I've learned a few tricks for making a great burger.
Ground beef with an 80% meat to 20% fat ratio is best.
Pay attention to the temperature of your patties as they cook.
The best way to feed a crowd is to have all of your party foods prepared and ready to go.
I learned how to make the perfect burger when I worked as a line cook.
Remember the eight tips as you prepare to make those burger dreams a reality.
If you ordered good-quality ground meat from your local farmer or stocked up at the grocery store during a sale, the most important thing to do is fully thaw it.
There are three ways to thaw ground beef.
If you're planning a day or two in advance, I recommend placing your frozen meat in a container and leaving it on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
If you're using a microwave, remember to thaw the meat in three to four minutes, remembering to turn it over. If you want to thaw the meat, microwave it for 12 minutes.
Place the sealed package of meat in a large bowl and weigh it down. Turn the water on and off when you fill the bowl. When the meat is ready, refill the bowl with fresh water.
If possible, ask the butcher at the store if they can grind the beef to a coarse size for you.
Even when it's dripping juice on a hot grill, this grind allows the fat to integrate with the meat.
If your butcher suggests any other meat combinations or throws in some fancy scraps, you can ask.
You can either use a stand-alone, hand-crank meat grinder or an attachment from KitchenAid.
Simply freeze the meat in a pan for 10 minutes and then grind it. The flavor differences of a 38-inch and 14-inch grind would be interesting to experiment with.
Ground meat can be made in the food processor. The beef doesn't get warm if you pulse it for 10 seconds at a time.
The best butchers know how to balance meat with fat in order to make it taste better.
Try to find a farm that sells whole cuts or frozen ground meat. chuck steak is the most common burger cut.
In a pinch, 85% ground meat will do just fine, but be very careful about over cooking and don't go higher than a medium-level doneness.
A quick fix to keep your patties from looking like meatballs is to keep the center of the burgers 6 ounces or more.
A dense, tough burger can be formed if you overwork the meat.
Your burgers should be shaped into discs that are 1 inch thick. Press your thumb in the center to help it cook evenly.
It is time to add some salt after you have formed your burger disks.
Salt is added to ground meat. Salt and its molecule-changing capabilities make a breakfast sausage far cry from a fresh burger.
Carefully cover the outside of the patty with a thin layer of kosher salt before grilling. Sprinkle some salt on the other side of the burger.
This will create a perfect ratio of seasoned meat to each bite.
A big burger will go up a few degrees after it's cooked.
Medium-rare burgers are cooked to 130 degrees and have a cool pink center with a charred exterior and a big taste with lots of juices.
A medium-well burger has a hot pink center. If the fat content is low, this can be very dry.
Don't expect that well done burger to be the juiciest of the bunch. It is possible to experiment with different kinds of meat.
The truth is that good meat should be more than enough for a great burger. If you add onions, bread crumbs, and eggs to a burger, it can make it taste like a loaf of bread.
Add-ons like spicy mayonnaise, crisp lettuce, and sliced tomatoes can be kept. It's a good idea to top with aged cheese, caramelized onions, or chili crunch for a kick.
The best burgers are the ones that make you want to eat them again.
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