Burger With French Fries Recipe

Prepare and mix

Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Gently combine with your hands or a spatula until just mixed; avoid overworking to keep patties tender.

Form patties

Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions (about 4 oz each). Gently shape each portion into a patty roughly 3.5-4 inches in diameter and about 3/4 inch thick. Make a slight thumb indentation in the center of each patty to reduce puffing while cooking.

Cook patties

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. When oil is shimmering, add patties (work in batches if needed). Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side without moving, until a brown crust forms. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes more for medium (internal temp ~145°F/63°C). During the last 1 minute of cooking, place a slice of cheddar on each patty, cover the pan or tent with foil to melt the cheese. Remove cooked patties to a plate and loosely tent with foil to rest 3-5 minutes.

Prepare toppings

While patties rest, slice the tomato into 4 even slices and thinly slice the red onion. Rinse and pat dry lettuce leaves. If desired, lightly season tomato slices with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Toast buns

Spread softened butter evenly on the cut sides of the 4 buns. Heat a clean skillet or griddle over medium heat and toast the buns butter-side down 1-2 minutes until golden and slightly crisp. Remove from heat.

Assemble burgers

Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on each bottom bun, then add a lettuce leaf, a cheese-topped patty, a tomato slice, two to three red onion rings, and two pickle slices. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard and 1 tablespoon ketchup on each top bun (adjust to taste) and place on top. Press gently and serve immediately with fries.

Prep potatoes

Peel (optional) and cut each russet potato into 1/4- to 3/8-inch thick sticks for classic fries. Place cut potatoes into a large bowl of cold water and let soak at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours) to remove excess starch. If short on time, soak 20 minutes; longer soaking yields crisper fries.

Dry and (optional) dust

Drain the potatoes and spread them on clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Thoroughly pat dry—moisture will cause oil to splatter and make fries less crisp. If using: toss dried potatoes with 1 tsp cornstarch until lightly coated to increase crispiness.

Fry

In a heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan, pour enough vegetable oil to reach about 1/2 inch depth (about 1 cup). Heat oil over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of potato sizzles immediately. Work in batches—add fries in a single layer and fry 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pale golden and tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer fries to a paper-towel-lined tray. If you prefer extra crisp, increase heat to 375°F (190°C) after the first fry and fry a second time 1-2 minutes until golden and crisp.

Season and serve

Immediately season fries with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper while still hot so salt adheres. Toss gently, then serve hot alongside assembled burgers.