Steakhouse Burgers

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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.

Steakhouse burger on a plate with burger toppings.

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

burger recipe ingredients

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.

panade or bread and milk paste for burger recipe

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.

adding seasoning to panade for burger recipe

Stir until well combined.

seasoned panade in mixing bowl

Add 3 pounds of 85% lean ground beef and 3 finely sliced scallions (if using).

adding ground beef and scallions to panade

Mix everything together until just combined.

meat mixture for burgersDivide 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.

burgers ready to cook on baking sheet

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.

burgers on the grill

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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.

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 25 Minutes

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

  1. Preheat the grill to high heat.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • I tried this recipe tonight and the burgers turned out incredible! I followed the recipe exactly (cooked for 4 minutes per side on the BBQ – no pink). So juicy, flavourful, just delicious!
    For toppings we added: goat cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sautéed onions and mushrooms, bacon and sauce: mashed avocado with mayo and sriracha. YUM 🤤💯
    Thank you! My new favourite burger recipe. I wish I could add a picture of how great it looked, I took a few to show family and friends 😉

  • Could I use honeywheat bread instead of white bread?

    • Sure, Jeanne – that’s fine.

  • I had never made a panade before, or ever attempted to add so many ingredients to our burgers. They were so incredibly flavorful and I received immediate positive comments from my family. I threw all the ingredients for the panade in the blender before adding to the meat and this was easier for me. I also substituted an organic wheat bread with seeds, and it was great! Thank you and we will continue being creative with the panade!

  • Oh my! I have been cooking for a long time and never took the time to learn how to cook a GREAT burger or what seasonings to use. This recipe is fabulous! Highly recommended!!! Notes such as put an indent in the top of the burger were right on. They came out perfectly formed. My husband loved these burgers! Me too! Company worthy! Thank you! A keeper recipe!

    • — Barbara Scoggins
    • Reply
  • One of the best burgers I have had. Family loved them.

  • Hi Jen,

    I would like to make these today for dinner but happen to be staying somewhere where neither a grill or cast iron skillet are available. Would you say using some form of heavy duty pan on really high heat would be worth it?

    Thank you so much !

    • Hi Malak, I think that will work. 🙂

  • I’m very fussy when it comes to burgers. There have been times when I’ve taken a bite and just throw it out. Made these tonight, and I can’t believe how good they were. Such an easy, simple recipe. They were so tender and flavorful. Thanks for yet another great recipe.

  • Delicious! We will be making this a regular meal in my household for sure.

    • — Thomas Anastasio
    • Reply
  • These were the best grilled burgers. Juicy and flavorful. Whole family loved the flavor and juiciness of these grilled burgers.
    Thank you so much for the recipe.

  • Amazing burgers! As a personal preference, I always add thin slices of avocado (or just spread it on the buns), bacon, and Swiss cheese (make sure it melts for that delicious melted-Swiss taste) to my burgers.

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