I hate having bread products in my burgers. Actually, I do best by making small sliders. An egg can help hold things together, but if you avoid the breadcrumbs you'll likely do fine. And may not need the egg. Don't add too much - if ANY - liquids in any case.

Everyone says dont overwork the meat but I find that unless I really squish it together it falls apart. It's the nature of ground meat. I don't mix in anything like bread crumbs or eggs. Just seasonings,though I usually just season the outside. Squish it together very firmly is my best advice,and cook it enough on one side before you turn it (GENTLY) for it to adhere together.

Use the fatty ground beef - 80/20 at best - two pounds and add to it a package of mild sausage, one cup of bread crumbs, two eggs, and spices as you like. Chop the meat with a mandolin until it's fine and then mix by hand, squeezing until everything is tightly combined.

Now, form your patties. A little thicker in the middle than the sides. Cook over a hot fire, turning only once and DO NOT press down to squeeze the juices out.

My 80/20 or 85/15 burgers stay together. I don't make burgers often, so I'm no expert, but they work out fine. I do season, including dry spices, but no bread, liquid, etc. Trying to keep them not-meatballs. :) I do try not to over handle but do mix some (with my hands in gloves) to distribute the seasoning. Then I pat them into shape between my hands. That's key. It's not that you have to squish (though that works), but you have to kind of squish the outside. I do that with meatballs too, rolling lightly between my hands. If you seal the outside that way, gently, they hold together. if you continue to handle gently. They don't want to be thrown around like steaks. :)

After that, a good sear helps. The idea that searing seals in moisture is a myth--it dries out the outside which makes the inside seem juicier--but a good sear on a burger is tasty and further sticks the outside together.

I did once try the kind where you barely shape the meat and don't add anything. That's hard to handle and really requires the sear. I wouldn't want to try it on an open grill.

You can also use glue--eggs or eggwhites will keep them together. :)

I use whatever ground meat, or grind my own, form into a loose ball w/o squishing, then place on a preheated oiled pan, and give it one squish with a stiff spatula to flatten and spread out, then leave it alone. when the down side is charred enough, I use two spatulas to lift and turn over, it holds together just enough. leave it alone again (or add cheese) until ready to use two spatulas to lift and place on bun. this creates a free form burger that doesn’t look tidy but eats nicely. salt at the end.

Trying to keep them not-meatballs.

And non-meatloaf. I’m surprised at some of the fillers here! Re overworking the meat, someone once said that it’s hard to overwork the meat if you’re aware that you shouldn’t be. Don’t overthink it; form that patty.

you need corn fed MW beef .....

I make burgers regularly with my homegrown grass fed beef, about 95% lean, or a mix of beef and venison, still about 95% lean. I add an egg for each pound, and a "glug" of olive oil, maybe a tablespoon, if I want it "greasier". Salt, pepper, various seasonings if it suits me. Cook it. It never falls apart, it always stays together, whether I cook it rare or well done. I like a hot cast iron pan because it makes a nice crust.

I just made a bunch with my handy vintage burger press...

They come out like this:

I find that the greasier/fattier the burger, the more it falls apart when I try to flip it.

Annie

Try adding 1 tsp gelatin powder to one pound of hamburger meat.

I use very lean beef, 5% fat and they're fine. We like thick ones so they're nice and rare inside. I add garlic, red wine and seasoning. Nothing bready, eggy....

When we had our own beef ti was very VERY lean....now I buy either 85% or 80% lean beef....neither the lean not the fattier beef falls apart....I use no fillers and season just before I put them on the grill.
I never fry a burger...if I can't do it outside,w e don't have burgers.
And I cringe when someone takes a spatula and smashes the burger down on the grill, forcing the juice out!!
And my burgers don't fall apart. Perhaps your butcher doesn't grind the meat fine enough.

I don't put that stuff in a burger (I do if I make meatloaf burgers). I lightly form a ball and then flatten out - gently. I don't like rare so I put an indention in the center, put into the skillet and cover the top with onion. when I flip it over it goes onion side down.

Thanks guys!

It seems that if I cook the hamburger as is, it falls apart.

When I add milk-soaked bread, or an egg and breadcrumbs it falls apart.

I'll squish the patties harder when I make them, that may be the problem.

I’m thankful for this thread because talk of bread and egg and onions got me thinking of my mom’s Frikadellen. Loved them growing up, haven’t had them in years. Asking her to write down a rough recipe while I can.

Well THAT wasn’t much of a success!

I have no recipe.Just mix the meat with a soaked roll, dried breadcrumbs, onion and spices - maybe one egg. Good luck!

Nothing in my burger patties except S&P. And I typically use an 80-20 ground chuck as that is the tastiest due to fat content. Usually 4 patties per pound and shaped by hand (although I DO like that burger press!!). I have never had an issue with them crumbling or falling apart. But I do use a cast iron skillet and at a high heat initially to sear then flip to continue cooking and brown the other side at a slightly lower temp.

While burgers are standard BBQ grilling fare, 95% of the burgers you would purchase at a restaurant are cooked on a flat top so frying is perfectly acceptable and in many cases, expected :-)

Totally agree with just salt and pepper. I want a burger; not something that leans toward meatloaf. Ground chuck that's 85/15 or 80/20 works well for me, and I make 3 burgers per pound of meat. We almost always grill our burgers.

Jamie Oliver is making confinement burgers which is interesting if you need to make the meat go further. He cooks onions or leeks, or shallots, finely diced carrots and mixed the cooled mixture into the beef, some lentils, breadcrumbs, herbs if you have any, sliced gherkins, seasoning.....another idea.

I never mix anything in either, but coat with lots of salt, fresh ground pepper and chopped green onions from my garden, gently form a ball and then and flatten very well between waxed paper, making it a bit thinner at the center, since I prefer medium, not rare, ground beef. I do not mess with it while it cooks and use a cast iron skillet too, turning only once - about 4 minutes per side on medium high. My stove is electric and the meat is 85/15.

I've noticed that the more I break up the ground beef for a burger, the more it tends to crack while cooking, even if I try to push it back together. I usually cut - not break - 1 pound into thirds as well.

HTH

IC, in my house, those are meatballs!

I make 5 or 6 burgers from a pound of my ground beef, but there is so little fat that they'll stick to the pan, so I get minimal/no shrinkage. No way could I eat a 1/3 pound burger, that's just too much for me. I try to stick to 3 or 4 ounces, that's a serving. A couple of family members will eat two, which they are welcome to if they think they aren't getting enough meat with a single patty.

Annie

I do think 85/15% fat makes for more shrinkage for sure.

The secret is to cook the first side about 8 minutes. Flip gently and cook for about 3. If the patty is mostly cooked through, it does not crumble when you flip it over. Do not cook at a very high heat as the outside will be very brown and it will be raw in the middle when you flip it.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/burger-recipes/bothams-burgers/

Ground chuck made onto a patty. Sprinkled with salt and pepper.

We mix in a packet of onion soup mix and grill them. I like fairly thin patties. I’ve never had a falling apart issue, no matter the ratio of fat ... I’d say our cooking method is most like what Elizabeth said.

My fav burger is mushroom Swiss. Now I’m craving one. :)

Never heard of all this 'stuff' in burgers. Yes, that is meatballs/meat loaf. Well, back in the 70-80's when the veggie burgers hit the market, some were putting a bunch of veg and grains in their mince.

I grind my own and use about 60% chuck, 20% sirloin, 20% short rib or brisket. Put about half back through the grinder for second run.

I make about 8-10 at a time, top on the side up with umami spice blend and freeze. (food saver). Fresh for that nights dinner.

Thaw uncovered in fridge on a plate on a p-towel. No salt. Pepper is in the spice blend. Never weigh but probably about 4-5oz. (fresh, about 6 hours in fridge, uncovered)

Pre-heat cast iron, medium heat, little bit of avocado oil, and tsp butter on each. Spice blend /butter side down. Straight from cold fridge. Press a little bit for good contact.

Leave it be 6-8 minutes. Good sear! Flip. One minute for rare, 2 for med rare, etc. Second side does not need the sear, jmo. Now I salt the seared up side. (for well- done, I turn off the heat and add a lid for 4-5 min.) ...we like med-rare.

I do pack them by hand tight-ish, just not at all loose. Never fall apart.

This is an old pic...huge. (I make them smaller now.)

I add the eggs/bread crumbs etc if I am making my version of Salisbury Steaks in gravy but when I want a burger I want only meat, salt & pepper. I use the 80/20 ground beef for burgers done on the grill since the grease will drip through but if I'm frying them I use ground chuck which is a bit leaner.

Per pound of 80/20 ground chuck I add 2 teaspoons of McCormick's Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning. Burgers are formed using my mom's old wooden press, then grilled to perfection.

Zinnia, I absolutely adore that steak seasoning. I use the 'regular' instead of spicy. Just smelling it makes me happy. Best stuff ever!

Yeah. I get the onion soup powder or steak seasoning, but all that stuff in the recipe IC linked is not what we call a hamburger in the USA. It doesn't sound bad but it's not a hamburger.

Jasdip, you'll let us know how it goes on your next attempt, right?

chloebud and zinnia

Have you ever tried Szeged steak seasoning? We love it on any and all beef including burgers. D.L Jardine's also has a great steak seasoning that I've been using in a knock off recipe for Jack Stack's Fire Kissed Chicken WIngs...one of my favorite wing recipes.

As far as burgers I don't do anything fancy. Use quality 80% ground chuck. 1/3 lb. per burger. Season with the Szegeds, cook on a hot grill to sear on both sides and then move to indirect heat. Caramelized onions that have been cooking on the side griddle go on top and then a cheese slice right before taking off the grill. Serve on a Brioche bun preferably.

LoneJack, never heard of Szeged. I have a stash of the McCormick's in the freezer, so it'll be a while before I need more.

Did you mean a brioche bun? I agree those are the best! I don't bother making my own buns anymore.

Yes, brioche. I had corrected it shortly after posting and proof reading. You might have heard of or used Szeged's brand hungarian paprika. They have a line of 6 different meat seasonings. I've used them all except the fish rub.

Here is an excellent recipe for brioche buns via the NYTimes if you bake. link, HERE

DH is the baker. They freeze beautifully. Our preferred burger bun as well.

LoneJack, I've not heard of Szeged, but I think it's D.L. Jardine's that they have at the butcher counter at my market. I need to try it. I'm just so addicted to the Montreal Steak Seasoning. Like Zinnia, I keep a good amount of it on hand and iive in fear of it being discontinued. LOL, good thing it's not being hoarded!

I also like McCormick's Montreal Chicken Seasoning, though I wouldn't put it as high on the scale as the steak seasoning. The chicken seasoning is really tasty on pork.

I keep a good amount of it on hand and iive in fear of it being discontinued.

That's exactly why I have so much. One year I had so much trouble finding it, that when I finally did I stocked up.

It seems pretty popular, so maybe we don't have to worry. So funny...each time I walk down that aisle at the grocery store I ask myself if I should buy more...just to be safe. Especially now when we're not walking down those aisles very often!

If you love a spice blend, stock up and keep it in the freezer without opening. If any spice blend is discontinued, I can help you make your own blend. I started making my own when favorites went missing. No going back. Homemade is so fresh.

I agree, if you find a blend you like, stock up. My oldest daughter bought some Weber Grill Roadhouse Burger seasoning and loved the stuff. She bought more, used it all. Then when she tried to buy it again, it was gone. I've not been able to find it for her either, so if you like a specific one, stock up!

Annie

You're missing the point . It for people who can't access/don't have enough meat/can't afford all that meat to make pure meat burgers. After all, you live in the country of plenty.....except there are many in the USA who are struggling as they are everywhere.

Annie, Is this what your daughter likes? https://www.soupsonline.com/p-5913-weber-roadhouse-burger-infusions-seasoning-mix.aspx

Ingredients of the Roadhouse burger infusion: Salt, Dried Garlic, Dried Onion, Spices, Brown Sugar, Dried Red And Green Bell Pepper, Spice Extractives (for Flavor And Color), Natural Smoke Flavor.

I could not open the JamieOliver link at first. Could not find the 'x' to cut the crap covering the recipe. (he used to have a paywall so I gave up rather quickly)

Leeks, fresh herbs, cornishons, dijon. On the list of the most expensive items in our markets. More expensive than mince. Most of the US is a month from garden herbs. (snowing here this morning)

Sounds good though!. Meat loaf, meat balls, mince pies, can be 'stretched' with cheaper veg like carrots, onion, potato, oatmeal, stale breadcrumbs. etc.

I want to try making a sous vide burger one day! https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/06/sous-vide-burgers-recipe.html