Cast Iron Skillet Burgers
Half-pound, restaurant quality, perfectly seasoned thick and juicy Cast Iron Skillet Burgers will be your go-to recipe.
There’s no arguing if a burger cooked on a grill over an open flame is delicious or not. It is. But making burgers in a cast iron skillet is a game changer in flavor, just like it is for our steaks.
This post has been updated from its original February 22, 2018 publishing with new content, photography, and clarified recipe card.
Are burgers good in cast iron?
Good. Oh so very good.
Not everyone has a grill or if they do, want to stand in 6 feet of snow to grill a burger in the middle of winter. Cooking a burger in cast iron is the way to go. Heck, cooking in cast iron might be the BEST way to go.
Cooking the burger in cast iron retains all those flavorful juices that would otherwise be lost through the grates of the grill.
Recipe ingredients
- Ground beef — we used 85% lean ground beef. We also recommend a good quality meat for optimal flavor.
- Butter — the leaner the beef, the less renderings it will have and we want to get a nice crust on these burgers. We used salted butter.
- Seasoning Salt — simple and provides just the right amount of flavor.
- Cheddar cheese — because cheese makes things even better.
- Buns — pick sturdy hamburger buns for these bad boys. I know it’s tempting to buy the $1 pack of buns but these thick and juicy burgers need a sturdy bun to handle them.
- Condiments — you do you. Ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, onions, pickles, tomato…whatever suits.
Step by step directions
Step 1 — Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide meat into 8 ounce portions.
Step 2 — Mix 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt into each of the meat portions. We chose to mix the seasoning in individually since we were making a small quantity and wanted each one to have the full seasoning. You can mix together first then divide into portions.
Step 3 — From each portion into patties and press a thumb or finger into the center to create a small dent. They’ll be nearly an inch thick.
Step 4 — Heat the cast iron skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.
Step 5 — Add patties to the hot skillet and leave undisturbed for 3-4 minutes.
Step 6 — After 4 minutes, flip and leave undisturbed for 3 minutes. Use a large cast iron skillet to cook them all at once (at least a 12″), but we like using a 10″ for cast iron burgers and cooking two at a time so the pan isn’t crowded. Cook burgers in the oven for 10 minutes. for 10 minutes.
Step 7 — Shut the oven off and place the cheese slices on each patty.
Step 8 — Let the cheese melt over the patties in the oven, about 2 minutes. Remove and allow to rest for a couple of minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Variations and Tips for Cast Iron Skillet Burgers
While we find these Cast Iron Skillet Burgers to be melt-in-your-mouth juicy, but playing with flavor is always fun.
- Salt and black pepper — skip the seasoning salt and use salt and pepper. Table, sea, or kosher salt will work.
- Worcestershire sauce — this will add extra layers of umami.
- Toppings — we went with basic traditional toppings, but get creative or simply use your favorites like crispy bacon, caramelized onions, or even bleu cheese crumbles.
- Hot pan — making sure the pan is hot before cooking is important for developing a crispy crust. You want to hear that sizzle when you place them in the iron skillet.
Recipe FAQs
No. You can cook them on the stove top and skip the oven. They’ll take at least 4-5 minutes per side to reach 160°F. They’ll also have a crispy crust too.
Sure! We were going for a massive burger, but quarter or third pound hamburgers are just as delicious. The smaller the burger size, adjust the cooking time per side and in the oven.
No! Use your favorite. American cheese is a classic choice for its melting properties, but any cheese you like will be delicious or simply omit cheese if you don’t want a cheeseburger.
Yes, use a high heat cooking oil in place of the butter.
Cast Iron Skillet Burgers
Equipment
- 10" cast iron skillet 12" cast iron skillet will work too.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs 85% ground beef
- 2 tsp seasoning salt
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
- Toppings of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and the skillet on the stove top over medium heat.
- Divide the ground beef into 4 1/2 pound (8 ounce) portions.
- Season each portion with 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt and form into patties.
- Melt butter in skillet.
- Add patties to skillet, 2 at a time.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Do not disturb the patties while cooking.
- Place the skillet (with the patties in it) in the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until they've reached the desired temperature (160°F).
- Turn off the oven and add the cheddar cheese slice to each patty and place it back in the warm oven to melt; about 2 minutes.
- Serve on bun with your favorite condiments.
Made these this weekend! Might be the best burger I’ve ever had. Unused my own favorite toppings but the meat was perfect!
So glad it met your expectations!! Thank you for sharing.
I feel like cast iron always has a way of enhancing the flavor even if it is a pretty common food in your house. The burgers had great flavor.
Sooo much yes!! You had me at cast iron and, oh man, the butter is key! Thanks for the expert burger tips and for sharing another winner!
These came out great. It is perfect for the winter, when I don’t want to start up the grill in the snow!
What a great idea and so much tastier too. Will definitley make these burgers again.
Homemade burgers in my opinion are so much better than storebought ones, especially with some relish on top.
These burgers look absolutely delicious. I prefer homemade over store bought. Using skillet for making patty, is a wonderful idea.
Burgers always go down well in our house and this skillet version looks so easy.
I love the way burgers taste in the cast iron skillet. I always have a tendency to overcook them, and this is the only way they don’t dry out into hockey pucks!
I love the way a burger tastes on the cast iron, definitely much easier than setting up the grill!
OMG sooo good! Why do I not make these more often?! I love your tips for making the BEST cast iron skillet burger because they really are just that! Thanks for sharing 🙂
These burgers look amazingly delicious. Thanks for the great recipe./
Homemade burgers are the best. I’ve never made them in a skillet before but really want to try this. Your burgers look superlicious!
I made these burgers for dinner last night and they were fantastic! Definitely my new favorite burger recipe!
I’m drooling just by looking at the pictures!
This is the perfect way to have a delicious grilled hamburger without having to bundle up and shovel your way to the grill!