If you want to know the way to my heart, I am going to let you in on a little secret…just bring me a cheeseburger. I am not even kidding, most girls prefer diamonds, but I prefer a juicy classic American cheeseburger complete with all the fixings! When I was pregnant with my son, cheeseburgers were my number one craving and you can ask my husband about how many cheeseburgers we both consumed during those nine months and neither one of us would be able to tell you! Needless to say, I created a four year old kid who’s favorite food also happens to be a cheeseburger and I am one proud mama. I love a good cheeseburger when we go out to eat, but I have to say my at home recipe rivals most cheeseburgers out there and it couldn’t be any simpler to make! My recipe for the best cheeseburgers is going to up your summer grilling game and will have you looking like a burger pro in no time.

I know there are lots of fancy burgers out there, but I have to say, I am a sucker for a classic cheeseburger. I don’t really want anything more than melty cheese, crisp lettuce, onion, lots of pickles, tomato, and a good slather of ketchup, mayo, and mustard. Although, if you prefer to with this recipe, you can totally jazz it up with bacon, a fried egg, grilled onions. The possibilities are endless and this recipe is definitely just a starting point for all of your burger dreams.

Classically a cheeseburger is made with ground beef, but I have grown to love using ground pork for my burgers and I would urge you to try the same if you can find it. The flavor is on point with ground pork and it usually has the perfect fat ratio to really make a juicy and flavorful burger. Whatever you do here, you do not want to use an extra lean ground meat because you will end up with a dry and lack luster burger. Now is not the time to go for the extra lean ground meat. I like a 80/20 ratio if I have my pick, but whatever you do don’t go below a 90/10 meat to fat ratio if you really want to grill up a perfect cheeseburger.

I season the meat with a good amount of salt, pepper, steak seasoning, and a little Worcestershire sauce and even though it’s simple, it truly makes the best tasting burger. You can use whatever cheese you like here, I love using a sharp cheddar or a colby jack, but really any cheese with good flavor will work. This part is totally up to you, so just use whatever is in your fridge or whatever is your favorite type of cheese. But whatever you decide to use, don’t be stingy with it, we want a good layer of melty cheese on top of our burgers.

I grill these burgers up on an outdoor grill, but you can also make them on an indoor grill pan, or in a cast iron skillet if you don’t have access to an outdoor grill. So no matter what your set up is, there is no excuse for you not to be making delicious cheeseburgers right in your own kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 2 Lbs. Ground Pork (or ground beef)

• 8 Slices Colby Jack Cheese (or cheese of your choice)

• 1 Tsp. Kosher Salt

• 1/2 Tsp. Cracked Black Pepper

• 1/2 Tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning

• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

• Burger Buns

• Toppings: Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickles, Mayo, Mustard, Ketchup etc.

Directions:

• In a large bowl combine meat, salt, black pepper, steak seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce and mix until just combined.

• Preheat grill to medium high heat, about 375 degrees. If using a skillet, also heat to medium high heat.

• Form 6-8 burger patties (depending on how big you like your burgers and I usually look at my bun size and make slightly bigger than the bun). When forming your burgers, make sure to make a dip in the middle of the burger so it’s flatter than the edges. This way when you cook them, they won’t puff up and end up like tiny burgers that don’t fit your buns anymore. I make mine about 3/4 inch thick, I don’t love a thick burger, but you can adjust based on preference.

• Once the patties are made, I like to sprinkle the burgers one last time with salt and pepper just to ensure they are seasoned on every bite.

• Place burgers onto grill and close the lid and cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side and then flip for another 4-5 minutes on the second side. If using beef, you can cook less if you prefer a burger that is pink inside. If using pork, you want cook all the way through. Adjust cook time if you make a thicker burger.

• After the second side has cooked 4-5 minutes, scoot the burgers off of direct heat, and turn down the grill to about 300 degrees and add cheese. I use about 1 1/2 Slices of cheese per burger. Let the cheese slowly melt until it just covers the burgers with the grill lid closed. If using a skillet, I like to cover it with a lid or aluminum foil as the cheese melts.

• While the cheese melts, I like to heat a griddle or nonstick pan and add a little butter until it melts and then toast my buns until the bottom side has a little crust on it. You can also toast them up on the grill. This is optional, but adds another level to your burger.

• Remove the burgers from the grill and then add desired toppings to you bun and add cheeseburger next. Serve immediately.

Tip: When grilling burgers (or any meat) don’t flip until the burgers easily release from the grill, if it is sticking then it’s not time to flip yet. I really like to only flip my burgers once, so the less you flip is better and it keeps your burgers extra juicy. And whatever you do, do not press on the burger while its cooking with a spatula.

How perfect are these for your Memorial Day plans? Set up a burger station and let your friends and family make their own burger to their liking! Easy and so delicious!