Lettuce-Wrapped Bunless Beef Burgers

Name: Lettuce-Wrapped Bunless Beef Burgers
Prep time: 19 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1¼ lb (565 g) ground sirloin (90% lean), cold, straight from the fridge; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, frozen for 10 minutes, then coarsely grated; 2 tsp (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce; ½ tsp (1½ g) garlic powder; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tsp (5 ml) avocado oil or other high-heat neutral oil; ¼ cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt; 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard; 2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp (20 g) dill pickles, finely chopped; 2 small heads (300 g) butter lettuce, 8 large, intact outer leaves separated, washed and patted completely dry; 1 large (200 g) large ripe tomato, cored and cut into 8 slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; ½ medium (70 g) red onion, sliced into very thin rings; 1 cup (240 ml) cold water, for soaking the onion

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy pan-seared sirloin patties, seasoned with Worcestershire and garlic and kept tender with a little grated cold butter, nestled in crisp butter lettuce with tomato, quick-soaked red onion and a tangy yogurt-Dijon sauce. A light, bunless burger with a real crust.

Prep: 19 min
Cook: 11 min
Wait: 13 min
Total: 43 min
Makes: 4 lettuce-wrapped burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the patties
1¼ lb (565 g) ground sirloin (90% lean), cold, straight from the fridge
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, frozen for 10 minutes, then coarsely grated
2 tsp (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp (5 ml) avocado oil or other high-heat neutral oil
For the sauce
¼ cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (20 g) dill pickles, finely chopped
To assemble
2 small heads (300 g) butter lettuce, 8 large, intact outer leaves separated, washed and patted completely dry
1 large (200 g) large ripe tomato, cored and cut into 8 slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
½ medium (70 g) red onion, sliced into very thin rings
1 cup (240 ml) cold water, for soaking the onion

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron or heavy stainless steel skillet
Box grater
Medium mixing bowl
Small bowl for sauce
Rimmed baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment
Wide spatula
Instant-read thermometer
Chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Keep the beef and butter in the fridge until the moment you use them; cold fat is what keeps lean sirloin juicy.
Put the butter in the freezer for 10 minutes so it grates easily.
Have an instant-read thermometer ready. Burgers made from ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C).
Turn on your stove fan and open a window: searing at medium-high heat makes some smoke.

1
Make the sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and chopped pickles until smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate while you prepare everything else.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth, evenly pale and speckled with pickle.
2
Prep the toppings
- Gently separate 8 large outer lettuce leaves, keeping them whole so they can cradle the burgers.
- Rinse and pat completely dry with towels.
- Slice the tomato into 8 rounds about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Slice the red onion into very thin rings.
- Set the lettuce and tomato aside on a plate.
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Ready when: Lettuce leaves are dry and unbroken; tomato slices are even.
Tip: Wet lettuce slides off the patty and waters down the sauce, so dry it thoroughly.
3
Mix and shape patties
- Place the cold sirloin in a medium bowl.
- Add the grated frozen butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Mix gently with your fingertips for about 20 seconds, just until the seasonings and butter are evenly distributed.
- Divide into 4 equal portions of about 140 g (5 oz) each.
- Shape each into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, then press a shallow dimple into the center with your thumb.
- Place on a parchment-lined plate.
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Ready when: Patties hold together, look evenly speckled with butter and are uniform in size.
Tip: Overworking makes dense, tough burgers. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are combined.
4
Chill and soak onion
- Refrigerate the patties uncovered for 10 minutes so they firm up and hold their shape in the pan.
- Meanwhile, put the onion rings in a bowl with 1 cup (240 ml) cold water and let them soak to mellow their sharpness.
- Drain well and pat dry just before assembling.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm to the touch; onion rings look slightly crisp.
5
Heat the skillet
- Set a 12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron or heavy stainless skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes.
- Add the oil and swirl to coat.
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and flows like water, with a faint wisp of smoke.
Tip: A properly hot pan is what builds the crust; if the patties don't sizzle loudly when they hit, wait longer.
6
Sear the first side
- Lay the 4 patties in the hot skillet, leaving space between them (work in 2 batches if your pan is smaller).
- Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes without pressing down.
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Ready when: Edges look browned and the underside releases easily from the pan with a deep brown crust.
Tip: Never press the patties with the spatula; it squeezes out the juices.
7
Flip and finish
- Flip each patty once and cook another 3½ to 4 minutes.
- The dimple should have flattened.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the center of a patty.
- Continue cooking in 30-second increments if needed.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 160°F (71°C) in the center and juices run clear to light pink.
Tip: If the pan smokes heavily, lower the heat to medium after the flip.
8
Rest the patties
- Transfer the burgers to a clean plate and let them rest for 3 minutes.
- Don't tent with foil, which would steam the crust soft.
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Ready when: Juices stop pooling around the patties when pressed lightly.
9
Assemble and serve
- For each burger, overlap 2 large lettuce leaves on a plate to form a cup.
- Add a spoonful of sauce, a tomato slice, the patty, another tomato slice, a few drained onion rings, and more sauce.
- Fold the lettuce up around the burger and eat right away, holding it with a napkin.
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Ready when: Lettuce wraps snugly around the burger without tearing.
Tip: Serve immediately; warm patties will wilt the lettuce if left to sit.

Good to know

Tips

Lean sirloin dries out easily, so the grated cold butter and a gentle hand when mixing are essential for juicy results.
Pull the burgers off the heat as soon as they hit 160°F (71°C); every extra minute costs juiciness.
For a smoky flavor, cook the patties on a grill over medium-high heat for the same times.
Add sliced avocado or a slice of cheese on the patty during the last minute of cooking for extra richness.

Make ahead

Shape the patties up to 1 day ahead, separate with parchment, wrap and refrigerate. The sauce keeps 3 days in the fridge. Wash and dry the lettuce and slice the tomato up to 4 hours ahead, but keep them refrigerated and separate.

Storage & reheating

Cooked patties: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat, covered, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until steaming and 165°F (74°C). Store lettuce, tomato, onion and sauce separately in the fridge. Assembled burgers do not store well.

Substitutions

ground sirloin (90% lean) → ground turkey (93% lean) or 85% lean ground chuck. If using chuck, omit the grated butter. Turkey must reach 165°F (74°C).
butter lettuce → romaine hearts or iceberg leaves. Crunchier and sturdier but less tender; use 2 leaves per burger.
plain Greek yogurt → mayonnaise. Richer and less tangy; use the same amount.
Worcestershire sauce → soy sauce. Use 1½ tsp and reduce the salt to ¾ tsp.