Burger tips?

[fedex]

I'm in.

One pound of Chorizo per 3 pounds of ground beef.  Add a cup of ground Nacho Cheese Doritos as a binder.  Top with fresh grilled Jalapeños.  One awesome burger.

[ditkafanchris]

I love a good burger.  I would marry one.

1.  70/30 if you want the juices a-really flowin (80/20 if the wife is around).

2.  Cheaper meat needs more love (i.e. If you're making a brisket or chorizo burger etc...ignore this) but mix in some flavor.  Some BBQ sauce (1/4 cup per pound) not only flavors the meat, but aids in caramelization.  This will also loosen the meat up, so use an egg per pound and a small amount of panko (it also absorbs moisture, so don't overdo it or you'll just have a meatloaf burger).

3.  As previously stated - indent (more than you think, it'll ball up if you don't) sear HOT and move over.

4.  Fold all four corners of your cheese inward (the burger is round, why use square cheese?  More for you!)  Cheese those bad boys, close the lid and get your bottom buns ready (see next step about buns).

4.  Bun prep (I prefer a good brioche), after your patties are made (make them, then back in the fridge, not room temp like steak) and while the grill is heating up, melt some butter and brush the inside of each bun and bring them out with the patties.  When you cheese up the burgers, toss them on to toast them.  You can actually hear the butter sizzle.  Also, give each bun a press (the edges keep the middle off the grate, and we want some grill marks, dammit!).

5.  Prep all cold toppings in advance, the last thing you want to be doing is slicing a nice big red onion while you're staring at your lovely burger, you'll cut yourself! 

6.  Pre-cook your bacon and keep it crispy and ready and put it on right before the cheese.  Let the cheese melt over it and form mini-mountain range of gooey love, while also holding the bacon in place!

Some fun variations-

Taco burger.  Mix in Mexican seasonings, top with Monterey Jack and guac, yum!

Worchestichire (I guessed on spelling, and I ain't fixing it!) is your friend with simple burger.  Brings out a richness.  It also makes turkey burgers taste more "beefy."

Turkey burgers are dry, right?  That's because they're lean, so that is almost a plus because you get to pick your fat!  I make a Mediterranean turkey burger - saute spinach and garlic in more olive oil than normal, mix that in the mean with some feta.  Wow, it's good.

Finally, and most importantly - always use a Weber.  The ritual, the smell, the friends and family that gather around as you get to be a mad scientist on that bad boy, it's all love.  I believe Weber's were made round because they bring people together.  And always make a couple of extra.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Shoestringshop]

OK love to make burgers on the grill! This is my goto recipe. Makes about (36) 2oz sliders. I'll buy the buns at "White Castle" for $.15 each or $1.29 for 12 at "Food 4 Less"

Ground chuck - 2 lbs
Ground beef 80/20 - 2lbs
Tastefully Simple - onion onion seasoning - 1tbl
Tastefully Simple - garlic garlic seasoning - 1 tbl
Tastefully Simple - Season Salt - 1tbl
Egg - 1
Breadcrumbs - 1/4 to 1/2

I'll cook this to medium top with grilled onions, swiss cheese, bacon, and even guacamole!
*** note: If freezing for later cooking I do not use the EGG

[jimmy_dong]

Grind your own brisket
Grate an onion, purple, red, white, yellow, spanish, vidalia, whatever floats your boat
Mix the beef, onion together. DO NOT SQUEEZE. I said mix gingerly. S&P to taste
Form into whatever size patty floats your boat
Reverse sear to render some of the onion and brisket fat
Cook to desired temp

Top with cheese, mushrooms, bacon, ham, fried egg, guacamole, avacado, etc.

I use minimal seasoning to be able to taste the beef. Thats the point...right?

[BBQ Jack]

The Weber 6483 Original Burger Press is worth the $10.00, it turns out perfect size burgers with the dimple in the middle.

When grilling burgers some direct flame kiss adds to the flavor, you just have to flip them often to avoid burning.  Wood chips add also add flavor.  80/20 ground chuck is the best for burgers, and don't forget salt and pepper.

[Nate]

I like flat top grilled burgers the best. they always come out juicer than juicy. I typically use 80/20 ground beef but if it's leaner, no biggie, it still comes out super juicy on the flat top. I flatten the ground beef into large thin patties, add a little sea salt & black pepper to one side then down on the hot side of the griddle it goes. I doesn't take long to get the carmelization I want. I flip, let it cook for a few seconds then pull it over to the cool. Add cheese and cover with my wok lid to melt the cheese faster.  Add whatever toppings I feel like that day. If onions or jalapeños for example, they get grilled up before adding to my burger. The pretzel bun is great for a burger IMO.

[austin87]

Burgers always taste better with a cold beer

[Metal Mike]

Here's my tip.

toss half an onion onto the coals before putting your patties on.
the onion makes a great smoke and adds some killer flavor to the burger

If you have beef fat trimmings, put them over the coals too to add even more beefy smoke flavor

"The Burnt offering(s)" I Always save/freeze the top & tail when cutting onions or trimming meats = plenty to toss in.

I use minimal seasoning to be able to taste the beef. Thats the point...right?

Mixing = Meatloaf sandwiches
it's good & but has a diff space.

If the patty needs pre-dimple it's just too tight/compressed, form loosely & use spatula to move, tongs will break up a gently formed juicy burger.

+ My go to burger seasoning is a simple dusting of Brown/Mushroom gravy mix

[kaz]

My Tips!

1. Weber Kettle!

2. When using the weber kettle bank your coals to one half side of the grill.

3. Patty up your burgers with as little handling as possible, with a spoon sized dent in the middle. Drop salt a little heavier than you think and grind pepper over both sides. Big half pound burgers are great!

4. Drop some smoke wood in the coals (mesquite or hickory are awesome here). Put them big ole loose burgers on the indirect side for around 4-5 minutes. Then grab the front handle on the grill and with a spatula or hot pad rotate the whole grate around so the burgers are over the coals, to sear them, this will hold the burger together. The grill will smoke like crazy and after about 2 minutes, flip the burgers over to check out that awesome burger. Let the other side sear for 2 more smokey minutes, then rotate the grill again or simply move them back over to the indirect side. Go grab your cheese and buns, and put 2 peices of cheese on the grillmasters! And start toasting up the buns. Bonus points if you put a little smear of mayo on the bun before toasting them. Once the buns are done and the cheese is melted the burgers are ready!

5. Enjoy with friends, family, and cold drinks!

[kaz]

Smash Burger Tips!

I also enjoy a great fried burger, cooked on a griddle or cast iron pan. Here are my tips for cooking a killer diner style burger.

1. Get your grill going with a heavy flat iron skillet or plancha. Oil it well and get it to hot! 450-500 degrees works good!

2. While this is getting hot, Prep the meat. You want to get a large bowl and gently break up all the meat, you want to get it very loose with little handling. Just kinda fluffing the hamburger meat.

3. When the grill is hot grab a handful of loose meat and put it on your frying pan. Then put a piece of parchment paper or unwaxed butcher paper on top and then flatten it down with your spatula! Push down the burger under the paper for 10 seconds, then remove and discard the paper.

4. Drop salt heavily and grind some fresh pepper on top now.

5. After about a minute or when the edges look good and crusty, flip your burger.

6. Top with extra cheese! And shut the lid to melt, or set a stainless steel bowl over top of the burger to melt the cheese! Some water then the bowl works best if you use LOTS of shredded cheese!

7. Toast your buns in the greasy burger fat left on the plancha.

8. These burgers come out thin, so a double is great!

9. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

My current favorite is
The double cheddar, guacamole, bacon, alfalfa sprouts, carmelized onions, and fresh sliced jalepenos on a brioche bun.

[firedude5015]

My go to burger recipe:
Grate a medium onion into your ground beef (80/20)
mix in brown mustard, worchestrshire, little hot sauce and House seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)
finally, I add shredded sharp cheddar and diced jalapenos. then make patties...big patties, press a dimple in the center.
grill setup is 2 zone.
sear burgers over hot side for 4 minutes, move to cool side for 4 minutes
flip burgers, sear on hot side 4 minutes, move to cool side 4 minutes.
cover and let em rest for 5 minutes, then build your burger.
Moist, tender, cheesy...goodness every time

[Jon]

Bear with me. I'm not very informative, but at least I'm wordy and boring.

I don't really have "tips" as much as a procedure that I go by for burgers.

My definition of a burger is MEAT. Done. Nothing else. Not counting condiments. Salt, pepper, soy, Worcestershire whatever are ok. If I add onion, bell pepper or whatever - then it becomes a meat loaf burger. Not judging, it's your burger, put in it what you want. I don't want to start a turf war over what a burger is. Kinda like the BBQ vs Grilling thing. Hey! Did you know that the word "baribicu" is traced back to the Taino people, and that that word really means...OK, I'll stop there.

The process: Pretty much a reverse sear. Two zone cook. I only learned this year that it was a reverse sear; I thought it was self-defense against large fires. Rule number one is the internal temp of the burger. It's in my list of rules, but let's start with that in mind. Use a good instant read thermometer - it will make you a better cook. I don't always get to sear each side, because if the burger is up to temp, it is done  (use the unseared side to add cheese. Cheese hides the lack of sear marks.) Anyway, two zones and start with the burgers on the cold zone. Cook to 110. Check that temp because of your timer. My timer is either the ten minute timer alarm I set or because I finished my second beer. Either of those alarms is a justifiable reason to check the grill. When the burgers are at 110 sear take the lid off and let the coals heat up. Sear each burger for at least a minute on the first side, and check the temp. If the burger is up to your desired doneness, don't cook the other side. If there are flareups, put the lid back on. Set the seared burger on the cold side of the grill and add the cheese. When all the burgers are done, toast the buns and serve. This style of cooking the burgers leave a LOT of room for error, or third beer before checking temps. It won't develop the the same crust that a starting sear will create, but the burgers have a better chance of being the desired finishing temperature.

Rules:
The internal temp of the burger. Nobody will not eat your food because of a lack of sear, seasoning or whatever. They WILL put your burger down for under or overdone that they just don't like.
Two heat zones. I've ruined a lot of food because I was cocky about how good a cook I was. Away from the coals is your safe zone. And burgers can cause a BIG fire. Don't fill the entire grill with coals.
Don't burn nothin. Burnt is not a valid flavor profile. (Yeah, Alton Brown quote)
Pick the right cheeses. Not everyone like chiles, or Gorganzola. So don't make a decision that "Ultimate Blue Cheese Burgers" would be awesome! Or, "This Habenero Pepper Jack is awesome!" Make some options available.
Prep a lot of extras. Ok, I'm embellishing, that's not much of a rule. Folks will eat the basic burger. But they will LOVE the burger that has all the add-ons.

[blksabbath]

I'm with Jon on this one....just the meat (80/20 ground sirloin usually), salt and pepper with minimal handling.  I guess I do a quick sear on both sides which holds things together, then indirect until reaches desired doneness using a thermapen.  I aim for 140-145 then pull them off.

Melt a slice of colby-jack on a toasted pretzel bun, add the burger, top with woeber's horseradish mayo, enjoy!

[RumBar]

Smash Burger Tips!

I also enjoy a great fried burger, cooked on a griddle or cast iron pan. Here are my tips for cooking a killer diner style burger.

1. Get your grill going with a heavy flat iron skillet or plancha. Oil it well and get it to hot! 450-500 degrees works good!

2. While this is getting hot, Prep the meat. You want to get a large bowl and gently break up all the meat, you want to get it very loose with little handling. Just kinda fluffing the hamburger meat.

3. When the grill is hot grab a handful of loose meat and put it on your frying pan. Then put a piece of parchment paper or unwaxed butcher paper on top and then flatten it down with your spatula! Push down the burger under the paper for 10 seconds, then remove and discard the paper.

4. Drop salt heavily and grind some fresh pepper on top now.

5. After about a minute or when the edges look good and crusty, flip your burger.

6. Top with extra cheese! And shut the lid to melt, or set a stainless steel bowl over top of the burger to melt the cheese! Some water then the bowl works best if you use LOTS of shredded cheese!

7. Toast your buns in the greasy burger fat left on the plancha.

8. These burgers come out thin, so a double is great!

9. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

My current favorite is
The double cheddar, guacamole, bacon, alfalfa sprouts, carmelized onions, and fresh sliced jalepenos on a brioche bun.

KAZ
Thanks for the recipe! I expanded on it a bit and my wife and son loved it.
I used your technique but prior to putting the beef on I sautéed some onion slices and mushrooms then sat them aside while I made the crispy burgers. I then placed the shrooms and onions with a slice of Swiss cheese between two patties and topped with a second slice of Swiss. To see a 10 year old boy slurp up onions like spaghetti and eat an entire double burger was pure joy. I don't think we'll ever go to Steak and Shake again.
Thank you.



●|||||||●

[kaz]

Heck yeah RumBar!

Those look great! And nice additions, I'm glad you like the technique, and that your son loves the burgers!

Thank you for trying it out and reporting back.