Pan-Seared Hamburgers

Burgers are delicious.  Great burgers are hard to find.   The best are cooked over an open fire, but what do you do when you don't want to go through the rigmarole?  Why use a great cast iron skillet or stove top grill.

burgers are dimpled in the middle

nice glaze from cast iron

Pan-Seared Hamburgers

from The Editor's of American Test Kitchen // American Test Kitchen

The Best New Recipes

1 1/2 pound 80% organic lean ground beef
1t salt
1/2t  freshly ground pepper
buns, onions, lettuce, tomato.........

~ break up the meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper
~ toss lightly with you hands to distribute seasonings
~ divide the meat into the amount of burgers you want to make
~ with cupped hands toss the portion back and forth to form loose ball
~ pat lightly to flatten 3/4 inch thick
~ press center of patty down with your fingertips until about 1/2 inch thick divot in the center is created
~ heat cast iron skillet / grill medium high heat
~ cook burgers turning only once to desired doneness
~ 3 minutes per side rare
~ 3 1/2 minutes medium rare
~ 4 minutes medium
~ 5 minutes well done