Why You’ll Love These Butter Burgers
- Juicy—Thanks to butter inside the patties, plus the use of 85/15 ground beef.
- Easy—Just sandwich butter between two ultra-thin patties, smush together, season, and cook!
- Flexible—Cook indoors on your stovetop or outdoors on your favorite grill—either way, you’ll end up with flavorful, juicy burgers!
If you’re a Midwest native, you’ve probably had — or at least heard of — Culver’s famous ButterBurger® (sometimes called a Wisconsin butter burger). So, it might come as a shock that there’s actually no butter inside the Culver’s patties—cue a collective gasp. Actually, the “butter” part of the name refers to the toasted, butter-slathered bun.
Unlike Culver’s ButterBurger®, the butter burgers I’m sharing today do have butter mixed right into the patties, making them extra moist, tender, and flavorful. Plus, if you cook them on the stovetop, they get fried in a mix of butter and oil for even more richness.
Let’s be real—these are not for the ultra health-conscious among us. (I mean, they’re called butter burgers… what were you expecting?) But they are delicious, juicy, and some of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten. Grill them at your next summer cookout or whip them up for a fast weeknight dinner—this just might become your new favorite way to make burgers.
Butter Burger Ingredients
Ground Beef: I use 85/15 ground beef for these burgers, a slightly fattier variety than the typical 93/7 I use for taco meat and other dishes. The extra fat in the 85/15 helps the burgers stay moist, juicy, and hold their shape while frying/grilling.
Butter: Place salted butter in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before forming the burger patties. This chilling time will help it become easier to grate or thinly slice.
Hickory Burger Seasoning: This Hi Mountain Hickory Burger Seasoning (shop on Amazon) is the best for burgers. It’s smoky, savory, and just flat-out yummy. If you don’t happen to have a jar sitting in your spice cupboard, feel free to sub in your own favorite burger seasoning.
Cheese (optional): While these burgers are delicious with just butter and some seasoning, you can make them even more rich and indulgent by stuffing them with a few small, thin slices of brick cheese (or another melty cheese).
Of course, you can also turn these burgers into cheeseburgers by topping them with a slice or two of American cheese, or another melty cheese of your choosing. Or, if you’re a burger purist, skip the cheese altogether!
Topping Ideas
- Fresh tomato slices.
- Fresh, crisp lettuce.
- Homemade (or store-bought) pickles.
- Thinly-sliced sweet onion.
- Caramelized onions (my favorite!)—gives patty melt vibes.
- Bacon.
- Burger sauce or boom boom sauce.
- The classics—ketchup and mustard.
How to Make Butter Burgers
1. Prep the butter.
At least 30 minutes before even going near the burgers, pop a stick of salted butter in the freezer to chill. This will make it much easier to grate/slice before adding it to the patties.
Once the butter has chilled, grate it or use a sharp knife to cut it into very thin pieces. Set aside.
2. Form your patties.
Split each 1 lb package of ground beef into three equal portions for third-pound burgers. I find that the easiest way to do this (accurately) is by using a kitchen scale—like this OXO one on Amazon.
Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap (large enough to comfortably fit two patties with room to spare). Grab one of the third pound pieces of ground beef and cut it in half (to create two 1/6 lb. pieces). Place one ⅙ lb portion on one end and use the plastic wrap plus your fingers to gently press it into a thin, flat patty (about ¼–⅓ inch thick). Gently shape the edges to form a neat circle. Repeat on the other side with the second the second ⅙ lb patty.
Season the top of each patty with Hickory Burger Seasoning or other seasoning of choice. Then, place about 2 teaspoons of grated butter in the center of one of the patties (this will be the bottom). Optional—Add a few very thin, small slices of cheese on top of the butter to make extra cheesy butter burgers.
Using the plastic wrap, lift the top patty and carefully flip it over onto the bottom patty, sandwiching the butter (and cheese) inside. Press and pinch the edges together to seal.
Transfer the patty to a large platter or tray. Then, repeat this process for the remaining burgers.
3. Cook or grill the burgers.
Cook the burgers in a pan on the stovetop (like this Lodge cast iron skillet I am using in the photos—shop it on Amazon), or grill them on your favorite outdoor grill. Here are some tips for each method…
Stovetop (in a cast iron pan):
- Use enough fat—A mixture of butter, bacon fat, and/or avocado oil (a healthier alternative) works well, but you can use your favorite oil.
- Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the burgers—give the butter a bit of time to melt and start to foam.
- Cook the burgers on medium to medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side, or until the burgers reach your preferred level of doneness.
- If adding cheese, place a lid on the pan to help it melt.
On the grill (charcoal)…
- Set up two “heat zones”—a hot side with more charcoal (direct heat) and a cool side with less (indirect heat). That way, you can get a nice sear on the hot side and move the burgers over to the cool side if they need to continue cooking without burning.
- Total cook time will completely depend on how hot your grill is, which is determined by your charcoal heat and placement. Using an instant-read thermometer can be helpful—like this Thermapen one I love (shop on Amazon).
- Keep an eye on them. Charcoal can be unpredictable—the burgers could cook faster or slower than you think. Just don’t leave them alone!
- Do not press them down with your spatula. You’ll press the juices right down into the charcoal, which can cause flare-ups that might burn the burgers.
4. Let the burgers rest.
After removing burgers from the pan/grill, let them rest on a large tray or plate covered with tin foil for about 3-5 minutes. This allows a bit of time for juices to be reabsorbed, while keeping in mind that you want to eat hot burgers not lukewarm ones.
5 Keys to Moist Burgers
1. The Beef—Use a fattier ground beef for juicier burgers. 85/15 is my personal favorite, striking a balance between lean and fat. However, you could also use 80/20 for even more richness.
2. The Butter—Butter inside the patties keeps the burgers tender, flavorful, and extra moist.
3. Do Not Overcook the Burgers—Do not overcook the burgers! If you are worried about doneness, it may be worth investing in a quick-read thermometer (like my favorite Thermapen—read my full review here).
4. Hot Enough Pan/Grill—You do not want to cook the burgers on too low of heat as this will cause them to steam and subsequently lose moisture. If using a cast iron pan, make sure it is hot when you put the burgers in. This will allow them to develop a nice sear that will lock in the juices as they cook.
5. Letting the Burgers Rest—The burgers need the time to reabsorb some of the juices.
Serve These Burgers With…
- A fresh pasta salad, like this Italian one I love.
- French fries.
- Kettle-cooked potato chips.
- Grilled corn or my favorite Mexican street corn salad.
Read on for the full recipe for these homemade butter burgers!
Once you’ve given them a try, come back and leave a rating and review to let me know how you liked them.
Homemade Butter Burgers
Equipment (Shop on Amazon)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs 85/15 ground beef
- ¼ cup salted butter (½ stick) chilled in freezer for at least 30 minutes
- Hickory Burger Seasoning to taste
- Small slices of brick cheese optional; to stuff inside the burgers
- 6 slices of American or other cheese optional; to make the butter burgers into cheeseburgers
Instructions
Prep the butter.
- Freeze the butter for at least 30 minutes before starting the burgers. This will make it easier to slice/grate.¼ cup salted butter (½ stick)
- Grate the butter or use a sharp knife to cut into very, very thin pieces. Set aside.
Form the burger patties.
- Split each pound of ground beef into three equal portions (easiest to do this with a kitchen scale). Each of these will be one ⅓ lb burger.2 lbs 85/15 ground beef
- Roll out a large rectangular piece of plastic wrap. Take one of the ⅓ lb ground beef portions and cut it in half (to create two, ⅙ lb pieces). Place one of these smaller portions of ground beef onto one end of the plastic wrap and use the plastic wrap to help you shape it into a large, very flat circle. Press down with your fingers, gently round the edges, and make sure it is thin (about ¼-⅓" thick)! Repeat for the other half of the burger, placing it on the opposite side of the plastic wrap rectangle.
- Lightly sprinkle Hickory Burger Seasoning (or seasoning of your choice) on each thin patty to taste. Then, place about 2 teaspoons of the grated butter onto the center of one of the patties—this will be the bottom patty.Hickory Burger Seasoning
- Optional—Add a few small, very thin slices of brick cheese on top of the butter.Small slices of brick cheese
- Using the plastic wrap to help you, flip the top patty (one without butter) onto the other patty, effectively sandwiching the butter (and optional cheese) in between the patties. The sides you seasoned should both be on the inside of the burger.
- Gently pinch and press the edges of the burger to seal them.
- Repeat this process for the remaining burgers!
Cook the burgers (2 options!).
- Stovetop: Add a couple tablespoons of butter, along with a couple tablespoons of avocado oil to a cast iron skillet or large pan. You might also use bacon grease or another neutral oil to fry the burgers. Heat on medium/medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the butter is melted and foamy. Add the burgers and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until the burgers reach your desired level of doneness (medium, medium-rare, well done, etc.). Sprinkle on some extra burger seasoning as they cook. Once the burgers are nearly done cooking, add slices of cheese and cover with a lid to help it melt (optional).
- Charcoal Grill: If using a charcoal grill, make sure you create a "cool" side and a "warm" side of the grill when you place the charcoal. Cook the burgers for about 3-4 minutes per side—this can differ greatly depending on the heat of your grill. Sprinkle on extra burger seasoning as they cook. Do not press the burgers down as you'll lose all of the juice! If the burgers begin to char too quickly, move them onto the cool side of the grill. If making cheeseburgers, add the cheese when the burgers only have a couple minutes of cook time left. Cover to help the cheese melt.
Let the burgers rest & then serve!
- Regardless of the cooking method, let the burgers rest for a few minutes after cooking. Then, serve on your favorite hamburger buns!
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