BURGERS, BURGERS AND

More Burgers

Probably the most popular item that anyone wants to grill is a burger. And there are many ways to make a burger. Some people opt to buy pre-made patties from the store. But if you’re reading this, that means you want to MAKE your own burger, not just throw one on the fire that someone else made.

Selecting The Meat

First things first, we need the ground meat. But what kind? Well, we’re going for a traditional beef burger. Of course you can use ground chicken, turkey, or pork, etc. but for this, we’re talking about a good old-fashioned beef burger.

You’ve got to find the right meat. For me, that’s either 90/10 ground sirloin, or ground brisket. Why 90/10? I prefer less fat in my burgers. This combination means 90% meat, 10% fat. All meat needs fat to cook and impart flavor, but with some, the leaner choice can lead to a better selection. The more fat in the meat, you’ll see shrinkage as the meat cooks down and the fat melts through. And let’s be honest, when have any of us ever read the word shrinkage and thought of something positive.

Seasoning

Once I have the meat selected, (I usually get about two pounds), I then think of seasoning. Now with ground sirloin or ground brisket, the meat itself is going to have plenty of flavor and minimal seasoning will be needed, but you can still have fun. I like to mix the meat with the ingredients rather than just form the patty and sprinkle things on either side. This allows for the seasoning to be distributed throughout the patty. I also say, do the prep work an hour or so in advance. It allows more time for the seasonings to soak into the ground beef to absorb the flavors.

My simple 4 ingredient seasoning mix for 2lbs of ground beef:

-1 ½ teaspoons salt

-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

-1 teaspoon ground garlic powder or minced garlic

-a dash of Worcestershire sauce

• Place all the meat into a mixing bowl and add the seasonings.

• Thoroughly mix together.

• Make sure all of the seasonings get in everywhere and are well mixed. Then make a few patties, you should probably get about 6 to 8 if you make them around a quarter pound or so.

TIP:

On one side, make a small divot or “well” in the center of the patty. This will prevent one side of the patty from bubbling up in the middle and allows for a flatter patty when it’s cooked.

Depending on the kind of grill you have, the grates could be stainless steel, or cast iron. I normally use a non-stick grilling spray (yes, they really have those) and give the grates a spray to prevent the meat from sticking to the grates.

Safety note: Spray the grill BEFORE you heat up the grill.

Now, if you don’t have any, that’s fine, don’t make a special trip to the store. If you follow a good timing method, the meat will release from the grill when it’s cooked, and you won’t have to worry about it sticking. Usually when meat sticks, it’s either (a) not cooked enough on one side (b) overcooked and now adhering to the grates or (c) you’ve got the grill too hot and need to turn it down.

Now heat the grill to about 350 to 375 degrees. This will allow for better, more even, and thorough cooking. Place the patties down on one side and either take note of the time or have a timer and let them sit for about 3 minutes on one side. Once the timer goes off, use a metal spatula to pick them up and give them a quarter turn to the left or right and set them back down on the same side. We’re putting fun grill marks here if the grates are at the right temperature. After another 3 minutes flip them and repeat. The whole time should take a little more than 12 minutes or so, and for some folks that may be even too long.

I’ve been around some folks that go quicker than that. It all depends on how “done” you want your burger. And by done, I mean how much “pink” do you want to see in the burger. There’s a huge misconception that burgers need to be well done. They don’t. Most people don’t eat steaks that way. Well, the same holds true for burgers. It’s not about the color, but the internal temperature. It’s ok for a burger to have some pink in it. It’s a juicier burger.

After the time is up, put the burgers on a plate and let them sit. They will still be cooking a bit and you need to let the meat rest. Resting allows the juices to settle back through the meat and not just run out everywhere as soon as you take the first bite. After a few minutes, maybe five or so, then start enjoying. Dress them however you want to. Use whatever condiments you want. I enjoy pickles, cheese, and red onion. No ketchup or anything else, I’m not 12, and I like to enjoy the taste of the meat, not the condiments.

What other things can you grill, maybe you’re not a burger person. And you live in Texas? I’m kidding. Like I said, you can use ground anything, but adjust cooking times for ground chicken or turkey, you definitely don’t want to eat those when not cooked all the way.