs of lean beef and 1 lb turkey. Cooked it in an air fryer for thirty minutes at 360 and about 10 on side at 400 to brown. Added a single slice of kraft cheese singles with a little ketchup and it was devine.
Honestly, was not expecting something to taste so good with such simple ingredients.
these burgers taste better than any burger that I have ever tasted.(whether in restaurant or private home) I will never go back to making plain burgers again. Thanks for sharing your recipe Jenn. I look forward to making some of the other recipes from you.. Thanks again, Craig
This recipe is delicious! I have substituted ground turkey and it works great for that meat too. So juicy and super easy to make.
This is my go-to burger recipe. It always turns out tender and flavorful! I made no changes to the recipe – it’s perfect as is!
Terrific burgers! I’ve made them twice & love them!
If you love a good burger, MAKE THESE BURGERS!! I will never buy a grocery store patty again. These are super easy to prepare and the few ingredients make all the difference in the world. Burgers are moist and flavorful…delicious! And if you are looking for a burger with an Asian twist, try Jenn’s Bulgogi burgers…amazing as well!!
Tasty burgers. Followed exactly though did cook a bit longer. Cooked two and froze the rest. Frozen ones grilled just as nicely. Nice to have ready in the freezer so make extra!
A panade really makes the difference. We started adding a cube of ice to the center depression during the first half of the grilling process and it really makes the patties even more juicy.
You wouldn’t think a burger could taste THAT MUCH BETTER by just adding a few ingredients…but it can! Even my kids could recognize the difference and the Juicy Steakhouse Burger is now requested by name, often!
forgot to give it a star rating – definitely 5!
Pop up ads and request to rate this is annoying as hell. For that I give it a 👎
Rate the recipe not the website!