The American Burger Recipe

Form patties

Divide the ground beef into four equal portions (about 4 oz each) and gently form into thin patties roughly the diameter of your buns. Do not overwork the meat. Make a shallow dimple in the center of each patty with your thumb to reduce puffing while cooking.

Season

Season both sides of each patty with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper just before cooking.

Cook

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and spread. Place two patties on the hot surface and cook about 2-3 minutes without moving, until a brown crust forms. Flip and immediately place one slice of American cheese on each patty; cook another 1.5-2 minutes until cheese melts and internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). Repeat with remaining two patties. For two-stack burgers, stack two cheesy patties per burger during assembly.

While patties cook, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, white wine vinegar, granulated sugar, very finely minced onion, salt and a pinch of black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until assembly. Makes roughly 1/3 cup—enough for two burgers.

Toast buns

Spread softened butter evenly on the cut sides of the buns. After the first two patties are cooked, place buns cut-side down on the griddle or in a separate skillet over medium heat. Toast until golden and slightly crisp, about 45–60 seconds. Remove and keep warm.

Prepare produce

Separate and dry the lettuce leaves. Slice the tomato into even 1/4-inch rounds. Have dill pickle chips ready. Keep all toppings chilled until assembly.

Assemble the American Burger: Spread about 1 tablespoon of thousand island dressing on the bottom half of each toasted bun. Layer one lettuce leaf, one tomato slice, then place the first cheesy patty. Top with 3–4 dill pickle chips, then add the second cheesy patty to create the two-stack. Add a second small dollop (about 1 teaspoon) of dressing on the top patty if desired, then place the top bun. Press gently, insert a toothpick to hold if needed.

Serve immediately with fries or chips. Cut in half if desired.