Ground Beef Patties in a Skillet

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make ground beef patties in a skillet? Gather the ingredients from the list. You can use store-bought ground beef or grind your own. Grinding your own is better, because you can pick good meat without unwanted fillers or excess fat. Thaw the meat ahead of time if needed. I grind fresh beef in a blender — that's easiest for me — but a meat grinder works too.

2. Step 2:

   

   Beef on its own is fairly lean and dry, so you add ingredients to keep the patties soft and juicy. The most common is white bread soaked in milk. Put the crumb of the white bread (or finely torn slices) in a bowl, pour the milk over it, and let the bread soak up the milk. Add the ground beef to the bowl of soaked bread. Peel the onion, grate it, and add it to the rest.

3. Step 3:

   

   For extra flavor and to mellow the strong taste of beef, you can add a few cloves of pressed garlic. Crack the raw egg into the mixture. Mix everything thoroughly with your hands, a spoon, or a blender. The goal is a smooth, even mixture with all the ingredients well combined.

4. Step 4:

   

   Season the mixture with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Add any other seasoning you like, and mix again. It helps to slap the mixture against the bowl a few times to knock out the air, which makes the patties fluffier and more tender. Let the finished mixture rest for 15 minutes.

5. Step 5:

   

   Now shape and fry the patties. Beef patties hold their shape fine without breading, but if you want them juicy inside with a crispy crust, roll them in flour or breadcrumbs. Pour the flour onto a flat plate. With hands moistened in cold water, form the patties and coat them in flour on all sides.

6. Step 6:

   

   Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet and heat it. Fry the patties until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes per side. Pour some water into the skillet. When it boils, reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam the patties for about 10 minutes, until the liquid has fully evaporated. Adjust the timing to your stove. Remove the lid, let the patties dry out a bit, and turn off the heat. Enjoy!