Name: Easy Oven-Baked Burgers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1-1/3 pounds ground beef; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 4 hamburger buns, split and toasted; Optional toppings: Sliced cheese, lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, sliced onion, bacon and mayonnaise

Our foolproof technique creates juicy, easy oven-baked burgers with little mess to clean up. Here's how to cook burgers in the oven in only 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1-1/3 pounds ground beef

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Optional toppings: Sliced cheese, lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, sliced onion, bacon and mayonnaise

Instructions

1 Shape the burger patties

2 Preheat the oven to 350°. Shape the ground beef into four 1-inch-thick patties. Arrange the patties on a greased 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Editor's Tip: It may be tempting to add salt and pepper before shaping the patties, but please don't! Wait to salt the ground beef until just before it's cooked. Salt draws moisture out of the burgers, making them tough and dry. Use your thumb to press a divot in the middle of each patty.

3 Season the burgers

4 Sprinkle both sides of the patties with salt and pepper.

5 Oven-bake the burgers

6 Bake until a thermometer reads 160°, 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. If desired, top each patty with cheese during the last two to three minutes. Serve on buns with toppings as desired. Editor's Tip: To toast the buns, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Spread a little butter over the split buns. Toast the sliced sides of the buns for a minute or two until they’re golden brown.