The Ultimate Southern Style Burger

The Ultimate Southern Style Burger recipe offers a unique Southern twist to a classic beef burger or homemade burger recipe and incorporates all things Southern, including melted savory pimento cheese, yummy fried green tomatoes, crispy and oh-so-crunchy onion rings, and tangy sweet and savory tomato jam!

You won’t believe how juicy and flavorful this easy beef burger recipe is, and I promise your family and friends will love it!  Yes, I know, it’s a little over the top, well, maybe a lot, but trust me, the combination of flavors in this award-winning burger recipe will rock your burger world.

Burgers, such as my Southern Crispy Fried Chicken Burger, Smoked Burger, and even Homemade Shrimp Burgers, have a long-standing and well-deserved tradition of being one of the most popular foods in America. And it should come as no surprise that this ultimate southern burger will quickly become one of the most popular dishes in your arsenal of recipes. 

The Ultimate Southern Style Burger does have a few moving parts which take a little time to prepare, but it’s so worth it. However, if you are short on time, you can always substitute store-bought pimento cheese, canned onion rings, and ripe tomato slices for the fried green tomatoes.

Ingredient notes:

See the complete recipe below for specific measurements.

• Ground beef – I usually use 80/20 ground beef, which means the beef is 80% lean meat and 20% fat, or you can substitute ground chuck.
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• Peanut or canola oil
• Pimento Cheese Spread – purchased or homemade.
• Fried Green Tomatoes – or sliced fresh tomatoes
• Crispy Onion Rings – or you can substitute a can of fried onions
• Lettuce and hamburger buns
• Tomato jam – purchased or homemade, or you can substitute catsup, bacon jam, or bacon and onion jam.

How to make the ultimate southern burger:

1. Gather your ingredients and use a light touch to divide the meat into four equal portions.  Use your hands to form each portion into a patty about three-quarters of an inch thick. Make a deep depression with your thumb in the middle. (This will keep the patty from puffing up when it cooks.)

1. Season the patties on both sides with kosher salt and pepper.
2. If grilling the hamburger patties, preheat your grill to high and oil the grates. Grill the burgers for about three minutes on the first side, flip them over and cook for an additional four minutes or until they are cooked through. Top with a quarter cup of pimento cheese during the last minute of cooking and allow it to melt. Remove the burgers from the grill and keep them warm until you are ready to assemble.

3. If cooking the burgers inside, use a cast iron skillet and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when it is hot, add the patties. Cook the burgers for about three minutes on the first side, flip them over, and cook for an additional four minutes or until they are cooked through.
4. During the last minute of cooking, top the burgers with a quarter cup of pimento cheese, place a lid on the pan and let the cheese melt. Remove the burgers from the pan and keep them warm until you are ready to assemble.

5. If desired, toast your buns on the grill or under the broiler.
6. To assemble the burgers, spread one tablespoon of tomato jam on the bottom bun. Add lettuce and top with the burger and melted pimento cheese. Add a slice of fried green tomato and a handful of onion rings. Then, top with another tablespoon of tomato jam. Add the top bun and serve immediately.

What to serve with this burger:

This southern beef burger pairs beautifully with casual sides such as Homemade French Fries, Southern Potato Salad, Southern Broccoli Salad, Smoked Baked Beans, Deviled Eggs, or Southern Baked Mac and Cheese.

More southern recipes you will love:

For more menu ideas or recipes, you can find all of my southern-style recipes here.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it! Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!

📋 Recipe:

The Ultimate Southern Style Burger Recipe

Sharon Rigsby

The Ultimate Southern Style Burger offers a unique Southern twist to a classic hamburger and incorporates all things Southern, including melted savory pimento cheese, yummy fried green tomatoes, crispy and oh so crunchy onion rings, and tangy sweet and savory tomato jam.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Lunch, Main Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 4 burgers

Calories 871 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1½ pounds ground beef or ground chuck
• ▢ Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
• ▢ 1½ cups pimento cheese spread, See the link for this recipe in notes and substitution notes.
• ▢ 4 slices fried green tomatoes, See the link for this recipe in notes and substitution notes.
• ▢ ½ cup tomato jam, See the link for this recipe in notes and substitution notes.
• ▢ 2 cups fried onion rings, See the link for this recipe in notes and substitution notes.
• ▢ 4 lettuce leaves
• ▢ 4 hamburger buns

Instructions

 

• Divide the meat into four equal portions, and with your hands, form each portion into a patty about three-quarters of an inch thick. Make a deep depression with your thumb in the middle. (This will keep the patty from puffing up when it cooks.)
• Season the patties on both sides with kosher salt and pepper.
• If grilling the hamburger patties, preheat your grill to high and oil the grates. Grill the burgers for about three minutes on the first side, flip them over and cook for an additional four minutes or until they are cooked through. Top with a quarter cup of pimento cheese during the last minute of cooking and let it melt. Remove the burgers from the grill and keep them warm until you are ready to assemble.
• If cooking the burgers on the stove, use a cast-iron skillet and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when it is hot, add the patties. Cook the burgers for about three minutes on the first side, flip them over and cook for an additional four minutes or until they are cooked through. During the last minute of cooking, top the burgers with a quarter cup of pimento cheese, place a lid on the pan and let the cheese melt. Remove the burgers from the pan and keep them warm until you are ready to assemble.
• If desired, toast your buns on the grill or under the broiler.
• To assemble the burgers, spread one tablespoon tomato jam on the bottom bun. Add lettuce and top with the burger and melted pimento cheese. Add a slice of fried green tomato, a handful of onion rings and top with another tablespoon of tomato jam. Add the top bun and serve immediately.

Notes

Old-Fashioned Pimento Cheese Spread  (can substitute purchased  pimento cheese)

Southern-Style Crispy Onion Rings (can substitute canned french fried onion rings)

Easy Southern Fried Green Tomatoes  (can substitute regular tomato slices)

Sweet and Spicy Tomato Jam (can substitute purchased tomato jam, bacon jam, or bacon and onion jam)

Nutrition

Calories: 871kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 33gFat: 59gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1290mgPotassium: 549mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 550IUVitamin C: 12.4mgCalcium: 260mgIron: 4.1mg

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