Cast Iron Skillet Cheeseburgers
Cast Iron Skillet Cheeseburgers use a mixture of sirloin steak chunks and beef short ribs coarsely ground to create juicy burger patties with a rich beef flavor. Cooked in a cast iron skillet, these burgers develop a browned crust from the high heat. Topped with American cheese and served on toasted buns, the burgers invite traditional garnishes like lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and bacon. The process includes shaping loose, well-seasoned patties chilled before cooking to help maintain their form and enhance texture.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces sirloin steak cut into 1-inch chunks, tips
- 6 ounces beef short ribs cut into 1-inch chunks, boneless
- kosher salt
- black pepper ground
- 1 teaspoon butter salted
- 4 lices American cheese
To serve/garnish:
- hamburger buns melt some butter in the skillet and place the buns cut-side down until lightly browned, toasted
- lettuce
- tomato
- Bacon !!
- onion sliced
- pickles
- burger sauce
Instructions
- Place beef chunks on baking sheet in single layer, leaving ½-inch of space around each chunk. Freeze meat until very firm and starting to harden around edges but still pliable, 15 to 25 minutes.
- Place half of meat in food processor and pulse until meat is coarsely ground, 10 to 15 one-second pulses, stopping and redistributing meat around bowl as necessary to ensure beef is evenly ground. Transfer meat to baking sheet, overturning bowl and without directly touching meat. Repeat grinding with remaining meat. Spread meat over sheet and discard any long strands of gristle or large chunks of hard meat or fat.
- Gently separate ground meat into 4 equal mounds. Without picking meat up, with your fingers gently shape each mound into loose patty 1/2 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter, leaving edges and surface ragged. Season top of each patty with salt and pepper. Using spatula, flip patties and season other side. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
- Place large cast iron skillet over high heat; add butter and heat until foaming. Transfer burgers to skillet and cook without moving for 3 minutes. Using spatula, flip burgers over and cook for 1 minute. Top each patty with slice of cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute longer. Remove burgers from the skillet and serve immediately on soft hamburger buns and toppings and condiments of choice.
Notes
- Ask your butcher to coarsely grind the meat to save preparation time if preferred.
- Shape patties ahead and freeze separated by parchment paper for up to two weeks; thaw before cooking.
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, a heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet works as a substitute.
- For bacon cheeseburgers, cook bacon first and use the rendered fat to cook the patties for added flavor.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 cheeseburgers
Amount Per Serving
Calories 248
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 248kcal | 12% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 92mg | 31% |
| Sodium | 435mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 453mg | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 230IU | 5% |
| Calcium | 226mg | 23% |
| Iron | 2.7mg | 15% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.