How To Cook Burgers In The Oven The Right Way

Many burger recipes involve using a frying pan, while others, aimed at those who prefer an outdoor cooking experience, were designed for the grill. We were wondering, though, whether you could also bake burgers in the oven. For the answer, we turned to content creator-turned-cookbook author Owen Han, whose debut "Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich" can be purchased on Amazon. Han, who is hosting an event called Perfect Sandwich Demo & Dine as part of the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, told us that it's certainly possible to cook burgers in the oven — and he even notes that there are some upsides to this method.

According to Han, "advantages include even heat distribution and less mess compared to grilling, and you can cook multiple patties at once." Even so, Han advises against simply baking or roasting the burgers, as this would not provide the char that he enjoys. Han explains that, if you're not up for cooking burgers in a pan or on the grill, then "broiling is better [than oven-baking], as it uses direct heat to create a crispy, caramelized exterior, similar to grilling." Broiling is also a pretty quick way to cook, since burgers under the broiler may need just three minutes per side. So, there you have it — if you want to use the oven for your burgers, broil, don't bake.

Despite the fact that oven-cooked burgers do offer some advantages (particularly ease of preparation), Owen Han admits that for him, the disadvantages outweigh the positives. These include the lack of char, as mentioned above, and, in the case of grilling, the smoky flavor that you can get from using charcoal briquettes or wood pellets. In Han's opinion, "grilling or pan-frying usually offers better flavor and texture from the Maillard reaction, giving burgers that delicious crust which is why [he] personally avoids the oven."

While oven-cooked burger recipes are out there, their numbers appear relatively few compared to stovetop smash burgers or grilled patties, which offer many creative interpretations like apple butter-cheddar burgers and Dominican-inspired chimichurri burgers. It would seem that the internet (as well as quite a few cookbooks) agrees with Han that despite the oven being a valid option for cooking patties, broiled burgers won't be replacing ones cooked using a more traditional method any time soon.

The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival is being held in Miami February 20-23. Learn more and buy tickets here.