A Frugal Cheeseburger Recipe

How to make a classic cheeseburger

If you ask a restaurant for a rare beef burger, you will sometime end up with a raw deal. 😎 That’s why it’s better to just cook your own. Welcome to another edition of cooking with Liquid. 🙂 Today I’ll be making a juicy cheeseburger using 1/4 lb of minced beef, aged cheddar, crisp leafy lettuce, and fresh ripe tomato. It’s budget friendly as each burger costs just $2.50.

There are only 5 main ingredients with minimal prep work. And the entire cooking time is just 5 minutes. This classic cheeseburger recipe is simple, quick, and always hits the spot. 🙂 Let’s get started!

Ingredients:
– Regular ground beef
– Cheddar or American cheese slice
– Hamburger bun
– Lettuce leaves
– Sliced tomato

Equipment:
– Griddle, skillet, or non stick pan.
– Flat spatula

Directions:

1. Shape roughly 1/2 cup of ground beef into a ball with your hands. It should be about 2.5 inches in diameter.
2. Apply the smashed burger technique: Drop the beef ball into a hot pan on medium heat, and press it down with a spatula until the patty is slightly wider than the hamburger bun.
3. Cook uncovered for 3 minutes. While waiting, sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper evenly on the meat.
4. Flip the patty over with the spatula and season the other side as well. Top the patty with a slice of cheese and place the top and bottom buns face down into the pan to warm them up.
5. Wait for the buns to toast & cheese to melt – about 2 minutes. Then assemble the burger any way you want.

Et voila! You can enjoy this delicious cheeseburger as is, or dress it up with your favourite condiments. For instance, I prefer to add some ketchup and mayo in mine. But pickles and onions would also be great choices. #burgerlicious.

Cost breakdown of 1 cheeseburger:
1/4 lb (4 oz or 114 grams) ground beef. = $1.40
Slice of cheese = $0.40
Hamburger bun = $0.40
Veggies and condiments = $0.30
Total cost = $2.50

A few recipe notes to keep in mind:

• Minced meat will shrink upon cooking so try to make the beef ball a little larger to begin with.
• The smashed burger technique works well for skillets and pans, but not on grills. If you plan to grill your burger patties, you can flatten the burger on a cutting board before transferring it to the grill.
• You can substitute cheddar with other cheeses with low melting points such as swiss or mozzarella.
• All costs in this post refer to prices in Vancouver, B.C. in $CAD.
• A cheeseburger recipe is very customizable. Some people like to add bacon, mushroom, sliced jalapeno, BBQ sauce, or even a fried egg to theirs. So don’t be afraid to use different ingredients and make it your own. 🙂

———————————————————–
Random Useless Fact:

In 2018 Elon Musk launched a Tesla Roadster into space. In the driver’s seat is a mannequin dressed in a spacesuit.