How Many Burgers Can You Expect From A Pound Of Meat?

Hamburgers are a tasty, affordable, easy-to-prepare meal for all sorts of situations, from a quick weeknight dinner to a relaxed summer cookout. Buying premade patties is convenient, but thrifty home cooks can save a bit of cash and have more control over the taste and size of their burgers by making their own. However, those starting with a pound of ground meat may wonder just how many burgers can be made from it.

In most cases, you can expect to get three or four burgers per pound of meat. This is based on a typical burger size of roughly 4 to 6 ounces. Four 4-ounce burgers equal the 16 ounces that make up a pound, resulting in patties roughly the size of a quarter-pound fast-food hamburger (like those in Mashed's Five Guys Burger recipe). On the other hand, it's also possible to make two heftier 6-ounce burgers with enough left over for a third 4-ounce patty.

Those with massive appetites can even split the pound in half for mega-sized 8-ounce burgers. An excellent example of this is Gordon Ramsay's burger recipe, which uses two pounds for four servings.

If you're tempted to experiment with even larger burgers, use caution to ensure the interior is adequately cooked before the outside is burnt to a crisp. Ground beef, pork, veal, and lamb should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit, while ground chicken or turkey should be cooked to 165 degrees. Keep in mind that even the biggest fast food burgers in history such as the Triple Meat Whataburger generally earn the honor by using several smaller patties rather than a single large one.

It's also critical to remember that burger patties lose some of their weight during the cooking process as water and juices leave the meat. This means that what starts as a 4-ounce burger will weigh measurably less by the time it hits the bun. Cooks should consider this when sizing their burger patties or figuring out how much meat they need to ensure their guests don't end up hungry.