How To Cook Burgers In The Oven

Controversial opinion: Burgers are better at home than in a restaurant. Hear us out: Burgers should be topped exactly how you like, with the perfectly toasted bun and as many napkins as you need. Plus, at home, you can eat the burger the second it's ready. They're screaming for a side of oven-baked fries or classic deep-fried french fries and diner-worthy milkshakes for dessert.

You don't actually need a grill to make burgers at home. Instead of using a pan on the stovetop—which covers the grates with hard-to-clean grease—the oven is the perfect way to make burgers at home because it contains the mess. 

Though you might see some recipes out there for pressing meat into a square pan for oven-made burgers, the key to getting a good crust on the burger in the oven is in preheating a cast iron skillet in the oven. When the meat hits the hot pan it mimics the griddle at a fast-food joint.

Though you can go with plain, seasoned ground beef for the patties, the addition of Worcestershire sauce and a dash of onion and garlic powder ensures extra-flavorful burgers. Once cooked, top with your favorite fixings: Cheddar, tomato, and lettuce are standard, but caramelized onions or oven-cooked bacon would be welcome, too.

Before baking, you'll press an indent into the center of each patty, which helps keep them from puffing up while cooking.