These are the BEST Burgers! Made with a mix of ground beef and ground pork, caramelized onions, balsamic vinegar, chili powder and MORE that makes them so much more flavorful than other burgers!
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I just don’t know if there’s anything better than a great burger in the summertime!
Sure, we love these Turkey Burgers and these Hawaiian Chicken Burgers are always a hit, but sometimes you just need a classic homemade beef burger.
However you load it up, a side of these Air Fryer French Fries and a classic milkshake are necessary additions 😉
But back to the burger.
I’ve never eaten another burger that packs in this much flavor!
What makes this burger recipe extra special?
I borrowed the caramelized onion and balsamic vinegar ideas from The Pioneer Woman, but I added my own flavors and I really think these are BETTER than your average burger.
Caramelizing things adds flavor, we all know this!
But how often do we see cooked onions, garlic, spices added to burgers? I had never seen it before.
Toasting the garlic and spices with the onions before adding it to the burgers is key — it wakes them up and brings out the flavors so much more intensely!
Be sure to brush with your favorite barbecue sauce (if desired) and top them as you like: cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, mustard, relish — whatever suits your fancy! For me? I’m a plain Jane: just ketchup and pickles!
Can I make these dairy free? Egg free? Gluten free?
- Swap the butter for oil for a dairy free burger.
- If you’re looking to make these gluten free, try subbing the bread crumbs for gluten free bread crumbs, or finely crushed gluten free potato or tortilla chips.
- The egg does help to bind the burgers, but if you need to make them egg free, you can swap the egg for a couple tablespoons (2-3) of barbecue sauce.
How to make burger patties:
There are lots of different ways to shape burger patties, including small kitchen tools that do the work for you!
These are great if you want uniform patties, but my kitchen is already loaded with knick knacks I don’t use, so I’d rather not add another to the mix!
The easiest way to get uniform burgers is to smooth your burger mix in the bowl so it is flat on top.
Then use your hands to draw a line in the burger mix to mark a half, then the other way to mark a quarter. Then divide each quarter in half to make 8 even burgers.
You want your burgers to hold together, but you also don’t want to overwork them so that they become tough.
I like to make mine a little thicker at the edges and a little thinner through the middle, since the edges will cook more quickly and this way my burgers are perfectly cooked and juicy all the way through.
Cook onions and add brown sugar Stir in spices and cook briefly Add onions and other ingredients to meat Smooth and divide into eight even sections
How to store burger patties:
When I’m going through the effort of making homemade burgers, I almost always make extra so I can freeze some.
I like to flash freeze so I can grab just one or two from the freezer if I need.
To do this, lay your burger patties on a sheet pan and freeze for 2 hours or until firm. Then place your frozen burger patties in a large freezer bag and store in the freezer.
This way, you can easily grab however many you need without having them stuck together.
Variations on this burger recipe:
- You can use ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, ground beef or any combination of ground meats!
- Don’t have red onion? Any onion will do! I like to use sweet onions for the best flavor.
- Swap out the ground pork for Italian sausage for an extra kick!
The Best Burgers
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb lean ground pork
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup fine seasoned bread crumbs see above for gluten free options
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- Barbecue sauce for basting and toppings as desired
Instructions
- In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat and add onions, stirring until coated. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, until tender and translucent.
- Add brown sugar and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes, until caramelized.
- Add garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat 1 minute. Remove from heat, scrape into a bowl and refrigerate until room temperature (if you’re making this ahead, be sure to cover the dish after the onions have cooled to store for longer periods of time).
- In a large bowl, combine pork, beef, egg, bread crumbs, vinegar worcestershire sauce and cooled onion mixture and mix just until combined — don’t overmix.
- Shape into 8 patties for ¼ pound burgers (feel free to make them bigger or smaller according to your preferences).
- *Recommended: place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. You can also place in the freezer for 2-3 hours. This isn’t necessary but really helps the flavors meld together and helps the burgers stay together when cooked.
- In a pan or on a grill, cook burgers for about 4-5 minutes per side on medium-high heat until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Serve as desired with buns, garnishes, sauces, etc.
Nutrition Information
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Judy says
Would this be a good recipe for meatballs too
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Judy! Maybe? I just haven’t tried it. This is my go-to meatball recipe: https://www.thereciperebel.com/easy-meatball-recipe/ Enjoy!
Elba Rivera says
I combined beef and pork
They were delicious
I froze a few
Thanks for sharing the recipe
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Elba! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Sade says
Thanks for this recipe. I’m not a burger person but my sons enjoyed it a great deal.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sade! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the kind review!
Lily says
It was delicious.!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lily! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the review!
Mary says
INCREDIBLE EXCELLANT DELICIOUS
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Mary!
Charla says
Sounds amazing, going to make these next time.
Trick is to put a hole in the centre of your burger before freezing or cooking. This is allow the meat to cook evenly and stay flat. No baseball burgers.
Ashley Fehr says
No baseball burgers here 🙂
Sheri Templeton says
these sound amazing. we live on the lake and grill all summer long here in Tx. these will be on our 4th of July menu. YUM!!!!! Thank you for all your great recipes. do you have one for a quick pickle?
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Sheri! I don’t have any pickle recipes yet but I might have to work on some!
deb donnelly says
These burgers are the Best Burgers for sure !!!! We enjoyed them totally ,I use a lid from a gallon Jar I wrap it in Saran wrap then just press in the amount that fills it then lift it out with the Saran wrap , I do keep using the Saran until all are made ,easy peasy they are pretty much same thickness, nice size burgers .
My go to burger now .
Ashley Fehr says
That is such a great idea Deb! I’m so glad you liked them!