Description
This Ultimate Butter Burger recipe delivers juicy, flavorful burgers topped with sweet caramelized onions and melted American cheese, all sandwiched between buttery toasted buns. Perfect for a quick and indulgent homemade burger experience in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Onions
- 12 tablespoons salted butter, softened and divided (1¼ sticks)
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
For the Burgers
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 homemade burger buns, toasted
- 4 slices American cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the Onions: In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet onion, 1 tablespoon water, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Cover and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Finish Cooking the Onions: Reduce the heat to medium-low and remove the lid. Continue cooking the onions uncovered until they become translucent and just start browning, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the onions to a plate, divide into four equal portions, and set aside.
- Prepare Burger Patties: Divide the ground beef into four equal portions and gently shape each into a patty approximately 4½ inches wide and ½ inch thick. Season both sides evenly with the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper. Refrigerate the patties for 15 to 30 minutes to help them firm up.
- Butter the Buns: Spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter on the top halves of each burger bun. Set them aside while you cook the patties.
- Cook the Patties: In the same skillet used for the onions, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until it starts to smoke. Add the burger patties and cook for 3 minutes without moving to develop a sear.
- Finish Cooking the Patties: Flip the patties and cook for an additional 1 minute. Place one slice of American cheese on each patty and continue cooking until the cheese melts, about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Assemble the Burgers: Place each cheese-topped patty on the bottom halves of the toasted buns. Top with a quarter of the sautéed onions. Finally, cover with the buttered bun tops and serve the burgers immediately for best taste.
Notes
- For juicier patties, avoid pressing them down while cooking.
- Use homemade buns or your favorite soft burger buns for the best texture.
- Butter the buns just before assembling to keep them from becoming soggy.
- Feel free to substitute American cheese with cheddar or your preferred melting cheese.
- The onions can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated to save time.
