My first encounter with Krystal Burgers came during a college road trip through Tennessee. After hours of driving, we stumbled upon this Southern institution at midnight. One bite of those steamy, onion-topped sliders, and I was hooked! For years afterward, I tried recreating that distinctive flavor at home with no success until I discovered the secret: beef broth-soaked onions that steam into the patties. This recipe finally captures that authentic Krystal magic, letting you enjoy these iconic sliders anywhere — no road trip required!
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Homemade Krystal Burgers
The magic of a Krystal Burger lies in its unique steaming method. Unlike traditional grilled burgers, these patties cook directly on top of beef-infused onions, allowing the flavors to permeate the meat while creating that signature tender texture. Processing the beef with water makes an ultra-fine texture that absorbs flavors beautifully, while briefly freezing the patties helps them maintain their shape during the steaming process.
Krystal Burger vs White Castle Burger
While White Castle may be the granddaddy of steamed sliders, Krystal is no Johnny-come-lately. Opened in 1932, this southern-based fast food business aimed to replicate the success of White Castle restaurants in Kansas by selling hamburgers that were very similar to theirs. Although the burgers appear almost identical, the two recipes have several subtle yet critical differences.
Order a Krystal burger, and it will come with mustard, a dill pickle slice, and diced onions. In contrast, a White Castle burger only has pickles and onions.
Oh, and then there is the patty itself. Although the meat patties from both places are super thin, the ones from White Castle have holes punched in them, while Krystal burgers do not.
But those aren’t the only differences.
Take a closer look at the onions, and you’ll notice something unusual. The Krystal burger’s onions are tiny but bursting with beef flavor, while the White Castle’s onions are larger and bland. That’s the secret to how the Krystal burger recipe packs so much beefy taste into such a tiny beef patty.
Krystal uses dehydrated onions reconstituted in beef broth! What a brilliant idea! You can easily use it in other recipes to add extra meaty flavor without adding more beef. Whatever you do, avoid using regular minced onions or omitting the beef bouillon from the water. You’ll regret it!
Krystal Burger Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Ground beef – Forms the base of these sliders with its rich, savory flavor
- Dehydrated onion – Rehydrates in beef broth to create the distinctive Krystal flavor profile
- Water – Helps achieve the proper texture when processing the beef
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors in the burger
- Beef bouillon cube – Creates the flavorful broth that infuses the onions and burgers
- Yellow mustard – Adds tangy contrast to the rich beef flavor
- Hamburger dill pickle chips – Provides brightness and acidity to balance the savory elements
- Dinner rolls – Creates the perfect soft, slightly sweet vessel for these mini burgers
How to Make Krystal Burgers the Right Way
There is a lot that makes a Krystal burger a Krystal burger. If you want to capture the same taste and, more importantly, the texture at home, you need to steam the burgers as they do at the restaurant. Getting the steaming process right all starts with preparing the burger patties correctly.
- Whizzing the uncooked ground beef with salt and water in a food processor is an essential step. Ensure the burger mixture is ground into a fine, almost paste-like consistency. Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can do by hand, so digging out that Cuisinart from the back of your cupboard is worthwhile.
- When you finish mixing the burger meat, distribute it evenly onto a plastic wrap-lined jelly roll dish or a rimmed baking tray. Cover the meat with another sheet of plastic wrap on top and press down on the meat with another baking pan until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
- Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and cut the pressed meat into 3 x 3-inch patties. Pop the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes to allow the burger mixture to firm up.
- While the patties are in the freezer (or before making the patties), soak the dehydrated onions in warm water with bouillon.
- Spread the reconstituted onions across the bottom of a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Place the semi-frozen patties on top of the onions.
- Top the patties with the bottom bun. Place the top bun on top of the bottom bun, cover, and allow the burgers to steam until done without turning.
- After the burgers are cooked, use a spatula to remove them from the skillet. Top with one slice of dill pickle, a squirt of yellow mustard, and all those delicious onions.
Krystal Burger Recipe Variations
- Bacon Cheese Krystal – Add one slice of American cheese. Then, add one piece of cooked bacon, cut it in half, and place in a crisscross pattern.
- Cheese Krystal – Add a slice of American cheese, if you want to upgrade your burger consider using Cheddar cheese.
- Double Krystal – Has two layers of bottom bun, patty, pickles, and mustard.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Leftovers
After indulging in your delicious homemade Krystal burgers, you might find yourself with a few leftovers. Properly storing them is essential to ensure they remain safe to eat and maintain their flavors. Follow these steps to store your Krystal burgers for later enjoyment:
- Cooling the Burgers:Â Before storing the leftover Krystal burgers, allow them to cool to room temperature. Allow them to cool for about 30 minutes on a clean plate or wire rack.
- Packaging: Wrap each leftover Krystal burger individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This step helps prevent moisture loss and keeps the burgers from drying out.
- Airtight Containers:Â Store the wrapped burgers in airtight containers. These containers help maintain the burger’s freshness and prevent any strong odors from the fridge from affecting its taste.
- Refrigeration: Place the wrapped or containerized Krystal burgers in the refrigerator. Consume the leftovers within four days for the best quality and safety.
- Freezing:Â If you anticipate not consuming the leftovers within a few days, wrap the Krystal burgers and freeze them. Please place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Frozen Krystal burgers can be reheated directly from the freezer whenever you can enjoy them.
- Reheating: When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover Krystal burgers, consider reheating them to return their original taste and texture. You can use a microwave, oven, or stovetop to warm them gently. Be careful not to overheat, as it can cause the burgers to become dry.
Finally, there is no need to make a road trip to Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, or Alabama to go to Krystal. You can enjoy that tiny square hamburger anywhere with this easy copycat recipe.
Love burgers? Try these recipes!
- Backyard Burger
- Culver’s Butter Burger
- Hamburger Seasoning
- McDonalds Quarter Pounder
- Patty Melt
- Wendy’s Baconator
- White Castle Burgers
- Whopper
Favorite Fast Food Recipes
Check out my tasty burger recipes and the best fast food recipes here on CopyKat!
Homemade Krystal Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dehydrated onion
- 1 cup water divided
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 dinner rolls (soft and fluffy), sliced in half like hamburger buns
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 12 dill pickle hamburger slices
Instructions
- Soak the dehydrated onions in ½ cup of warm water with bouillon.
- Place the ground beef, salt, and 1/2 cup of water in a food processor. Process for a few seconds, until the mixture is well blended and starting to become paste-like in consistency.
- Cover the bottom of an 11×13-inch jelly roll pan with plastic wrap. Place the meat in the middle of the pan, cover with another piece of plastic wrap, and roll out the meat to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and cut the meat into 3×3-inch squares, yielding 12 square patties. Leave the patties on the tray, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer until partially frozen, but not solid.
- Spread the reconstituted onions across the bottom of a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Place the semi-frozen patties on top of the onions.
- Top the patties with the bottom bun. Place the top bun on top of the bottom bun. Cover the pan and allow the burgers to steam until done without turning.
- After the burgers are cooked, use a spatula to remove them from the skillet. Top each burger with onions, a dill pickle slice, and mustard.
Where is the degree? Do you cook it on?
I use 350 if I am using a griddle.
Actually, when I worked for Krystal’s (about 16 years ago), at the time, the onions were hydrated in HOT water, for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to being used, but the preferred prep time back then was twice a day, once in the morning, once in the afternoon, which actually gave the onions more time to rehydrate (in the cooler). But Victor is correct, NO beef Bouillion, no seasoning of any kind. Also, the meat patties are steamed with a little water in the bottom of the pan (although they use specially designed grill plates) in addition to the onions.
The onions are rehydrated in just plan cold water the night before. There is no flavoring of any kind.
I’ve not had a Krystal burger but grew up on White Castle burgers that seem very similar to these. I’ll be willing to try this recipe, looks good.
The two are eerily simliar. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Very good. Seasoning and all. I think the bouillon brings out the taste of the hamburger. I have always loved Krystal’s. Now I can make my own. Thanks!