Over the past year or so, many of us have been forced to flex our skills in the kitchen, cooking for ourselves more than ever before. And while there are many meals that are fairly easy to master at home, there are some meals that just never seem quite as good at home as they do when you order them from your favorite restaurant.

A classic cheeseburger seems fairly simple, but attempting to achieve gourmet-quality burgers at home can be intimidating. So here’s the secret, upfront and center: cooking an epic burger at home isn’t about owning the most expensive grill or mastering the perfect flipping technique. It’s all about the ingredients.

As self-proclaimed burger enthusiasts, we’re excited to make gourmet burgers more accessible. Here are our tips and tricks for a homemade burger that’s just as satisfying as one you’d order from your favorite restaurant.

The Elements of an Epic Homemade Burger

You could have the fanciest grill in the world, but if the meat you’re cooking with is low quality, it won’t make a squat of difference. So, here are the ingredients you need if you want flavor that packs a punch:

• Fresh beef patties - Quality beef is ethically sourced and free of antibiotics and steroids while maintaining flavor and tenderness.
• Burger seasoning - Finding your favorite burger seasoning might take some experimenting, as there’s a wide range of pre-made seasonings as well as do-it-yourself recipes.
• Egg bun - While there are a ton of burger bun options to choose from, ranging from pretzel rolls to kaiser rolls, we’re partial to a freshly baked, brioche-style egg bun.
• Classic accouterments - No classic burger is complete without cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and a quality mayo. Or, if you’re more adventurous, try more unique toppings such as jalapeños, guacamole, or caramelized onions.

To source these ingredients, we recommend checking out your local options, be that at the farmer’s market or the local section of your grocery store. However, if you don’t have that much time to spare, Hopdoddy now provides at-home burger kits with every ingredient you need to make delicious burgers, including our secret burger seasoning and Doddy Mayo, which you won’t find anywhere else. Our kits also include ingredients for a fan-favorite side: parmesan truffle fries.

Click here to order a Hopdoddy burger kit.

5 Tips for Cooking Burgers on a Stove Top

Not everyone has a grill, and that’s okay. You can still cook sizzling patties on your stovetop that will satisfy your gourmet burger cravings. Hopdoddy’s very own Chef Matt Schweitzer shared his tips for making an amazing homemade burger without a grill.

Tip #1: Before you even start cooking, you want your pan as hot as possible, and your burger patties as cold as possible.

Tip #2: Don’t play favorites. Show both sides of the patty some love by getting full-coverage seasoning.

Tip #3: Cook your patty without any oil added to the pan. If the pan is hot enough, the meat won’t stick. On that note...

Tip #4: Don’t touch the burger until it’s ready to flip. You’ll know it’s time when it easily releases from the pan.

Tip #5: As a final touch, add a bit of butter to the pan at the end for extra flavor and juiciness.

Enjoy Your Homemade Burger With a Beer or Margarita… or Two

In these stressful times, we encourage you to savor and celebrate the little moments, like cooking at home and sharing a meal with your loved ones. And if drinking libations, such as craft beer or margaritas, adds to the experience, so be it. Check out Hopdoddy’s pantry items, available for pick up, such as ready-made margaritas (on the rocks and frozen) or local craft beers.