Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 6 burgers
Many people have been eating well-done burgers their whole life. In the 1960s, my mother realized that rare ground beef was probably not a good thing to eat. She was years ahead of her time. We now know that ground meats can harbor pathogenic bacteria that can, and does, make people sick. There have been many foodborne illness outbreaks linked to undercooked ground beef. The most famous was the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak that sickened 400 people and killed three children. The burgers were not properly cooked in that outbreak; it changed the way many people looked at fast food.
So when we cook burgers at home, we make sure that they are cooked to at least 160 F as checked with a food thermometer. The problem is, this can be difficult to do on the grill. Getting a burger to well done without burning or charring the outside, or turning it into a dry lump, is very difficult. But there are other ways to get around this problem. You can bake your burgers. Or you can cook them in the slow cooker!
The slow cooker is the perfect environment for this task. The low, moist heat cooks the meat thoroughly but doesn't dry it out. The sauce is savory and spicy and the perfect complement to the tender meat.
We like to serve these burgers on toasted English muffins, topped with sliced avocados and a creamy mustard sauce, but you can serve them any way you'd like. Enjoy every bite.
«These saucy slow cooker burgers were similar to meatloaf in flavor, and they held together nicely with the egg in the mixture. I used my 7-quart oval cooker, and they were stacked in pairs—that worked fine. I would prefer large, toasted hamburger buns for these burgers.» —Diana Rattray
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 medium onion, minced
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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1 large egg
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1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce, divided
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1/2 cup mustard, divided
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2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
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2 pounds lean ground beef, preferably 90%
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1/3 cup chili sauce
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6 English muffins, or burger buns split and toasted
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3 medium avocados , thinly sliced
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a large bowl, add the onion, garlic, egg, 3 tablespoons tomato sauce, 3 tablespoons mustard, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined.
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Add the ground beef and mix gently until combined.
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Make six equal patties with the ground beef mixture. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, combine the remaining tomato sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and chili sauce.
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Layer the ground beef patties with the sauce in a large slow cooker, making sure to get enough sauce between the burgers to prevent sticking.
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Cover and cook on low until the burgers register 160 F on a digital thermometer, 5 to 7 hours. Remove the burgers using a spatula or slotted spoon leaving the sauce behind.
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Put the burgers on the English muffins. Divide the sliced avocados and any remaining sauce between the burgers. Add additional condiments of choice, if desired, and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Make the burgers with lean ground turkey instead of beef, and cook to an internal temperature of 165 F, the minimum safe temperature for ground poultry.
- Use ground bison or lamb instead of beef.
- Use large toasted brioche buns instead of English muffins or regular burger buns.
- For a low-carb option, omit the English muffins and serve the burgers on lettuce leaves.
How to Store Slow Cooker Burgers
- Refrigerate leftover slow cooker burgers in an airtight container within 2 hours and consume within 3 to 4 days.
- To freeze, transfer the burgers to resealable freezer bags and freeze for up to 4 months. Defrost frozen burgers in the refrigerator overnight.
- To reheat burgers, wrap them in foil and reheat in a 350 F oven for about 10 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 1017 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 53g | 68% |
| Saturated Fat 13g | 64% |
| Cholesterol 199mg | 66% |
| Sodium 1254mg | 55% |
| Total Carbohydrate 83g | 30% |
| Dietary Fiber 10g | 37% |
| Total Sugars 41g | |
| Protein 54g | |
| Vitamin C 19mg | 93% |
| Calcium 142mg | 11% |
| Iron 8mg | 45% |
| Potassium 1591mg | 34% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
