Today is the 4th of July which screams BBQ and what is more American on a barbecue than burgers, right? Well here is a deliciously simply take on an American BBQ classic. What makes a great hamburger? First there ‘s the meat. You want to use a flavorful cut, like sirloin (for uptown burgers The All-American Cheeseburger has certain non-negotiable elements: American cheese is one of them. Rather than unwrap individual singles, get sliced cheese from your nearest deli counter — it tastes better and melts slower and more evenly.

Dill pickle chips (though I prefer bread and butter pickles), sliced red onion and tomato, crisp lettuce leaves, ketchup and mayo are also involved. You can mix even the two condiments together along with some chopped pickles for Thousand Island dressing, a burger favorite, and it’ll still be an All-American Cheeseburger worth Instagramming.

Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
2 pounds freshly ground chuck, (at least 80% lean, a.k.a. 80/20)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 slices deli-counter American cheese
6 large burger buns, preferably homemade, toasted if desired

Garnish:
ketchup
mayonnaise
thousand island dressing
sliced red onion
sliced tomatoes
sliced pickles
fresh lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion powder, salt and pepper until just combined. Do not overmix, or your patties will be tough.
2. Divide into six portions and form patties, without pressing too hard. They should be uniform in thickness. Smooth out any cracks using your fingers. Make these right before you grill them, so they stay at room temperature.
3. Preheat your grill, grill pan or cast-iron skillet to high heat and add burger patties. If using a grill, cover with the lid.
4. Cook until the crust that forms on the bottom of the burger releases it from the pan or grate — about 2 minutes. Gently test, but don’t flip it until it gets to this point. When burgers lift up easily, flip, add two slices of cheese to each, close lid if using a grill, and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes for medium to medium rare.
5. Remove burgers with a sturdy metal spatula and transfer to a plate. Allow to rest for several minutes, then transfer to buns.
6. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.