Classic Diner Double Cheeseburger
A nostalgic two-patty cheeseburger with melted American cheese, tangy pickles, and signature burger sauce in a toasted sesame bun.
- Prep
- 10min
- Cook
- 8min
- Total
- 18min
- Serves
- 2
- Calories
- 840per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Two thin patties beat one thick one here: each gets its own crust, and the cheese melts between them instead of sliding off the top. Smash the beef onto a very hot cast-iron surface, leave it alone for 90 seconds, and the edges turn lacy and brown.
The sauce is the old diner mix of ketchup, mayo and yellow mustard. Raw white onion and dill pickle chips cut through all that richness, so don't skip them.
Classic Diner Double Cheeseburger
Prep 10 min, cook 8 min, total 18 min. About 840 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/classic-diner-double-cheeseburger
Serves 2.
Ingredients
Instructions
Tap a step to keep your place.
Make burger sauce by mixing equal parts ketchup, mayonnaise, and yellow mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat.
Divide the ground beef into 4 balls of about 2½ oz each and season with salt and pepper. Place on hot surface and use a sturdy spatula to smash each ball to about ¼ inch thick. Cook for 90 seconds until edges crisp.
Flip patties and immediately top each with a slice of American cheese. Cook for about 60 seconds more to melt the cheese, until an instant-read thermometer in the center of a patty reads 160°F (71°C).
Spread 1 tbsp butter over the cut sides of the sesame buns and toast them cut-side down on the skillet until golden brown, about 30 seconds.
Spread ¼ cup burger sauce on 2 bottom buns, stack two cheesy patties on each bun, add 4 pickle chips per burger, sprinkle with ¼ cup diced white onion, and crown with top buns.
Tips
- Keep the beef cold until it hits the pan. Warm fat smears, and the patties stick to the spatula.
- Press once, hard, within the first 10 seconds. Smashing later squeezes out juice instead of building crust.
- When you flip, scrape under the patty with the edge of the spatula so the crust comes with it.
- Thin patties cook fast. Check one with an instant-read thermometer for 160°F (71°C) before you stack.
Substitutions
- Mild cheddar instead of American: add it right after the flip, since it melts more slowly.
- No cast iron: a heavy stainless skillet or a flat griddle gets hot enough.
- Potato rolls instead of sesame buns give a softer, slightly sweet bite.
Make ahead & storage
Mix the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Cooked patties keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated; reheat in a hot skillet to 165°F (74°C). The crust won't fully come back, so these are best eaten right away.
