How to cook hamburgers 5 different ways — including grilled, broiled and more

Phoebe Fry
Updated

Hamburgers are an American classic, and one of the most satisfying sandwiches to sink your teeth into when you're hungry. Whether you're a ketchup devotee or a slaw aficionado, there are a million ways to top a burger, and a million ways to make it taste delicious. And while a grilled burger may be a classic, there's also a wide range of methods to cook a burger, each with its own benefits.

Keep reading to learn about five different techniques for how to cook hamburgers, and why each one is worth trying out. For the step-by-step instructions, we're assuming that your burgers are a mid-range 4-6 ounces each, and that you're aiming for medium doneness. If that's not the case, make sure to adjust the cook times according to your burger size and preferences.

How to Broil Hamburgers in the Oven

If you don't feel like dealing with your grill to make burgers, then your oven is the way to go. The broiler provides high, direct heat that cooks burgers quickly and gives them a nice char.

  1. Preheat broiler to high.

  2. Place seasoned burger patties on a foil-lined baking sheet, and position them in the oven so that they're 2-3 inches below the broiler.

  3. Broil for about 3 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned. Flip and keep broiling for another 3 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the burger displays your desired temperature. (See below for doneness temperatures.)

RELATED: Broiling Is the Easiest Way to Make Crispy, Beautifully Browned Food—But You're Definitely Doing It Wrong

How to Cook Hamburgers on the Stove

Cooking hamburgers in a skillet may be the simplest method around, and it's a delicious one, too; the burgers will cook in their own rendered fat, yielding juicy, flavorful meat.

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  2. When the skillet is hot, carefully lay the seasoned patties in the skillet, leaving space between each one. (There's no need to grease the skillet, as the burger patties have plenty of fat.)

  3. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes. Flip and keep cooking for another 3 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the burger displays your desired temperature. (See below for doneness temperatures.)

How to Grill Hamburgers

Grilling burgers gives them a nice smokiness and those coveted cross-hatch grill marks. Plus, you can cook as many as will fit on your grill at a time.

  1. Heat grill to high.

  2. When the grill is hot, carefully lay the seasoned patties on the grates.

  3. Grill the patties for about 3 minutes. Flip and keep grilling for another 3 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the burger displays your desired temperature. (See below for doneness temperatures.)

RELATED: How to Grill the Perfect Steak, According to a Professional Chef

How to Cook Hamburgers In an Instant Pot

We know, an Instant Pot burger recipe may seem unnecessary, but hear us out: there's zero mess involved! Wrapping the patties not only keeps things clean, but also traps in the moisture for a juicy, tender result.

  1. Wrap seasoned patties individually in aluminum foil or parchment paper, so that the meat juices don't drip down into the pressure cooker.

  2. Pour a cup of water into the Instant Pot, then add the trivet over the water.

  3. Place the wrapped patties on top of the trivet, then place the lid on the pot and seal.

  4. Pressure cook on high for around 10 minutes for medium burgers, depending on the size of your patties.

  5. Release the pressure and carefully remove the wrapped patties.

  6. Unwrap each burger and enjoy!

How to Cook Hamburgers in an Air Fryer

The air fryer cooks burgers quickly and reliably; just make sure not to overcrowd the basket!

  1. Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees.

  2. Add seasoned patties in a single layer to the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd it.

  3. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes. Flip and keep cooking for another 3 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the burger displays your desired temperature. (See below for doneness temperatures.)

RELATED: 13 Best Air Fryer Recipes That Are Almost Too Good to Be True

How to Tell When Hamburgers Are Done

The best way to check the doneness of a burger is by checking the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooking a hamburger to an internal temperature of 160 degrees allows for maximum food safety, but not everyone enjoys a well-done burger. The internal temperatures for different levels of doneness are as follows:

Rare: 125 degrees
Medium-rare: 135 degrees
Medium: 145 degrees
Well-done: 160 degrees

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