How can you make good hamburgers at home?

Secret - put an egg in with the meat while you are mixing it - it will make the meat stick together. Use 1 egg for every pound of hamburger. Add flavoring to the hamburger before you cook it - knead it into your meat - use your favorite spices, BBQ seasonings, whatever. You can even cut up onion and put into the meat before you form the patties. I use Lipton's onion soup mix in mine - no joke. A little worchestershie, soy sauce, bbq sauce, dry english mustard (spice), brown sugar (small amount) - whatever else trips your trigger. Mincing some jalapenos really small and kneading them into the meat is also good.

Dont load them with onions or anything like that And never use those prepackaged pattys from the box..EWW :-O And they taste the best fried, they keep better juice that way.,., yum

What kind of meat are you buying? Are you buying good stuff? You could soak the meet in a marinade. My husband put some steak in a mesquite marinade and then grilled it. It came out so delicious and I'm not that into steak or hamburgers. I can live without them. My brother only buys Angus beef. Usually I just salt and pepper hamburger meat and then form them by hand.

BBQ HAMBURGER 1 c. soft bread crumbs 1/2 c. milk 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef 2 tbsp. salad oil 2 sm. onions, sliced and separated into rings 1/2 tsp. salt and dash pepper 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp. vinegar 1/4 c. sugar 3/4 c. catsup Combine bread crumbs, milk, beef. Mix well. Shape into patties. Heat fat in skillet, brown patties on both sides, drain well. Combine onions with remaining ingredients. Pour over meat patties, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

I mix seasoning in the meat before frying. A little salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder. Then I make a hole in the center of each patty ( this helps prevent them from puffing up and also helps them cook evenly). I first saute sliced onions in a little oil then remove and add burgers. When I flip them I add the onions on top and finish cooking. They are always moist and delicious. Enjoy!

I mix up Lawry's ,dried onion, salt and pepper in my burger before I make the patties.. I freeze them like that too.

If you are willing to go the extra mile rather than look for a simple recipe, I recommend Alton Brown's "Burger of the Gods" recipe from Good Eats on the Food Network. Instead of using ground meat, he grinds his own in a food processor. This results in the best homemade burger I've ever had when served simply with ground black pepper and mayo spread on the lower bun with the burger placed on top while hot, fresh out of the oven. Burger of the Gods Recipe by Alton Brown Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: 3 servings 8 ounces chuck, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes 8 ounces sirloin, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt In separate batches, pulse the chuck and the sirloin in a food processor 10 times. Combine the chuck, sirloin, and kosher salt in a large bowl. Form the meat into 5-ounce patties. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Place the hamburger patties in the pan. For medium-rare burgers, cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side. For medium burgers, cook the patties for 5 minutes on each side. Flip the burgers only once during cooking. Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Burger Recipe 8 ounces ground beef 1 package of onion soup (dry) 1-ounce cooked bacon, chopped 1-ounce shredded Cheddar 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil 1 hamburger bun, optional Special tools: 1 round mold (lid to a peanut butter jar or other round container recommended) 1 sheet plastic wrap Mix soup mix with the hamburger. Divide ground beef into approximately 2 equal portions. Set aside. Line round mold with plastic wrap. Pat half of the ground beef into the round mold. Layer with cheese and bacon, being careful not to go too close to the edges. Cover with other half of the ground beef. Press down edges of ground beef together to seal. Remove pattie from mold and pan fry over medium heat in 2 tablespoons of oil. Serve plain or on a bun. Cuban-style Burgers on the Grill 2 pounds ground chuck Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup best-quality mayonnaise 3 cloves roasted garlic, pureed 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 4 soft, classic hamburger buns 8 slices thinly sliced Swiss cheese 4 slices thinly sliced smoked ham 2 dill pickles, sliced 1/4-inch thick Preheat the grill to high. Form the meat into 4 (1/4-inch thick) burgers. Season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on both sides for medium doneness. When the burgers are done, remove from the heat and reduce heat to medium-low. Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread both sides of each bun with mayonnaise and mustard. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom portion of each bun, place the burger on top of the cheese, then top the cheese with a slice of ham and another slice of cheese, and finally, the pickle slices. Place the tops of the bun over the pickles, wrap the burgers in aluminum foil, and place them on the grill. Using a heavy pan or a brick wrapped in foil, press down on the burgers for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lower the lid on the grill and continue grilling for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the bun has become pressed and firm. hope these help you. enjoy.

At our house we always add Worcestershire sauce to the burgers. They always come out tasty. Just start with a little and experiment.