Indoor-Grilled Burger

By
Jessica Harlan
Jessica Harlan
Freelance food writer, trained chef, and kitchen equipment expert Jessica Harlan has written eight cookbooks on topics such as quinoa and ramen.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/14/22
Tested by
Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers
Tested by Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers. He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group. He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes. Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
indoor grilled burger on a plate

The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Many people think that the best burger is cooked outside on the grill. But this burger recipe, made on a countertop grill or grill pan on the stove, proves them wrong. With some simple additions and techniques, you can have a great burger that is grilled indoors.

Part of its flavor comes from adding a few key ingredients to the ground beef, such as an egg. Also critical to this burger's success? Lightly toasting the bun in the pan you used to cook the burgers, to soak up all the delicious juices.

If you opt to use leaner meats like lean ground beef, bison, or turkey, adding eggs, Worcestershire sauce, and molasses will make your burgers juicier and more flavorful. Using a grill pan or countertop grill allows you to mimic the char you get on an outdoor grill, which adds to the grilled flavor.

Another trick is dimpling the burger in the center before you grill it. The patty will contract as it cooks and this keeps it flatter without a hump in the middle.

As with any burger, it's up to you how rare or well done you want your meat. Although there are risks of bacteria when meat is too rare, sometimes with this recipe leaving a little pink in the middle makes it extra tasty. For the well-done crowd, leave your burger on the grill for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to give it that extra sear that mimics an outdoor-grilled burger.

“Sometimes grilling just feels like such a chore, especially when it’s either way too cold or way too hot out. Luckily, with a decent grill pan this recipe won’t make you miss the grill’s flavor at all.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

Indoor-Grilled Burger/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, bison, or turkey

  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon molasses

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 4 slices cheese, optional

  • 4 hamburger buns, brioche or tender white hamburger buns

  • Ketchup, for garnish, optional

  • Mustard, for garnish, optional

  • Pickle slices, for garnish, optional

  • Sliced tomatoes, for garnish, optional

  • Sliced onions, for garnish, optional

  • Lettuce leaves, for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make indoor grilled burgers

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

    ground beef in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

  3. Divide the mixture into four pieces. If desired, use a kitchen scale to weigh the mixture and divide evenly.

    ground beef balls on a cutting board

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

  4. Form each piece into a ball, then press lightly with your thumb in the center of each to make a dimple in the center of the patty.

    raw burger patties on a cutting board

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

  5. Heat a countertop grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 375 F). Grill the burgers until they are cooked through, about 6 minutes each side. The safe cooking temperature to reach for any ground meat is 160 F.

    grilled burgers in cast iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

  6. If desired, top the burgers with cheese. Melt the cheese by either covering the grill pan briefly with a lid or transferring the burgers to a sheet pan and placing them under the broiler for a few minutes. Remove the burgers from the grill pan or oven and keep warm.

    grilled burger with cheese in cast iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

  7. Place the buns cut-side down on the surface of the hot grill, pressing lightly to let buns soak up any juices. Toast the buns until golden.

    burger buns in a cast iron skillet

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

  8. Serve the burgers on the buns with your choice of condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, pickles, sliced tomatoes, onions, or lettuce.

    indoor grilled burger on a plate

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tips

  • If your meat is frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.

How to Store

  • If you have any leftover burgers, wrap them and store them in the refrigerator. Use them within three to four days.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
502 Calories
23g Fat
19g Carbs
53g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 502
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 9g 43%
Cholesterol 198mg 66%
Sodium 685mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 53g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 101mg 8%
Iron 7mg 40%
Potassium 985mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)