St. Paul Single Recipe

Combine meats

Place ground chuck, ground ribeye, and ground brisket in a large bowl. Gently fold the meats together with a spatula or your hands just until combined — do not overwork. You want a loose mix so the patty stays tender.

Portion and form patties

Divide the mixture into a single 12-ounce portion (or a single portion equal to the sum of listed weights). For this recipe oriented to a single burger, form one patty about 3/4 to 1 inch thick and slightly wider than the bun. Make a shallow dimple in the center with your thumb to prevent doming when cooking.

Season

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

Preheat pan or griddle

Heat a heavy skillet, cast-iron pan, or griddle over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering (about 3–5 minutes). Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and spread to coat the surface.

Cook the patty

Place the patty on the hot surface. For a 3/4–1 inch thick patty, cook for 3–4 minutes on the first side without disturbing to develop a good crust. Flip once and cook for another 3 minutes for medium doneness (adjust time ±1 minute for rarer or more well-done). Immediately after flipping, top the patty with the white American cheese slices, overlapping if necessary so the cheese melts over the top.

Rest

Remove the cooked patty to a plate and let rest for 2 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and the cheese to finish melting.

Toast the bun

While the patty is resting (or just before cooking the patty), split the egg bun and spread 1 teaspoon softened butter on the cut faces. Place buns cut-side down on the hot griddle or in a skillet for 30–60 seconds, pressing lightly, until golden and crisp. Remove and keep warm.

Assemble

Place the cheese-topped patty on the bottom half of the toasted egg bun.

Finish and serve

Add optional condiments to taste: spread mustard and ketchup on the top bun, add dill pickle slices and thinly sliced yellow onion, and optionally a leaf of lettuce. Cap with the top bun and serve immediately while hot.