Ingredients

• ground beef - 1 pound
• salt - 1 teaspoon
• black pepper - ½ teaspoon
• burger buns - 4
• cheddar cheese - 4 slices
• lettuce - 4 leaves
• tomato - 1, sliced
• onion - 1, sliced
• ketchup - to taste
• mustard - to taste

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat your grill or stovetop skillet over medium-high heat.

2. 2.

   In a bowl, combine the ground beef, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined.

3. 3.

   Divide the beef mixture into 4 equal portions and shape them into patties.

4. 4.

   Make a slight indentation in the center of each patty to prevent puffing during cooking.

5. 5.

   Place the patties on the grill or skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on one side.

6. 6.

   Flip the patties and top each with a slice of cheddar cheese. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes for medium doneness.

7. 7.

   While the burgers are cooking, toast the burger buns on the grill or in a toaster.

8. 8.

   Assemble your burgers by placing a patty on the bottom half of each bun.

9. 9.

   Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, and mustard as desired.

10. 10.

    Serve immediately and enjoy your classic beef burgers!