Classic Cheeseburger & Fries

Ingredients

• 6 oz ground beef
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 cups frozen french fries
• 1 bun sesame burger bun
• 2 slices American cheese
• ½ cup lettuce
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp ketchup

Instructions

1. 1

   Start with the fries, because they take the longest and everything else is quick. Fire up your oven to 425 F and let it fully preheat. If you toss fries into a cold oven they steam instead of crisp, so give it those few minutes to come up to temp.

2. 2

   Spread the 2 cups of frozen french fries out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Give them room to breathe, don't pile them in a heap, or the ones underneath go soft. Slide the tray onto the top rack and bake 18 to 22 minutes, flipping them once around the halfway mark so both sides get golden and crunchy. They're done when the edges are deep golden and one sounds crisp when you tap it.

3. 3

   While the fries bake, shape your burger. Take the 6 oz of ground beef and loosely form it into a ball, then press it flat into a patty about a half-inch wider than your bun, because it'll shrink and puff up as it cooks. Push a shallow dimple into the center with your thumb, that little dip keeps it from doming into a meatball. Season both sides with the salt and black pepper right before it hits the pan.

4. 4

   Set a skillet, cast iron if you've got one, over medium-high heat and let it get good and hot, a full couple minutes until a flick of water dances and sizzles off. The beef has enough fat to grease the pan itself, so lay the patty down dry. Leave it ALONE and let it sear.

5. 5

   Cook the first side 3 to 4 minutes without pressing or poking it. Pressing just squeezes out all the good juice. You're waiting until you can see the edges are browned and the bottom has a dark, crusty sear, that crust is where the flavor lives.

6. 6

   Flip it once, lay both slices of American cheese right on top, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. If you want that cheese fully melted and draped over the sides, tent a lid or a bit of foil over the pan for the last minute to trap the heat. For a solid medium burger you're looking for the center to feel firm-but-springy when you press it, no squish.

7. 7

   Pull the patty onto a plate and let it rest a couple minutes. I know it's tempting to build right away, but resting lets the juices settle back in instead of running out the second you bite. While it rests, toast your sesame bun cut-side down in that same hot skillet for about 30 seconds until golden, all those beef drippings soak right in.

8. 8

   Now the fun part. Spread the mayonnaise on the top half of the bun and the ketchup on the bottom half, that way every bite gets both without one sauce hogging the show.

9. 9

   Lay the half cup of lettuce down on the bottom bun first, right on the ketchup. Putting the lettuce under the patty makes a little barrier so the bottom bun stays sturdy instead of going soggy.

10. 10

    Set your cheesy patty on top of the lettuce, crown it with the mayo'd top bun, and give it a gentle press so it holds together. Grab those hot fries out of the oven, hit them with a tiny pinch of salt if you like, and eat it right away while the cheese is still gooey and the fries are crisp. That's the good stuff.

Tools you’ll need

• baking sheet
• oven
• skillet
• spatula
• plate

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