How to Fry Burgers Without Burning Them

Pan-fried burgers can make for a classic and delicious home-cooked meal. There's really no great secret to frying up great hamburgers, though it is important to follow the right steps to make sure they don't burn.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Choose a ground beef with a decent fat content. Lean ground beef becomes dried out much quicker than regular ground beef and can be easier to burn.
2. Choose a good non-stick skillet in which to cook your burgers.
3. Add a small amount of oil to the skillet. Avoid excessive amounts, as it can pop and cause injuries. Just a good coat on the bottom of the skillet is sufficient.
4. Preheat the oil and the skillet before adding the hamburgers. Use medium heat, perhaps a little higher. Cooking the burgers on high heat will only sear the outside of the patty while keeping the inside raw.
5. Flip the burgers frequently in the skillet. Do not allow a burger to remain on one side for more than a minute or so. Leaving it on one side for too long will cause the patty to cook unevenly and eventually burn.
6. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the hamburgers. The USDA recommends cooking burgers to Medium Well, which is about 160 degrees F. Of course, it is a matter of taste. Some people enjoy a burger with a little pink inside.

Tips & Warnings

• For those monitoring calorie intake, you can use a non-stick spray instead of oil.