I made Guy Fieri's 'perfect' burger, and his special trick for melting the cheese made it restaurant

Publish date: 2024-08-06
2021-09-04T10:30:00Z

From making the best grilled cheese to trusting an apple pie stuffed with a hot dog, Guy Fieri has taught me a lot over the past few months.

Guy Fieri taught me how to make his "ultimate" grilled cheese sandwich over Zoom. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I've had the chance to Zoom with Fieri several times over the past few months, learning the secrets of his "ultimate" grilled cheese sandwich and trying the most American dessert ever created

So when it came time to find the best burger recipe, I knew I had to ask the Mayor of Flavortown.

Guy Fieri holds hamburgers in the kitchen during a welcome event for Guy Fieri's Vegas Kitchen & Bar on April 4, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment

"This may be a more complicated answer than you bargained for, because it's not just about a burger recipe," Fieri told me. "It's about the execution of the whole deal. You can get down with whatever toppings you want, but the basics have to be covered." 

Intrigued by Fieri's unique burger tips — including using a brioche bun and cooking with a bowl over my meat — I decided to put his recipe to the ultimate test. 

Here's how it all went down. 

Most of Fieri's burger ingredients are standard, save for the bun.

The ingredients for Fieri's perfect burger. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

To whip up Fieri's burger at home, you'll need: 

I was surprised when Fieri told me that he uses brioche instead of sesame-seed buns for his perfect burger. But I loved using brioche for Gordon Ramsay's breakfast sandwich, so I hoped that the swap would pay off. 

Fieri's burger requires very little prep.

First I sliced my tomato and onion. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

But the Mayor of Flavortown told me that it was important to "slice your tomato and cut those white onions so thin that they only have one side." 

Fieri also recommended that I shred my lettuce.

Then I shredded my lettuce. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I was done chopping up the veggies for four burgers in just a few minutes. It was time to get cooking. 

Then I seasoned my ground beef and shaped it into balls.

I seasoned my ground beef with salt and pepper. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I kept the seasoning simple with just some salt and pepper. 

I also prepped my brioche buns so they'd be ready when the burgers were done cooking.

I buttered my buns before throwing them in the oven. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Per Fieri's recommendation, I buttered the buns and popped them into the oven so they'd get nice and toasty. 

It was time to get cooking! I dropped the first burger onto my griddle.

Fieri told me it was important to get the griddle as hot as possible. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Fieri told me it was important to place my burgers "on the hottest griddle or cast iron pan you can get." 

Then I smashed the burger with a spatula.

I smashed my burger to half-an-inch thick. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

"You smash it down hard, we're talking a half-inch thick," Fieri told me.

Following Fieri's advice, I then let my patty crisp up to "get all that delicious caramelization going."

I waited for the sides of my patty to get crunchy. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Once the sides of my patty got crunchy, I flipped it over to let the other side brown up. 

Every stove is different, so Fieri didn't give me a specific timeframe for flipping the meat.

I used a meat thermometer to check on my burger. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I waited until my patty reached 140 degrees Fahrenheit — which took around two-and-a-half minutes — since I wanted a medium burger. 

After flipping the burger, I added a slice of American cheese.

Fieri told me American cheese melts really well on a burger. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Fieri told me that he loves using American cheese slices on burgers because "they melt really well." 

Then it was time to try Fieri's special trick.

I used a pie tin for Fieri's special trick. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Fieri recommends squirting some water around your burger and then placing "some sort of dome or metal bowl" over it. 

"That steam will melt your cheese before you overcook your burger," he told me. 

I didn't have a metal bowl on hand, so I used an old Marie Callender's pie tin that was still in my parents' kitchen. MacGyver would be proud! 

When I lifted the tin, the cheese looked perfectly melted.

The cheese looked perfect, just as Fieri had promised. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

It was almost time to get tasting. 

I then plopped my patty on top of one of my toasted buns, along with all the fixings.

I added tomato, onion, lettuce, and pickles to my burger. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

First I added the tomato and onion slices before throwing the pickles on top. I placed my shredded lettuce on the burger's other bun. 

Once I put everything together, the burger definitely looked impressive.

My version of Fieri's perfect burger. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I've never made my own burger before (I know, I know, I'm learning!) and I was surprised by how, well, easy it was. 

Fieri's recipe barely took me 10 minutes from start to finish, and the towering burger looked straight out of a restaurant. 

But I've tried some of the best burgers in New York City. So how would Fieri's recipe stand up to the likes of Peter Luger?

Fieri's "perfect" burger definitely lives up to its name.

I loved Fieri's juicy burger. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The first thing I noticed was that the burger was perfectly cooked. It was so juicy on the inside, but had a nice crisp on the outside. Fieri's dome trick definitely paid off. 

And I loved the brioche bun as a base. It carried the burger — and all of its fixings — really well, and added a little more depth of flavor to every bite with that hint of signature sweetness. 

"The brioche complements the burger, it adds another texture to it," my dad said. 

"The cheese is buttery almost, and I like the colors too," my mom added. 

Fieri's recipe might seem basic, but it really delivers a delicious burger.

I can't wait to make Fieri's burger again. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Fieri's known for his wildly creative recipes, but his simple burger is my favorite yet. 

It's everything that a great burger should be — juicy, crispy, and cheesy. And the whole thing takes just 10 minutes to make. 

I can't wait to pay Flavortown a visit again and whip up Fieri's burger for the next holiday weekend. 

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