Grilling.com’s Burger How-To
You’re only as good a cook as your last burger. Follow these tips, techniques and new twists that will raise your burger quotient.
1. The Right Fat Ratio
Choose your ingredients wisely. Everything that’s gone through a meat grinder wasn’t created equal. Whenever possible, choose ground sirloin or chuck. Ideally you’re looking for a product that’s 15% fat. They sell 10% and lower, but it results in a dry burger, and that’s just bad news. As far as quantity goes, one pound of ground beef will work for four good-sized patties. So, more guests are just a matter of doing the math.
2. The Perfect Patty
There are all sorts of patty presses, but your clean hands can do the job just fine. Just don’t over-handle the meat. Warm hands can begin to activate the fat in your ground beef and result in a tougher burger. Don’t shy away from thick. You have a better chance of getting a nice char on the outside, while having a juicy center. A rounded patty will tend to mound, so try and make them even. You can even indent the middle a bit and they will flatten out while cooking.
3. Season Simply
The burger-purists will tell you not to fool with anything beyond salt and pepper. And careful not to salt too early or you’ll pull moisture out of the meat. But if you want to get all fancy, see number 4 below. Although Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper is as complicated as you need to get.
4. Going Upscale
If you want to try and fancy up the rich, full flavor of beef, you can try one or more of the things below, prior to forming patties, but word to the wise, it will be hard to top the original:
Seasonings: Herbs, garlic powder, paprika can all add a twist. Be careful not to over season.
Aromatics: Onion, or garlic, raw or caramelized.
Cheese: small cubes of cheddar, Crumbled Feta, Blue, or Goat Cheese
5. Regional Stars
Try some of these variations to give your burger big flavor and a little local interest:
Memphis Style: A spicy dry rub in the meat prior to forming patties.
Kansas City Style: A shot of KC Masterpiece® marinade in the meat and barbecue sauce as a finishing touch.
On Wisconsin: Form the patty around some Wisconsin cheddar.
Southern Butter Burger: Form the patties around a hunk of butter with added herbs, and make your cardiologist nervous.
Cali-Burger: Pile fresh avocado on your perfectly cooked burger.
6. Timing is Everything
You’ll want a hot grill, and cook them directly over coals for 3-4 minutes a side, turning once. Never press down, no matter how many times you see them do it at a fast food joint. You will wring out the juices. Add cheese for cheeseburgers (and who doesn’t want a good cheeseburger?) in the final 2 minutes. Toast buns on cooler spots on grill. Spread a bit of butter on them first if you like.
7. Soaked breadcrumbs or cubes
If you are cooking for a big crowd, say a Fourth of July Picnic, and you are worried about your burgers drying out while they’re staying warm, you can soak breadcrumbs or small cubes of stale bread in milk for 3-5 minutes. Incorporate them into your meat prior to forming patties.
8. All Dressed Up
Where you go from here can make all the difference. Cool, fresh sliced tomato and crisp lettuce can be the perfect counterpoint to a juicy, fresh-off-the-grill burger. Expand your condiment set (ketchup, mustard, mayo) to include a stone ground mustard, KC Masterpiece® Barbecue Sauce or a spicy chili sauce. Let guests build their own masterpiece.
Building a Better Burger? Let us hear how you make the burger your own.
