This is the best hamburger seasoning recipe. It’s full of flavor and easy to make with basic pantry ingredients. Take your burgers to the next level with this easy burger seasoning mix!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are our own and we only recommend products that we truly believe in.
It’s grilling season! And that means it’s time to talk burgers and hamburger seasoning.
Our favorite hamburger seasoning is full of flavor and uses basic ingredients that you already have in your pantry: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, brown sugar and cayenne pepper.
Good hamburgers are an art. In our opinion, they need to be hot of the grill with a slight char-grilled outside and juicy inside. Plus, they must be easy to throw together.
Why easy? Because half the time that we grill hamburgers, we’re having a party with friends. When having a party, we’d much rather be talking to friends than slaving away making a burger. Easy is a must.
That brings us to the perfect hamburger seasoning. If you get the beef and the hamburger seasoning right, you end up with an amazing burger. Every. Time.
What’s the best ground beef ratio for a hamburger?
If you want a rich, juicy burger, choose ground beef with a higher fat content, such as ground chuck that’s about 80% lean.
As a side note, the terms ground beef and hamburger may be used interchangeably, but technically, there is a difference. Ground Beef can only be made using meat, trimmings and fat from primal cuts. Hamburger can have extra fat added to it, such as beef shank, to create the desired fat content. Both hamburger and ground beef may have no more than 30 percent fat by weight.
What’s in the hamburger seasoning spice blend?
- Paprika
- Ground Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Paprika
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Ground Cayenne Pepper
How much burger seasoning mix per pound of beef?
Typically, we use 2-3 teaspoons of seasoning per 1 pound of meat. If you’d like a little more flavor, you can always add more.
What’s the shelf life of hamburger seasoning?
This recipe makes approximately 6 teaspoons of seasoning, which is enough for 2-3 pounds of beef. We often double the recipe and store any leftovers for future use. You can store any leftover seasoning in an air tight container for 6 months.
How to make the perfect hamburger patty (so it isn’t tough and doesn’t ball up)
- Don’t overwork the beef! If you do, you’ll have tough burgers. Leave the ground beef in the refrigerator until you’re ready to season it and form patties. When ready, gently fold the hamburger seasoning into the beef. This should only take about 30-45 seconds. Then, form patties and place back in the refrigerator until it’s time to grill.
- To make a hamburger patty that won’t puff up when cooked, use your thumb to create a wide shallow indention in the center of the hamburger patties. Make patties about 1 inch thick at the edges and about 1 inch larger in circumference than the bun you plan to use.
How to grill the burger
- Place patties on a hot grill for equal lengths of time on each side.
- When flipping burgers, use a spatula, and only flip. Don’t press. If you press down on the patties, you’ll lose the juices that make the burger moist.
When to remove hamburger from the grill?
The only way to tell the internal temperature of beef is to take the internal temperature with a digital meat thermometer. (We love this one.)
When checking the temperature, remember that beef’s temperature will continue to rise as it rests. Remove beef from heat when the thermometer reads about 5-10°F lower than the desired doneness, and let them rest for 5-10
Here are the temperatures you’re looking for:
- Rare burgers, cook for 4 minutes total (125°F)
- Medium-rare burgers, cook for 5 minutes total (135°F)
- Medium burgers, cook for 6 to 7 minutes total (145°F)
- Well-done burgers, cook for 8 to 9 minutes total (160 °F)
Best Hamburger Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp dark brown sugar
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well until combined. When ready to use, mix in 2-3 teaspoons per 1 pound of meat.
- Create hamburger patties and grill hamburgers as usual.
More Favorite Beef Seasoning Recipes
More Favorite Hamburger Recipes
Must have kitchen tool when grilling burgers
ONE MORE THING!
Do you want to learn more about beef? Join our weekly e-newsletter where we share farm happenings, recipes and beef availability. Sign-up and get a cheat sheet with 9-must-ask questions before buying beef directly from a farmer. Or, we have an entire ebook about beef that goes through purchasing and preparing beef from a cattle farmers perspective.
Here are a few other links you may like:
- What everybody ought to know about beef cuts
- Buying a Cow. How Much Beef Is It?
- 7 Steps to Grilling a Steak to Perfection
- How We Raise Our Grass Fed Beef
- Bonfire Burger
- Prime Rib Roast with Garlic Herb Butter
Pin it for later:
We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. See our disclosure policy for more details.
I’ve been grinding my own meat lately for burgers. That way I don’t have to wonder what’s in it, and I can include seasonings (usually just salt and pepper for me) as I grind it. Love your seasoning mix, though — I should try this.