The Juiciest Lean Beef Burgers

Tips for making the juiciest lean beef burgers from a 3rd generation beef burger grill-master.

{Disclosure: As a co-owner of The Recipe ReDux, I was compensated to manage this recipe contest and am not eligible to win prizes. But as obvious from this post, I’m a life-long lover of beef. Thoughts and opinions are my own.}

I was blessed to see – from the very beginning – where my food comes from.

I grew up on a cattle ranch in Montana.

Our land – which is still in the family – is surrounded by the soaring Bitterroot Mountain Range of the Rocky Mountains. It’s so remote that the larger town where we did our grocery shopping was two hours away; we only ‘ran to the store’ once a month. So, we raised and grew a large portion of what we ate.

Dad planted a large vegetable garden including carrots and potatoes that were stored for the winter in a real root cellar (Wizard-of-Oz-style with large outside doors that opened to descending steps into a dank cavern.) Dad also raised corn, beans and peas which Mom froze in one of two large chest freezers. Mom canned pears, raspberry jam and apples from our orchard; those Mason jars were also line up in row in the dark root cellar.

We got our milk and eggs from Selma, a neighbor.

As for the beef, Dad and my uncles raised Red Angus cattle. We had thick-sliced roast beef sandwiches on homemade bread for lunch – and ground beef was also in every casserole creation imaginable for dinner.

And that’s why I’m pretty excited The Beef Checkoff is sponsoring this month’s recipe challenge for The Recipe ReDux.

Today’s beef ranchers work really, really hard to produce the protein-rich beef that’s available today. I’ve also been pleasantly pleased to observe how much the beef industry has recently progressed toward meeting the consumer demand to produce more sustainable and leaner high-quality beef.

Most cuts of lean beef have 25 g protein + 36% of recommended zinc +  12% recommended iron AND only 150 calories. Here’s my favorite infographic of beef nutrition.

And Grilled Lean Beef Burgers are one of my most-requested meals; here’s how to keep lean ground beef moist and juicy:

1. Caramelized onions are your secret weapon to keep every bite of burger moist
2. Worcestershire sauce adds rich unami flavor along with just the right amount of salt. (Did you know Worcestershire sauce contains unami-bomb anchovies?!)
3. Hand-mix to avoid over-mixing. It was Mom (who grew up on a cattle ranch in North Dakota – and is a third generation beef burger maker!) who taught me this.  Mixing with your hands is especially important for today’s leaner beef.

These Juiciest Lean Beef Burgers are delicious topped with grilled mushrooms, quick summer pickles or however you like to top your favorite burger.

The Juiciest Leanest Beef Burgers

---

• Author: by Serena Ball, RD
• Yield: 8 burgers 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Tips for making the juiciest burgers using 95% lean beef.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 pounds 95% lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• Ground black pepper to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Cover, lower heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes until onions are soft and beginning to brown. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
2. Place ground beef in a large bowl; add cooked onion and Worcestershire sauce. Mix to combine with your hands. Form into 8 patties; press each patty together firmly. If they are not pressed together firmly, they will fall apart on the grill.
3. Grill, covered, 11 to 15 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 13 to 14 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally.

How do you like your burger? What are your “must-have” toppings?

For more deliciously lean, protein-packed recipes, check out these from The Recipe ReDux members: