Butter Burgers

A butter burger, crinkle-cut fries and frozen custard from Culver’s is my comfort meal. (Nobody asked, but I think that makes me a true Wisconsinite.) I’ve loved the popular midwestern fast food chain ever since I was a kid, as we often made stops there on road trips and on busy weeknights when my mom didn’t have time to make a meal. I loved the buttery, lacy edges of the thin burger patty and the soft, buttery bun—enough to order a butter burger every time. Culver’s always tasted better than other fast food options, which I attribute to the fact that it cooks food to order and uses fresh, never-frozen beef. Culver’s even won our fast food burger taste test, so it’s not just me who loves them.

Although the original is pretty hard to beat, I love to attempt to re-create my favorite restaurant foods at home by testing out restaurant copycat recipes, and I’m here to say that our Culver’s copycat recipe is worth a shot! If you learn how to make butter burgers and serve them with your favorite fried side, whether it’s cheese curds, crinkle-cut fries or onion rings, adding some frozen custard for dessert, you’ll feel as if you’ve walked into a Culver’s—no matter how far you live from the nearest location.

What are butter burgers?

In the Midwest, butter burgers are synonymous with Culver’s, which is a popular fast food chain that originated in Wisconsin. Traditional butter burgers have one or two thin beef patties that were cooked in butter on the stovetop, and a soft and pillowy bun that was toasted in butter as well. (I would go so far as to say that the meat patties could almost be considered smash burgers with the lacy and crispy edges.) Some recipes recommend serving the patties with a pat of butter on top, but I find that unnecessary since you already get enough buttery flavor from the bun and the meat.

Ingredients

• Ground beef: The best ground beef for burgers has a higher fat percentage to keep them juicy. We’d recommend an 80/20 blend, which is what we use for most burger recipes.
• Salt and pepper: Keep it simple with salt and pepper. Season each patty just before cooking.
• Butter: For the namesake ingredient of a butter burgers recipe, you can use your favorite butter brand. Salted or unsalted is fine.
• Hamburger buns: You could make hamburger buns from scratch, but we picked up some brioche buns from the bakery section at the grocery store.
• Cheddar cheese: If you love cheeseburgers, add cheddar cheese to your butter burger. Use your favorite sliced cheddar variety, whether it’s aged, sharp or regular.
• Optional toppings: The “works” at Culver’s includes ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions, but the best burger toppings are the ones of your choosing. A slice of tomato and a leaf of lettuce are two other classic options that will nicely contrast the heartiness of the burger patty.

Directions

Step 1: Make the beef patties

Shape the ground beef into four patties, each 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Cook the burgers

Working in batches if needed, heat the butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. With a heavy metal spatula or burger press, flatten each patty to 1/4-inch thickness. Cook until the edges start to brown, about 1-1/2 minutes. Flip each burger.

Editor’s Tip: One of our best tips for making burgers taste better is to avoid pressing down on the patties while they’re cooking. Squish them down right when you put the burger patties in the skillet. But after they start cooking, don’t press on them unless you want to literally squeeze the juices out of the meat.

After flipping, cook until the patties are well-browned and a thermometer reads at least 160°F, about one minute longer.

If desired, top each patty with a slice of cheddar cheese. Remove the burgers from the pan and keep warm.

Step 3: Finish cooking the burgers

If necessary, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pan and repeat with the remaining patties.

Step 4: Butter and toast the buns

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and add the buns. Toast until golden brown.

Step 5: Serve the butter burgers

Transfer the cooked burgers to the toasted buns and serve with desired toppings.

Variations

• Do a deluxe: At Culver’s, a deluxe butter burger comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onion and mayo. Add bacon to make it a bacon deluxe.
• Make a mushroom and Swiss: If you love mushrooms, you’ll love a mushroom and Swiss butter burger. A slice of Swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms in even more butter are calling your name.
• Experiment with the cheese: While cheddar is a classic Wisconsin cheese, American will melt quite nicely too, as will other melting cheeses like Gruyere or smoked Gouda.

How to Store Butter Burgers

Leftover butter burgers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The buns should be kept in a resealable plastic bag, and the leftover veggies, sliced cheese and pickles should be stored in the fridge.

How long will butter burgers last?

Try your best to prepare only the number of burgers and burger toppings you plan to serve. The toasted, buttered buns and freshly cooked burger patties are best when they’re warm and fresh. Also, since the burger patties don’t take very long to cook, it shouldn’t be hard to prepare and cook them when hunger strikes.

Can you make butter burgers ahead of time?

Butter burgers are best served fresh. However, you can make the patties and keep them in the fridge for up to two days. Just hold off on the salt and pepper until right before cooking.

Butter Burger Tips

How do you sear a butter burger patty?

Don’t be afraid to let the meat sit on the pan undisturbed for the full 90 seconds. If you move the patties around too much, they won’t have a chance to develop that sear.

What do you serve with a butter burger?

If you want to do it the Culver’s way, serve butter burgers with cheese curds, crinkle-cut fries or onion rings. I never order a butter burger without frozen custard, so consider that for dessert. You could prepare homemade frozen custard in advance or swing by your favorite local ice cream shop for something fun to do after dinner.