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    Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce

    A perfectly soft bun, quality, juicy meat that is seasoned well, plenty of cheese, caramelized onions and a really good secret sauce are the key to making a truly classic cheeseburger at home.

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    A Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce, tomato, lettuce, on a plate

    The Best Cheeseburger Recipe, Ever.

    There’s no restaurant or fast food burger that compares to a homemade cheeseburger. If you don’t agree, then you clearly haven’t made THIS classic cheese burger recipe with our special secret sauce. Add a generous amount of it to each side of the hamburger bun along with a heaping pile of caramelized onions and you’ve got yourself one incomparable homemade classic burger!

    ingredients laid out for cheese burger with secret sauce lettuce, caramelized onions in a dish and tomato slices
    4 cooked beef patties on a baking sheet topped with melted cheddar cheese

    Ingredients to Make A Classic Cheese Burger.

    This traditional homemade burger recipe has a few key components. The first is obviously the not so secret, secret sauce. Next is the perfectly caramelized onions paired with perfectly seasoned homemade hamburger patties! Add cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato combo and you are right on target for a big time winning dinner! Here’s everything you’ll need to make the burger sauce!

    • Mayo and ketchup make up the base of this special burger sauce.
    • Garlic powder, mustard powder & dried dill give this sauce a nice punch of flavor.
    • Smoked paprika & cayenne pepper take the heat and smokiness to new heights.
    • Lime juice & pickle juice are our two secret weapons.
    Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce with caramelized onions, lettuce and tomato on a cutting board
    Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce on a cutting board with French fries, ketchup and pickles on a plate

    Best Burger Sauce Recipe Ever

    We’d be lying if we said this secret sauce recipe is difficult to make. Because, you guessed it, special burger sauce is WAY and we mean WAY easy to throw together. There’s no big secret about how to make burger sauce—it’s the ingredients that are the “secret”. But, the secret’s out! Here’s what’s in our secret sauce:

    • Mayonnaise
    • Ketchup
    • Garlic powder
    • Pickle juice
    • Dried dill
    • Fresh lime
    • Smoked paprika
    • Cayenne pepper
    • Ground mustard
    side view Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce, caramelized onions lettuce and tomato
    Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce with french fries and ketchup

    And Now—Use That Burger Sauce! AKA How To Make The Best Cheeseburger Ever.

    A lot of the work of making a truly classic cheeseburger is in the gathering of just the right ingredients. Get yourself some high quality ground beef. Then, look for some really nice, slightly squishy buns—no whole grains here. Good cheddar cheese—it has to be cheddar—or try a little cheddar and a little American cheese for a really classic, diner-style melty cheese situation. Once you’ve gathered your ingredients and made that killer secret sauce, make a cheeseburger! Here’s how:

    1. Caramelize some onions.
    2. Season your beef! With a light tough, use your hands to mix in eggs, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper.
    3. Make patties! Form the beef into 6 patties.
    4. Grill those burger patties! To whatever doneness you like. If you’d like, you can use a meat thermometer—160°F is medium, 145°F is medium-rare.
    5. Top with cheese! When you flip the burger, top it with cheese. That way the cheese has time to melt while the burger finishes cooking.
    6. Assemble! Everyone can assemble their own as they please but we highly recommend eating them with all of the fixings.
    2 Classic Cheese Burgers with Secret Sauce, lettuce tomatoes and caramelized onions.

    Tools You’ll Need

    More Sandwiches with “Not-So-Secret” Sauces

    hands holding Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce

    Show Us Your Classic Burgers

    When you pull these cheeseburgers off the grill (or even before then) and pile them high with all your favorite toppings, we want to see them! Be sure to snap a photo and post them on Instagram using @themodernproper & #themodernproper if you do!

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    Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce

    June 23, 2016

    • Serves: 6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  35 min
    • Calories: 887
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    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
    • 2 eggs
    • 3 teaspoons garlic powder, granules
    • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 2 teaspoons mustard powder
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for seasoning
    • 6 cheddar cheese slices
    • 6 brioche or Hawaiian hamburger buns
    • 6 Romaine lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
    • 1 tomato, sliced
    • Pickle slices (optional)
    • 1 cup caramelized onions, (optional)

    Secret Sauce

    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoons ketchup
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 tablespoons pickle juice
    • 1 teaspoon dried dill
    • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 teaspoon stone ground mustard

    Method

    1. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic powder, pickle juice, dill, lime juice, paprika, cayenne, and mustard. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, eggs, garlic powder, Worcestershire, mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well, until evenly combined. Divide the meat into six equal parts and form it into patties, about ⅓ inch thick.

    3. Preheat the grill on high.

    4. Season the patties with salt and pepper and place on the grill. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, to your desired doneness. Add the cheese to the patties and add the buns to the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese is melted and the buns are toasted.

    5. Add a generous amount of sauce to the toasted sides of the buns. Add the beef patties, lettuce, tomato and caramelized onions, if using. Serve with the pickles on the side, if using.


    Note: Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 1 week.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories887
    • Protein56 g
    • Carbohydrates43 g
    • Total Fat53 g
    • Dietary Fiber3 g
    • Cholesterol339 mg
    • sodium816 mg
    • Total Sugars10 g

    Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Janet

      Is it better to use spicy pickle juice instead of regular?
      Thanks!

      We just use regular but feel to try it with spicy, hope you enjoy Janet!

    • Jenny

      If we don't have a grill- would you recommend over medium heat- 4 minutes or so on each side for medium?

      That would definitely work Jenny! It might take closer to 5-6 minutes on each side but just make sure it is browned on beachside and cooked through to your liking.

    • Erica

      My family's favorite burger recipe by far! One of the few dinners we all agree on. My kids call them the best burgers ever and I kinda agree. I found this recipe about a month ago and have already made it 3 times.

      Thanks Erica, we are so happy that your whole family loves them!

    • Colette

      Best burger sauce ever!

      Yay! Thank you!

    • Brennen

      This recipe is SO good. The combination of all the pieces was so delightful. I prepped everything while cooking a diff recipe last night (baked rigatoni, also delish) and came home to a quick dinner once thrown on the grill!

      My husband always makes a burger sauce and kept asking what the secret was 😇

      Thanks, so happy you both loved it!

    • Amy

      This is my new go-to seasoning blend for burgers. So quick and easy with juicy delicious results. Didn’t have time to make the secret sauce or grilled onions but will do so next time. The burgers are flavorful enough even without them.

      Thanks Amy, that is so great to hear!

    • Alicia

      This recipe was a big hit with my family! The burgers were very tasty and the secret sauce and caramelized onions were the perfect compliment. This will definitely be in our meal rotation!

      Thanks Alicia, we are so happy that you enjoyed it! It's so exciting to hear when a meal makes someone's rotation!