Use these burger hacks for juicy, crispy cheesy patties.
This Is Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Ingredient for the Perfect Burger
Published on Jul. 18, 2025
July is officially the peak of the summer season. It’s a time of year for getting together, kicking back and hopefully enjoying some tasty grub and refreshing beverage, ideally in an outdoor setting. It’s also the season for burgers, a deceptively simple centerpiece for any summertime gathering. Yet for all their simplicity, burgers often end up as dry, flavorless, overcooked lumps of meat. Who would want to serve that to friends and loved ones? I certainly don’t.
Thankfully, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay of Kitchen Nightmares, MasterChef and “idiot sandwich” fame has a simple hack for cooking perfectly juicy burgers every time.
How does Gordon Ramsay make his burgers?
The key to preparing Gordon Ramsay’s burger is starting with the right meat blend. According to a popular episode of MasterChef, the best blend for a burger follows a 70-20-10 ratio of 70% chuck steak, 20% short rib and 10% fat. Once Gordon has his meat ground, he hits it with his signature spice mix of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chili flakes.
The key ingredient that makes Gordon’s burger unique comes next. He makes a hole in the center of the mixture and drops in an egg to bind the burger patty, essentially making a miniature meat loaf. Then he blends the meat by hand before putting it through a cutter so it has a consistent shape and cooks evenly.
With his patty formed, Gordon then sears the burger in a skillet on high with a bit of oil for 30 seconds on each side before finishing it in the oven for eight minutes.
What are Gordon’s other burger tips?
Despite his gruff exterior, Gordon has been very generous with his burger hacks over the years, so the advice doesn’t stop there.
The perfect burger is more than just meat; it would be nothing without a bun. Gordon recommends lightly toasting the bun in the skillet before the patty to prevent the bun from getting soggy once it comes into contact with the meat and toppings.
As for toppings, Gordon told Good Morning America he likes the traditional combination of fresh tomatoes and lettuce with a bit of mustard, mayonnaise and grilled white onions. He also likes to top his burgers with cheddar cheese instead of American cheese.
Finally, if you’re grilling your burgers this summer, Gordon also recommends forming the patties the night before and storing them in the fridge, so that they’ll be less likely to break apart on the grill. Just be sure to give them a chance to rest on the countertop before tossing them on the grill to ensure they cook properly.
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