Tara Holland is a British mom of two teenage girls residing in Brooklyn. She changed her successful career midlife from the financial corporate world to follow her culinary dream and graduated with honors at the Institute of Culinary Education in 2017. She went on to become an Assistant Food Editor at Rachael Ray Every Day magazine, and is now a freelance recipe developer, writer, and recipe tester.
published Jul 22, 2022
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For a perfectly juicy burger without the burden of standing over a smokey grill, take it to the oven.
Serves4Prep12 minutesCook15 minutes to 17 minutesreviews
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When you need a burger fix but don’t want to stand over a smoky grill or get splattered with hot fat on a stovetop, cooking burgers in the oven may be the summer hack you are looking for! The oven browns the patties perfectly and yields a juicy, flavorful burger with minimal work and zero supervision.
A little Worcestershire sauce and mustard mixed into the ground beef adds flavor and moisture, while homemade burger seasoning, which contains a little sugar, helps with the caramelization of the burgers. Although totally optional, a tablespoon of liquid smoke tricks your taste buds into thinking the burger has been seared or cooked on a scorching-hot grill. Plus, it helps deepen the color of the patties.
Do You Have to Flip Burgers in the Oven?
No, and that’s the beauty of cooking burgers in the oven! Cooking them on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet allows the heat to get under the patty, which helps the air circulate and cook evenly without having to flip them.
Can I Use Any Percentage of Lean Ground Beef?
You can use any percentage of ground beef. I’ve made these patties with both 90% and 80% lean ground beef, although using 80% lean lends more juicy and flavorful results.
Additional Burger Topping Ideas
In addition to the usual fixings, here are some of my favorite toppings for burgers in the oven.
- Crumbled blue cheese
- Crispy bacon
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Quick-pickled red onions or caramelized onions
- Avocado mayonnaise
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Burgers in the Oven Recipe
For a perfectly juicy burger without the burden of standing over a smokey grill, take it to the oven.
Prep time 12 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes to 17 minutes
Serves4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 pound
80% lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon
yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon
liquid smoke, preferably hickory (optional)
- 1 tablespoon
store-bought or homemade Worcestershire sauce
- 4 teaspoons
burger seasoning (or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar)
- 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
- 4
hamburger buns
- 4 slices
sharp cheddar or American cheese (optional)
Topping options: sliced beefsteak tomato, butter lettuce leaves, dill pickle slices, sliced red onion, ketchup, yellow mustard
Instructions
Arrange 1 rack in the lower third and a second rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Fit a wire rack inside the baking sheet.
Place 1 pound 80% lean ground beef, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon liquid smoke if desired, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 4 teaspoons burger seasoning in a large bowl. (If you are not using burger seasoning, use 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar instead.) Use your hands to combine thoroughly, but don't overwork the mixture.
Divide into 4 portions. Shape each into a patty about 4-inches wide and 1/2-inch thick. Place on the rack in a single layer, spacing them evenly apart.
Bake on the upper rack until browned and firm or desired degree of doneness, they will be cooked through and at 140°F at 15 minutes. The patties will shrink quite significantly during the cooking process. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan on the stovetop or microwave in a small microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds. Split 4 burger buns and brush the cut sides with the butter. Place cut-side down on a second baking sheet.
After the patties have been baking for 10 minutes, place the baking sheet with the buns on the middle rack. Bake until warm and the cut sides are lightly golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. If you are adding cheese, top each patty with 1 slice in the final minute to melt.
Assemble the burgers: Place a patty on each bottom bun, top with toppings of choice, and close with the top buns.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftover burger patties can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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