Cooking Burgers in a Cast Iron Skillet

Cooking burgers inside doesn’t have to mean giving up on that flavorful crust that forms on the edges of a grilled piece of meat. Using a cast iron skillet on your stove top can go pretty far in giving you an amazing burger experience without having to use the grill. Even if you’re a complete newcomer to cast iron cooking, you can learn everything you need to know with this recipe. Get started on your journey to better weeknight dinners with this handy guide on how to cook burgers in a cast iron skillet.

Benefits of Cooking with a Cast Iron Skillet

Cast iron pans are unique and provide a cooking surface that helps sear the outside of the ground beef, much like it would receive from exposure to direct heat on the grill. These pans are heavy and dense, holding plenty of heat and keeping it steady throughout the cooking process. Burgers often dry out when cooking in non-stick pans because of the constant need to adjust the temperature up and down, while they usually stick in stainless steel pans unless you use a lot of oil.

A seasoned and oiled cast iron pan should have no problems with sticking if you heat the pan before adding the meat. As a secondary benefit, cooking regularly with cast iron can add a little extra iron to your diet for energy and a strong immune system.

Choosing the Right Skillet

Not all cast iron skillets will provide the results you want when cooking burgers indoors. It may be tempting to try a grill-style pan with raised sections, but these pans tend to cook your meat unevenly and won’t provide the kind of searing that helps keep the interior juicy and flavorful. It’s also not that easy to cook with most of those pans due to the risk of flammable beef fat spilling out.

Instead, look for an 8 to 12 inch cast iron skillet. This size heats up quickly and can hold two to three 6-ounce burger patties without getting overcrowded. If you have a larger skillet already, it should work just fine as well. Even a cast iron Dutch oven can provide great results since the higher sides won’t interfere with cooking but will help trap splatters of grease.

Seasoning and Preheating Your Cast Iron Skillet

If you’re buying a new cast iron pan to learn how to make these burgers, you’ll need to clean and season it before getting started. It may take a few seasoning attempts to get a dark and even layer of polymerized oil on the cast iron. Don’t rush these steps because it’s the season that provides a nonstick surface and protects the iron below from damage.

Start out by scrubbing the new pan thoroughly with warm and soapy water. Don’t worry about avoiding soap at this stage because you need to remove machine oils and other residues from the manufacturing process. Rinse off all the soap and dry it thoroughly by hand. Rub a thin layer of a high heat cooking oil all over the pan, inside and out. Avoid applying a lot of oil at once or you’ll end up with a sticky surface that isn’t truly polymerized.

Bake the cast iron pan in your oven for 1 hour at 500 degrees F. Place the pan upside down on the top rack and put a baking sheet below it to catch any dripping oil. Turn the oven off and let the pan cool slowly before removing. If the surface isn’t completely smooth and dark yet, repeat until it is.

Tips for Preparing Your Burgers

• Section the ground beef into six-ounce portions. Shape each one into a roughly puck-shaped patty, then press out the center so it’s thinner than the edges. Creating at least a 1/4th inch depression in the middle of each patty leads to even cooking and prevents the thick-centered effect that often happens with home cooked burgers.
• The fat from your burgers won’t hurt the cast iron season. Simply wipe the pan out when you’re done and let the tallow add to the finish.
• Cheese often sticks and burns in cast iron pans, so try to add any slices after the burgers come out of the pan. You can stick the burgers in a warm oven or the microwave for just a few seconds to help melt the cheese a little more.
• Cast iron pans can work well with butter if you want to add butter flavor to your burger. Start out by cooking with a high heat oil, then add the pats of butter and let them melt on the meat when the patties have a sear on the surface. After each burger is done, wipe the pan so that the solids from the butter don’t burn and stick to the pan.

What Kind of Spatula Can You Use with Cast Iron?

Cast iron is tough enough to handle metal spatulas and tools, but you’ll still want to avoid scratching the seasoned surface. Careful use of a metal spatula to flip your burgers and remove any stuck-on bits shouldn’t damage the season.

Recipe Variations

Don’t forget to toss some of your favorite toppings on these burgers to elevate them to something worthy of your favorite restaurant. Onions, peppers, and jalapenos can be fried up in the same pan when the burgers are done and resting. Or consider mixing up some specialty condiments like bleu cheese dressing or creamy coleslaw to give your burgers a signature crunch.

There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the classics like lettuce, tomato, and a slice of raw onion as well. If you want to cook bacon for your burgers, cook it first so the bacon fat prepares the pan for your patties.

Cast Iron Skillet Burger Recipe

Wow your family with their favorite burgers at home even when the grill isn’t available.

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds of hamburger, preferably 85% meat and 15% fat for juicy results
• 1 tablespoon of any high-heat cooking oil, such as peanut or avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 hamburger buns
• Toppings of your choice, including lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, pickles, and more (optional)

Instructions

1. Take the ground beef out of the refrigerator about 10 minutes before you plan to cook it. You don’t need it bring it to room temperature, but it is easier to season and shape when it’s not cold. Add it to a large mixing bowl and add your seasonings. Separate the meat into four equal portions to get six-ounce patties.

2. Shape each six-ounce portion of ground beef into a puck-shaped patty. Push in a 1/4th inch depression about three inches across into the center of each patty for even cooking.

3. Place the cast iron skillet over a gas or electric stove eye. Use a medium heat setting to heat the pan, adding 1 tablespoon of a high heat cooking oil. When the oil is beginning to move a little from the heat, add two of your patties to the pan.

4. Cook for about 4 minutes per side before flipping. Increase the heat if you want a slightly darker sear on the meat. Cook until the desired internal temperature, which is 125 F for rare, 135 F for medium rare, 145 F for medium, or 160 F for well done.

Notes

The burgers can rest for a few minutes while you prepare toppings, but otherwise, they’re best served immediately.

Conclusion

Master homemade burgers that rival what you get at your favorite grill or restaurant with the help of a cast iron pan. Our cooking method makes it easy to get exactly the level of doneness you expect.