Sep 05 2026
RestaurantsPhil's BBQCheeseburger Recipe

Cheeseburger Recipe

Inspired by Phil's BBQ
Time30m
Serves4

Make Cheeseburger Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Burger Patties

Buns & Toppings

Method

Burger Patties

  1. 1

    Form patties

    Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions (about 4 oz / 113 g each). Gently shape each portion into a flat round patty about 3.5–4 inches (9–10 cm) wide and roughly 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick. Make a shallow dimple in the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent puffing while cooking.

  2. 2

    Season

    Lightly brush both sides of each patty with the vegetable oil. Sprinkle salt and black pepper evenly over both sides. Pat a small amount of Worcestershire sauce onto each patty (about 1/4 tsp each). Do not overwork the meat.

  3. 3

    Cook patties

    Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot, about 2–3 minutes. Add a thin film of oil to the pan. Place patties in the hot pan without crowding. Cook 3 minutes undisturbed to develop a crust. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes for medium (adjust 1–2 minutes for desired doneness). During the last 30–45 seconds of cooking, place one slice of cheese on each patty and cover the pan briefly (or add a small splash of water to the pan and cover) to melt the cheese.

  4. 4

    Rest

    Transfer patties to a plate and let rest 2 minutes while you toast buns and assemble. Resting lets the juices redistribute.

Buns & Toppings

  1. 5

    Prepare vegetables

    While the patties cook, wash the lettuce leaves and drain. Slice the tomato into 1/4-inch (6 mm) rounds; you should get about 4 slices. Thinly slice the red onion into rings. Arrange pickles.

  2. 6

    Toast buns

    Spread softened butter evenly on the cut sides of each bun. When patties are nearly finished resting, return the skillet to medium heat or use a separate clean pan. Place buns cut-side down in the pan and toast until golden and slightly crisp, about 1–2 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning.

  3. 7

    Assemble burgers

    On the bottom bun, spread 1 tsp mayonnaise and 1 tsp mustard (or adjust to taste). Place a lettuce leaf, then a tomato slice, then the cheeseburger patty. Top the patty with 2 pickle slices and a few onion rings. Squirt 1 tsp ketchup onto the top bun and place it over the burger. Repeat for remaining burgers.

Serve

  1. 8

    Serve burgers immediately while hot. Offer extra ketchup, mustard, mayo and pickles on the side. Leftover patties can be refrigerated and reheated gently.

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