The Kind Of Beef You Need For A Five Guy's-Style Burger At Home

If you're familiar with Five Guys, you already know that they make some darn good burgers. It's the fresh ingredients, you see, from handmade patties to freshly baked burger buns. But takeout gets expensive, and $12.89 for a basic cheeseburger (not including all those extra fries or soda) takes a big bite out of your wallet. So, what do we do in these scenarios? We take the best from the Five Guys burger and make it better on our own, because you can do that when you go the homemade route.

The patty is always the most important part of a burger, and if you're looking to mirror the Five Guys beef burger, it's ground chuck that you want. Specifically, ground chuck with an 80/20 ratio of lean meat to fat. This kind of beef is generally recommended for burger patties because of this lean meat-to-fat ratio, delivering good flavor and juiciness without overloading the fat content.

The 20% fat content makes the meat softer and more tender while injecting a gorgeously meaty, savory flavor that really enhances your experience of the burger. Chuck is also a more affordable cut of meat compared to sirloin, ribeye, or rump, so you can create a truly magnificent, gourmet Five Guys-style burger without breaking the bank. Another great thing about the chuck ground beef is that the fat acts as a binding agent, so you won't need to add eggs, a slice of bread, or panko to keep your patties from falling apart. This keeps the flavor more pure and beefy.

The first tip to build up a flavor-filled Five Guys burger is to make sure that everything is seasoned well, especially your ground beef patty, or patties if you're feeling super hungry. Ideally, you want to season the patties while you're cooking them so that the flavor runs evenly throughout the meat, but you can add your salt and pepper while plating.

Take your two burger bun halves and butter them generously, then crisp the insides in a hot pan until golden brown. To each half, add a swirl of ketchup, mustard, and mayo, or bring in your favorite sauces — sweet chili, BBQ, or monkey gland. Both buns must be sauced. Add a layer of thinly sliced pickles to your bottom bun, followed by a few strips of crispy streaky bacon. Slide on your flattened burger patties with a slice of melted cheese on top of each. Alternatively, add the cheese at the end and wrap your meal in foil so it melts.

Next, pop on a thin slice of heirloom tomato and some fried shiitake mushrooms, both well seasoned. Spoon on a generous portion of fried and caramelized onions, and top with some chopped lettuce. Finish off your burger tower with your top bun, pressing down gently to link all your ingredients together. With that, your perfect burger is ready to enjoy. Mix up your toppings to create a burger that will drive your taste buds wild, including different types of cheeses or other popular burger toppings like guacamole, aioli, jalapeños, or chili.