These indulgent butter burgers are a butter lover’s dream. They are juicy and delicious and make a quick and easy meal.
If you enjoy a good burger, you need to try this butter burger recipe. The best part is that you can cook these burgers on your grill, griddle, or stovetop in a skillet.
Now, bear in mind that these Wisconsin butter burgers are decadent and contain quite a bit of butter. So save this recipe for occasional weeknight dinners, Super Bowl parties, and summer cookouts. Serve these patties on on a toasted bun, and your guests will beg you for the recipe.
What are butter burgers?
Butter burgers are burgers cooked with butter or contain small shavings of cold butter added to the raw ground beef before cooking. This midwestern favorite hails from Wisconsin and is current on the menu of several restaurants, including Culvers.
What toppings are on a butter burger?
Butter burgers are typically served with American or cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. However, some fast food chains and home cooks serve them with caramelized onions, jalapenos, and BBQ sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
- 6 hamburger buns, brioche recommended
- 1 stick Irish butter (1/2 cup, plus extra as needed)
- salt and black pepper (or your favorite steak or beef rub)
- Hamburger toppings of choice (see recommendations below)
- Wisconsin, cheddar, or American cheese
Recipe tips
- Ground beef: ground chuck is preferred; however, you can use ground short rib or a combination of brisket and short rib. Avoid lean beef for this recipe.
- Butter: We highly recommend using a flavorful Irish butter, like Kerrygold. It has higher butterfat content, less water, and is creamier and richer in flavor than North American butter.
- Hamburger patties: This recipe makes six 1/4-pound hamburger patties. However, you can make four larger 1/3-pound patties if desired.
- Cheese: Use Wisconsin cheese, American or pepper jack slices for spicier burgers.
- Suggested toppings: Top your butter burgers with lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickle slices, raw red onions or cooked yellow onions, mushrooms, jalapenos, bacon, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, Queso, ketchup, mustard, etc. Mix and match the toppings to suit your tastes. We love a good patty melt, and this recipe is a delicious way to prepare it.
- Add grated onions or garlic to the ground beef along with the butter for a fragrant butter burger!
How to make butter burgers
Grating the butter: Make sure the butter is nice and cold. This will keep it firm during the grating process. Grate butter with a box grater. You’ll notice that it will look like shredded cheese. This is perfectly normal. Place the dish with the grated butter into the refrigerator if you plan to grind your ground beef.
Forming the patties: In a large mixing bowl, gently combine ground beef with cold grated butter until well distributed. Cut the meat into 6 sections (or 4 for larger burger patties). Form into equal-sized patties, making a small indentation with your thumb in the center of each one. Season with salt and black pepper or your favorite steak rub.
Grill or Griddle Method
Keep in mind that these burgers are best cooked on a flat surface. While you can place them directly on the grill grates, the added butter could cause a potential flare-up. Keep a close eye on them as they cook.
- Preheat your grill or flat-top grill to medium heat or 350-400 degrees F.
- Cook butter burger patties for 4 minutes per side or until cooked through ( an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees F).ย
- Add a slice of cheese to each patty during the last minute of cooking time.
- Brush the inside of the brioche buns with butter. Place them buttered side down on the grill, and toast for 1 minute, until golden brown.
- Remove patties and buns and assemble with your choice of toppings and condiments.
Stove top method
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Heat until melted through.
- In batches, place half the patties in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Adjust the heat as needed.
- During the last minute of cooking time, add the cheese slices to the patties, and cover the skillet with a lid.
- Remove burger patties, wipe the pan down, butter the buns, and toast them butter side down until golden brown.
- Wipe the pan down again, and repeat the process.
Storing leftovers
Store leftover butter burger patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 4 weeks.
More burger recipes to try!
Butter Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 6 hamburger buns (brioche recommended)
- 1 stick Irish butter (1/2 cup, plus extra as needed)
- salt and black pepper or your favorite steak or beef rub
- Hamburger toppings of choice
Instructions
- Grating the butter: Make sure the butter is nice and cold. This will keep it firm during the grating process. Grate butter with a box grater. You’ll notice that it will look like shredded cheese. This is perfectly normal. Place the dish with the grated butter into the refrigerator if you plan to grind your ground beef.
- Forming the patties: In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef with cold grated butter until well distributed. Cut the meat into 6 sections (or 4 for larger burger patties). Form into equal-sized patties, making a small indentation with your thumb in the center of each one.
- Season lightly with salt and black pepper or your favorite steak rub.
- Grill/ or Griddle Method:
- Keep in mind that these burgers are best cooked on a flat surface. While you can place them directly on the grill grates, the added butter could cause a potential flare-up. Keep a close eye on them as they cook.
- Preheat your grill or flat-top grill to medium-high heat or 375-400 degrees F.
- Cook butter burger patties for 4 minutes per side or until cooked through (160-165 degrees F).
- Add cheese to the patties during the last minute of cooking time.
- Brush the inside of the brioche buns with butter. Place them buttered side down on the grill, and toast for 1 minute, until golden brown.
- Remove patties and buns and assemble with your choice of toppings and condiments.
- Stove top method:
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Heat until melted through.
- In batches, place half the patties in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Adjust the heat as needed.
- During the last minute of cooking time, add the cheese slices to the patties, and cover the skillet with a lid.
- Remove burger patties, wipe the pan down, butter the buns, and toast them butter side down until golden brown.
- Wipe the pan down again, and repeat the process.
- Store leftover butter burger patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 4 weeks. Reheat in a skillet until warmed through.
