Sear and leave it
Motz cooks an 8 oz patty in a smoking cast iron pan for 5 minutes without moving it, flips when red juice shows on top, then lowers the heat for 5 minutes more.
From: Thick Pub Classic BurgerMake patties about 25% wider than the bun, because they shrink (Weissman).
From: Thick and Juicy Burger
Three ways to finish
Butter baste: after flipping, add butter and thyme and spoon the foaming butter over the patty (Weissman’s thick burger and steakhouse burger).
From: Thick and Juicy Burger, Steakhouse (Bistro) BurgerOven finish: ATK sears 2 minutes a side, then finishes in a 300°F (150°C) oven.
From: Juicy Pub-Style BurgersReverse sear: Weissman bakes the patty at 250°F (120°C) to 120°F inside, then sears it hard for 2 minutes a side.
From: Reverse Sear Burger
Use a thermometer
The sources don’t agree on medium-rare: ATK pulls its pub burger at 125°F (52°C), Weissman at 135°F (57°C), and Motz rests his to about 143°F (62°C). All of them rest the burger for a few minutes.
From: Juicy Pub-Style Burgers, Thick and Juicy Burger, Thick Pub Classic Burger
Every tip above is taken from the recipe it links to. Where the experts disagree, we say so rather than picking one.