Hamburgers (Tavern Style)

Hamburgers (Tavern Style)

Here is a hamburger you might find in taverns and bars, plump and juicy, with a thick char that gives way to tender, medium-rare meat. It is best cooked in a heavy, cast-iron skillet slicked with oil or fat. Ask a butcher for coarse-ground chuck steak, with at least a 20 percent fat content, or grind your own. Keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook, and then when you do, form your patties gently. Season after the meat is in the pan.

Yield: 4 servings

½ teaspoon neutral oil, like canola, or a pat of unsalted butter

2 pounds ground chuck, at least 20 percent fat

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

4 slices cheese (optional)

4 soft hamburger buns

Lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and condiments, as desired

Add oil or butter to a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet and place over medium heat. Gently divide ground beef into 4 small piles of around 8 ounces each, and then lightly form these into thick patties of around 3 ½ inches in diameter, like flattened meatballs. Season aggressively with salt and pepper.

Increase heat under skillet to high. Put hamburgers into the skillet with plenty of distance between them and allow them to cook, without moving, for approximately 3 minutes. Use a spatula to turn hamburgers over. If using cheese, lay slices on meat.

Continue to cook until meat is cooked through, approximately another 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove hamburgers from skillet and allow to rest for approximately 5 minutes; meanwhile, toast the buns. Place hamburgers on buns and top as desired.

TIP: Good technique here, but one crucial step missing: putting a thumb print in the burger before setting in pan. The thumbprint keeps the burger from turning into a self steaming dome (hence the terrible gray meat effect). Because SCIENCE! I also (gently) mix a small amount of Duke’s mayo (high egg content) and fish sauce into the meat for extra fat, and a deep, rich umami taste. I know fish sauce sounds weird, but it really works with small amounts. No one knows it’s there but you!

I don't see the need for oil or butter. If you sprinkle salt on your cast-iron pan, fire it up and put in the raw burgers, they immediately render enough fat/juice to start sizzling and form a nice carmelized crust too. I use 85% lean beef.

I agree, no need for oil or butter, even using 7% fat ground beef as I do. In addition to coarse salt in the pan, I grind peppercorns into the pan. I also add salt and pepper to the top, uncooked side as the bottom cooks.