Tips on Awesome Pan Fried Hamburgers

Pan-fried hamburgers can be made in just minutes

Hamburgers patties can be made with numerous different cuts of beef and using different methods of cooking. The higher the fat content, the juicier the hamburger will be. Common ways to cooking hamburger patties include grilling, broiling and pan frying. However, where broiling and grilling causes the natural juices (fat) to drip away from the burgers as they cook, pan frying (or searing) the patties allows them to actually cook in their own juices. A number of preparations, both external and internal, can make flavorful pan-fried hamburgers. Does this Spark an idea?

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Salt and Black Pepper
- Sometimes, the simplest approach is the best. When making hamburger patties in a pan, just a liberal sprinkling of salt and black pepper is really all you need to bring out the best flavor. Salt and black pepper (take it to the next level by using kosher salt or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper) allows the flavor of the beef to come through unhindered. Choose hamburger meat that has a fairly high content such as ground beef (27 percent) or ground chuck (20 percent). This will ensure the burgers remain flavorful throughout the cooking process and juicy to the last bite.
Dry and Liquid Seasonings
- For some additional flavor, spices and seasoning can be added prior to pan frying your patties. Add dried spices and seasonings, such as onion and garlic powder. For a little kick, add a small amount of ground cayenne pepper to the meat prior to shaping into patties. Oregano, thyme and paprika are also dried spices that go well with hamburger, as well as ground mustard seed. Worcestershire sauce or steak sauce can be added before you make your patties. They impart extra moisture to your burgers, as well as extra flavor.
Meat Mix
- Similar to meatloaf, certain items can add crunch and flavor to your patties. Diced onion, bell pepper and mushrooms can be added to impart fresh flavors to your hamburgers. For added heat, diced jalapeno or poblano peppers can be added or, for the truly adventurous, add diced habanero peppers to the mix. Shredded or small diced pieces of cheese can be added to the mix to make a gooey and savory burger. These burgers can be shaped into patties like normal and pan fried.
Hidden Surprise
- A recent phenomenon when making hamburger patties is to actually make two very thin patties and stuff the burgers by putting ingredients on the top of one patty, covering everything with the remaining hamburger patty, then crimping the edges of both patties together so that everything stays inside. Cheese, ranging from cheddar and Swiss, the blue cheese, Gorgonzola and cream cheese, are commonly used to fill hamburger patties, but you can use a wide variety of items to stuff a burger, including sauteed onions and mushrooms, bacon and pepperoni. Special care should taken when making stuffed burgers in a pan, such as not pressing down on the burgers and using caution when flipping them.