Steakhouse Burgers

Tested & Perfected Recipes Cookbook Recipe
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

  • YUM! These are the best burgers. Don’t even need condiments. Also so easy. I made up the ground beef, went about my day & all I needed to do when I got home is make a salad and fire up these burgers in the grill. Perfect. Thank you!

  • Wow! This hamburger is amazing….super moist and great flavor. I discovered your website last week and I have been cooking up a storm and baking too. Each and every one of your recipes has been straightforward, delicious and not to mention, gourmet! You truly are a talented chef. I am so excited to have discovered your website and can’t wait for your many cookbooks to hit the market. Thank you and never stop developing these fantastic recipes.

  • Hi can I put in the oven instead of gril?

    • Hi Esther, Yes, you can broil them.

  • I just have to know what kind of buns are used (in picture at the top). I’ve been looking for buns other than store bought hamburger buns. Thank you :))

    Steven Comi

    • Hi Steven, That’s a kaiser roll.

  • I don’t have milk can I use half half?how much? I’m only doin half portion for burgers. Your recipes are amazing!

    • Hi Claudia, Yes, half & half will work just fine — use the same amount as you would the milk.

  • Dear Jenn,

    Thank you for sharing your recipe. How long can the patties be kept in the freezer, since milk is used? Can we replace milk with water?

    Thank you,
    Hanna

    • Hi Hanna, I would say a few months and, yes, it’s fine to replace the milk with water.

  • I don’t eat dairy and was wondering if it would be better to substitute the milk for water or for coconut or some other nut milk. Thanks for your input.

    • Hi Abigail, Water or a nut milk will both work fine.

      • These were amazing burgers and were wolfed down by everyone, young and old. This has definitely become my go-to burger recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!!

  • These were the best ever. Many happy faces came from my family tonight when I made these. Thank-you so much for sharing.

    • Hi can these be cooked on stove stop?

      • — Vanessa M Youngblood
      • Reply
      • Sure, Vanessa, you can cook these on the stove using a grill pan. Hope you enjoy!

  • Is there an acceptable gluten-free substitute for the sandwich bread? I didn’t know if the difference in texture between gluten-free bread and regular bread would have an effect on the finished product.

    • Hi Taylor, Gluten-free bread or breadcrumbs would both work fine.

  • I have been experimenting lots of burger recipes and this one is by far my favorite. So juicy and flavorful! Thank you, Jen!

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