The secret to perfect stovetop burgers is poking a hole through the middle of the burger patty so it cooks evenly, inside and out. Here’s how to cook burgers on the stove (including how long to cook burgers for perfect doneness).
Now Trending
Believe it or not, you don’t need a grill to create a restaurant-quality burger. For years I worked as the executive chef of a restaurant that had a very small kitchen. We didn’t have a flattop grill, so I learned how to cook burgers on the stove in a cast-iron pan. These hot pans create burger patties that sizzle and sear to caramelized perfection while staying perfectly juicy in the center. Served up on homemade hamburger buns, stovetop burgers rival any version made on the grill.
The secret behind stovetop burgers is all in how the patties are shaped. Like our best hamburger recipe, start with high-quality beef and handle it as little as possible when forming the patties. But instead of pressing a small divot in the center of each patty, use your thumb to create a small hole—like a doughnut. This tiny step helps with airflow so the burgers will cook quickly, evenly and with minimal shrinkage.
How Long to Cook Burgers on the Stovetop
Stovetop burgers cook for about eight minutes in a preheated pan on the stovetop. Flip each burger once halfway through the cooking time, when the burger’s edges start to brown on the side of the patty. You’ll know that the burgers are finished when they’re firm to the touch and the meat springs back slightly when pressed.
When learning how long to cook burgers on the stovetop, remember that the total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of each burger patty. I always recommend using an instant-read meat thermometer to test the burger’s internal temperature. The USDA recommends cooking store-bought ground beef to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F to destroy any potentially harmful bacteria. It’s possible to cook burgers to lower temperatures if you grind the meat at home, but it’s still risky, so proceed with caution.
Here’s a guide for the cooking time and temperature of 1-inch-thick beef burger patties:
- Medium-rare: Six minutes, or 130°
- Medium: Seven to eight minutes, or 140°
- Medium-well: Nine minutes, or 150°
- Well done: 10 minutes, or 160°
Stovetop Burger Ingredients
BURCU ATALAY TANKUT/GETTY IMAGES
- Ground beef: You can’t make a truly great burger with bargain-bin beef. High-quality beef tastes great without any seasonings (except a little salt to draw out the beefy flavor), so splurge for the highest-quality meat you can find. For my money, I prefer the beefier, pastoral flavor of grass-fed beef vs. corn-fed beef, but either makes a great burger.
- Butter: We’ll show you how to cook burgers on the stove with butter to help the meat brown and sear.