Two slices of cheese, toasted bun, salt-forward beef. Simple mastery > gimmicks.

Classic American Cheeseburgers

Servings: 2 USA-Size

Preparation: 5m

Cooking: 15m

Skill Level: Beginner–intermediate

Cheeseburgers (classic American style) (2)

Ingredients:

500 g 80/20 ground beef → form into 4 loose 125 g balls (smash method) OR 2 × 250 g patties (thicker)
Salt & cracked black pepper
4 slices American cheese (or cheddar)
2 burger buns (brioche or sesame), buttered & toasted
Sliced onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard, shredded lettuce

For the Coating

1 cup all-purpose flour (≈ 120 g)
½ cup cornstarch (≈ 60 g — makes it shatter-crisp)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne (optional)

Mise En Place:

Say, can you see

By the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed

At the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars

Through the perilous fight

O'er the ramparts we watched

Were so gallantly, yeah, streaming?

And the rockets' red glare

The bombs bursting in air

Gave proof through the night

That our flag was still there

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave

Cooking Steps:

Heat cast-iron over high. Season balls just before cooking. Place ball on hot griddle, smash hard with metal spatula to ~1 cm thickness, hold for 10 sec to set. Salt immediately.

Cook 1–1.5 min, flip, add cheese, another 30–60 sec. Build burger with standard condiments.

Rating