Steamed Hamburgers cook on a rack over simmering water in a covered pot, so the patties stay juicy with no flipping and no grease splattering across the stove. A slice of American cheese melts over each one in the last 2 minutes, and dinner for 4 is ready in about 20 minutes.
How to make them: Bring a little water to a boil under a steamer or rack, set 4 seasoned patties on it, cover and steam for 7 minutes, until they reach 160°F. Turn off the heat, lay cheese on each burger, cover for 2 minutes, and serve on warm rolls.
Why You’ll Love It
- No flipping, no splatter: the burgers cook in steam, not in a hot pan.
- Juicy and tender: the patties stay moist in the covered pot.
- Fast: 10 minutes to mix and shape, 10 minutes to cook.
- No special gear: a vegetable steamer in a pot or a cooling rack in a deep skillet does the job.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: One and a half pounds, 80 to 85% lean, makes 4 generous patties.
Worcestershire sauce: One tablespoon mixed into the beef with salt and pepper.
American cheese: Four slices, at room temperature.
Rolls and condiments: Soft hamburger rolls, warmed or toasted, and whatever you like on a burger: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles or spicy mayo.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80 to 85% lean)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 4 slices American cheese, at room temperature
- 4 soft hamburger rolls
- Condiments of your choice
How to Make Steamed Cheeseburgers
1. Set up the steamer. Fill a large pot (for a metal vegetable steamer) or a large deep skillet (for a cooling rack with legs) with water that comes close to the bottom of the steamer or rack but does not touch it. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Shape the patties. Mix the beef, Worcestershire, salt and pepper and form into 4 patties. Make a few dents in each burger with your fingers to hold the cheese.
3. Steam. Place the burgers on the steamer or rack, set it in the pan, cover and cook for 7 minutes, until the burgers reach 160°F in the center.
4. Melt the cheese. Turn off the burner, open the lid and quickly cover each burger with a slice of cheese. Cover the pan for 2 minutes.
5. Warm the rolls. Meanwhile, warm the rolls in the microwave for about 15 seconds, or toast them. Place the bottom buns on plates and spread with condiments.
6. Serve. When the cheese is melted, use a spatula to move the burgers to the bottom rolls. Add the roll tops and serve right away.
How Long to Steam a Burger
Steaming is quick, so a minute either way matters. Here is what sets the time.
Patty size. Four patties from 1 1/2 pounds of beef steam in about 7 minutes. Smaller quarter-pound patties take about 8 minutes in a steamer basket over simmering water. Shape each patty to the size of your buns and lay them in a single layer.
The water. Keep it close to the rack but not touching it, about 1 inch deep in a pot with a basket. The patties should sit in steam, not in water.
The lid. Keep the pot covered the whole time; the steam does the cooking.
The dent. Press your thumb into the center of each patty. It helps the patties cook evenly and gives the cheese a place to sit.
The check. Because the time is short, use a thermometer in the thickest part rather than the clock alone. If a patty is not at the temperature in step 3, cover it and steam a little longer before the cheese goes on.
Tips for Success
- Mix gently: combine the beef and seasoning well, but stop there. Overworking the meat can make the burgers tough.
- Get the rolls ready while they steam: warm or toast the buns and spread the condiments, so the burgers go straight from the pot to the rolls.
The Connecticut Steamed Cheeseburger
Steamed cheeseburgers come from central Connecticut. They are believed to have started at Jack’s Lunch in Middletown in the 1920s or 1930s, and Ted’s Restaurant in Meriden is the best-known place serving them today. Restaurants there steam 5-ounce patties of extra-lean beef in trays inside a stainless-steel cabinet, with a 2-ounce chunk of cheddar melting in a tray of its own. The fat that cooks out is drained from the tray, the meat goes onto a hard roll, and the melted cheese is poured over it. Sweet onions and mustard are the usual toppings. For a closer match at home, serve these on hard rolls with sweet onion and mustard.
Variations
- Different seasoning: use 1 tablespoon of hamburger seasoning, or your favorite blend, in place of the Worcestershire, salt and pepper.
- Leaner beef: use 1 pound of lean ground beef and shape 4 quarter-pound patties; steam about 8 minutes and give the cheese 1 minute.
- Different cheese: use sliced cheddar, the cheese used in Connecticut.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Store the patties apart from the rolls and reheat them to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Set out lettuce, tomato, sliced onion and pickles, and serve with pasta salad or baked zucchini fries. For more ground beef dinners in the same spirit, try patty melts with secret sauce, hamburger steaks with onion mushroom gravy, cheeseburger pie or low-carb bacon cheeseburger casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a steamed hamburger?
A burger cooked in steam instead of on a grill or in a pan. The best-known version is the steamed cheeseburger of central Connecticut, served on a hard roll with melted cheddar poured over the meat.
Can you actually make steamed hamburgers at home?
Yes. A metal vegetable steamer in a large pot, or a cooling rack with legs in a deep skillet, holds the patties above the water while a lid keeps the steam in.
How long does it take to steam a burger?
About 7 minutes for 6-ounce patties and about 8 minutes for quarter-pound patties, covered, plus 1 to 2 minutes off the heat to melt the cheese. Check the center with a thermometer.
Do I need to flip steamed burgers?
No. They stay on the rack, covered, for the whole steaming time.
Final Notes
Keep the water below the rack, keep the lid on, and let the thermometer tell you when the burgers are done. If you make them, tell me how they turned out in the comments.
Steamed Hamburgers
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 80 to 85% lean
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4 slices American cheese at room temperature
- 4 soft hamburger rolls
- condiments your choice
Instructions
- Fill a large pot (for a metal vegetable steamer) or a large deep skillet (for a cooling rack with legs) with water that comes close to the bottom of the steamer or rack but does not touch it. Bring the water to a boil.
- Mix the beef, Worcestershire, salt and pepper and form into 4 patties. Make a few dents in each burger with your fingers to hold the cheese.
- Place the burgers on the steamer or rack, set it in the pan, cover and cook for 7 minutes, until the burgers reach 160°F in the center.
- Turn off the burner, open the lid and quickly cover each burger with a slice of cheese. Cover the pan for 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm the rolls in the microwave for about 15 seconds, or toast them. Place the bottom buns on plates and spread with condiments.
- When the cheese is melted, use a spatula to move the burgers to the bottom rolls. Add the roll tops and serve right away.
