Whats The Best Way To Grill
Burgers like high heat. This helps form that exterior crust. Cook them on the non-dimpled side first over direct heat. Once a crust develops, flip them over and cook on the other side. Do not press down on the burger. When you do this, youre beating up that poor burger and pressing all the juices out.
Carefully Form The Patties
Keep your burgers tender by gently forming the patties, being careful not to overwork them. One of my favorite burger tips is to use the lid to a large sour cream or yogurt container lined with plastic wrap to flatten patties. This prevents the burger meat from getting tough, and you end up with a perfect patty every time.
Another great trick is to use your thumb to press a form a small whole in the middle of the patty, like a doughnut. This helps with airflow so the burger cook evenly and prevents them from shriveling up. Check out these other burger tips from pro cooks.
Grilled Bacon Burgers With Caramelized Onions And Blue Cheese
Serves: 4 / Prep time: 15 minutes / Total time: 40 minutes
8 slices bacon
1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
¼ teaspoon table salt
1½ pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled and chilled
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Process bacon in food processor to smooth paste, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Cook bacon in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned in spots but still pink , about 5 minutes. Drain bacon in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and let cool completely. Reserve bacon fat.
Add 2 tablespoons reserved fat to now-empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt and cook until well browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Break ground beef into small pieces and spread into even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with bacon and gently toss to combine using 2 forks. Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions, then gently shape each portion into ¾-inch-thick patty. Using your fingertips, press center of each patty down until about ½-inch thick, creating slight divot.
From “The Ultimate Burger” by America’s Test Kitchen .
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Elevate Your Sauce Game
A good sauce brings the entire meal together, but instead of using a typical bottle of ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise, make a creamy and tangy combination. A mix of ketchup, mayonnaise, honey, relish, salt, and apple cider vinegar. This is our familys secret sauce and it dramatically elevates these juicy beef burgers to gourmet levels.
When To Toast The Buns
Im a toasted brioche bun kind of girl. They are rich with butter and sturdy enough to hold all of my fixings and my burger, but also they squish down and are easy to bite through.
Whichever buns you prefer, butter the top and bottom of the bun, and then plop them on the back of the grill, out of direct heat, until they are golden. Start toasting the buns when you have a minute left on the patties.
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How To Grill The Best Burgers
Here’s how to grill the perfect burger from getting the meaty mixture right to forming the patties. We’ll also looks at grill temps and times. Let’s get grilling!
When a burger’s done right, you know it the smoky, char-grilled outside and the juicy inside, all barely contained within a chewy, toasty roll. That’s what a burger is all about. But as simple as it might sound, there’s more to grilling burgers than just slapping it on the grill. We’ll show you how to grill the perfect burger from getting the meaty mixture right to forming the patties so they don’t shrink. We’ll also looks at grill temps and times. Let’s get grilling!
Do I Need To Add Anything To My Burgers To Make Them Stick Together
When it comes to meatballs or meatloaf I usually add an egg or breadcrumbs to the mixture to help them hold together.
However, burgers with a high quality fat content ranging between 15%-20% fat shouldnt need anything to help it hold together. It will do that on its own. No need for fancy seasonings either. I like to use salt, pepper and sometimes a little garlic powder.
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Brie Burger With Caramelized Onions And Spicy Mayo
Brace yourself: this burger is a tasty keeper. The creamy and rich-tasting brie meets a spicy mayo.
Serves: 4 / Prep time: 15 minutes / Total time: 35 minutes
1 to 1¼ pounds 90% lean ground sirloin or ground beef of choice
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons white wine, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 jumbo onion, peeled, sliced into ¼1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
cup reduced-fat or regular mayonnaise
3 ounces brie cut into 8 slices
4 thin sandwich buns or bun of choice
4 pieces green leaf lettuce
4 slices tomato
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, wine, salt and pepper. Shape into four equal-size patties about ½1/2-inch thick, making an indentation in the center of the patty set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté about 15 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Sprinkle with brown sugar and continue to cook until the onions become deep brown in color, about 15 minutes more. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chili sauce and mayonnaise set aside.
Cook’s note: Look for sweet chili sauce near the Asian ingredients in most grocery stores. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or egg rolls.
From and tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
Charcoal Vs Gas Grill
For Raichlan, the best choice for grilling burgers is always wood or charcoal because of the additional flavor and charring that happens with those grills.
Its more versatile. You get a hotter, drier heat which give you a better sear, Raichlan said. If you use charcoal, you can add different kinds of wood to contribute to the smokiness and enhance the overall flavor of the burger.
However, millions of Americans prefer gas grills because they are easy to use, and you dont have as much of a mess. Dont worryyou can still cook a great burger on a gas grill!
- To grill with charcoal or wood, Raichlan recommends investing in a chimney starter. Its a tall box or cylinder with holes in it. Paper is crumpled up in the bottom and the coals reset on top. Position the chimney starter on the bottom of grate of your grill, and light the paper. You will have hot coals in 15 to 20 minutes.
- If you’re using a gas grill, open the lid, turn on the gas, and light the grill. You want to get your grill up to 450 to 500 degrees before adding your patties.
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Cooking Burgers On Gas Grill How To Grill A Juicy Burger
There are more than a hundred ways to make burgers. Each place will have its own taste and manner of cooking. Still, it doesnt change the fact that burgers are quintessential food in every grill picnics. But the real challenge is keeping the patty juicy while ensuring that its fully cooked on the inside. For this post, we will teach you how to grill hamburgers on gas grill with the best recipe and technique.
How Long To Grill Burgers
In general, follow these total grilling times:
- For rare burgers, cook for 4 minutes total
- For medium-rare burgers, cook for 5 minutes total
- For medium burgers, cook for 6 to 7 minutes total
- For well-done burgers, cook for 8 to 9 minutes total
Please note that the USDA recommends cooking ground meats to an internal temperature of at least 160°F, which is well done without any pink in the center. Cooking burgers to other degrees of doneness should be done at the cook’s discretion.
All this said, ultimately, the time it takes for a hamburger to reach a certain temperature depends on how hot your grill is and how thick your patty is. In my tests, my 1-inch thick, 4-inch diameter patties were medium done at 5 minutes total , and well done at 6 minutes total .
Raichlen suggests checking the temperature of the burger by inserting the meat thermometer through the side, not through the top this gives you a more accurate reading. You can also use Elises handy dandy finger-test guide.
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Let The Flavors Mingle
Leave the meat mixture in the refrigerator for several hours to allow all the flavors to mingle. To form patties, wet your hands a little to keep the meat from sticking to them. If you make patties ahead of time, stack them on a plate separated by waxed paper and cover with plastic wrap before you put it in the refrigerator.
Why Youll Love This Method
- Its easy! No need to over-complicate things. The delicious grilled beef flavor will shine through in every bite.
- Your burgers will come out so tender and juicy. Each bite of your burger will practically melt in your mouth! And better grab some extra napkins to wipe those juices running down your hand.
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The 3 Secret To The Best Burgers
How Long Should Your Grill
We often receive this question from our followers. The answer actually depends on how done you want your burgers to be. Heres a rough estimate from our burger temp chart:
RareMedium-rareMediumWell-done
Take note that the USDA strictly advises that ground meat be cooked at an internal temperature of 160F to kill all the bacteria. Still, its on your own discretion if you want different doneness. Just make sure that the meat is fresh and prepared appropriately.
How about frozen burgers? How long to grill frozen burgers depend on the thickness and heat setting of your grill. Basically, it will take about 5 minutes per side. However, you have to thaw it first on a warming rack so the beef will become pliable. If not, it may burn on the outside and stay pinkish on the inside.
Another option that you have is to set the frozen burgers on the grill right away but in a lower heat setting. Also, flip the burgers every 3 minutes and watch for the doneness. We recommend using meat probes here to check the internal temperature.
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Wondering How To Grill Burgers So They Turn Out Full
Grilled burgers are the perfect food for a quick-and-easy weeknight dinner with the familyand the perfect addition to any backyard barbecue. You might find yourself tempted to pick up a frozen package of burgers at the store to pull it off. It turns out its just as easy to learn how to make hamburgers from scratch. Making your own patties is a good way to ensure your burgers will turn out juicy.
Let’s Talk Burger Toppings
Now that youve crafted the most amazing burger, its time to talk toppings. We could go on and on here, but I think you probably know what your fave burger toppings are by now. You could go with the traditional ketchup, mustard, pickle and onion.
You could also add thick slices of garden tomatoes and some crisp lettuce. You could also add some mayonnaise because who doesnt love mayonnaise on their burger. And in this version, Im also adding heaps of sliced green olives because I have a soft spot for a good olive burger.
I grew up in Michigan, which means I grew up loving olive burgers , and have brought the trend to my own Wisconsin home. Theyre THAT good.
If youre feeling up to it, you could also add a bunch of other fun toppings like bacon, a fried egg, avocado or guacamole, caramelized onions, multiple and unique cheeses, fun aiolis like garlic or chipotle, BBQ sauce, and the list goes on.
Whatever you do, just be sure to start with a perfectly grilled burger and a toasted bun. I promise its life changing.
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How To Grill Perfect Hamburgers
Are you tired of the same old dry and bland burgers? With this tutorial on how to grill perfect hamburgers, you will learn everything you need to know about grilling amazing burgers that are juicy and bursting with flavor!
Being confident at the grill is not as difficult as you might think. Learning and mastering how to grill a hamburger is the most basic form of grilling you can do and it can also be the most rewarding.
No more flipping or checking the hamburger every few seconds or serving hockey pucks to your family and friends. In this step by step guide Im going to walk you through the easiest, most effective way to grill the perfect hamburger.
The best hamburgers begin with the finest ingredients. All you need to make the perfect hamburger is ground beef, salt, and pepper. I love to buy my ground beef at my local butcher, but your local grocery store should have good options too. My go to mix for getting perfect hamburgers is 80/20 . This ratio tends to be the perfect balance of fat and lean, which will help achieve a moist and flavorful burger.
Gently Handle The Meat
This step is crucial! The less you mix the ground beef the better. The more you handle the meat, the more packed together it will become. This potentially makes the texture tough and rubbery without the addition of a starchy panade. Simply portion the meat into equal sizes, about 6 ounces per patty. Gently form each into a ball, lightly press it down into ¾-inch thickness then slightly reshape the sides into a round. It doesnt have to be perfect.
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Start With The Right Meat
For juicy burgers, get ground chuck with a fat content of at least 18%. Lean and extra-lean meats make tough, dry burgers. It’s all about finding the best meat for burgers.
The more freshly ground the meat is, the more tender and flavorful the burger. If your store has on-site butchers, ask them to grind the meat fresh for you.
For the absolute freshest grind, of course, you need to grind your own. You can do this with a home grinder or in a food processor. Cut the meat into chunks, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes, and grind or pulse until ground. For the best grind, put it through a coarse grind disk twice .
What To Put On A Burger
Pile your grilled hamburgers high with any of your favorite toppings! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise
- Sliced red onions or caramelized onions
- Sautéed mushrooms
- American cheese or Swiss cheese
- Crispy fried bacon
- Fried Green Tomatoes and Pimento Cheese for a Southern burger!
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We Tested All Sorts Of Methods For Mixing Shaping And Grilling Backyard Burgers And Even Talked With Grilling Expert Steven Raichlen Here Is Our Take On The Perfect Grilled Burger
Eating Well,SaveurBon AppétitGritNew Prairie KitchenEpicurious
Grilling season is upon us, and this year Ive decided to master the art of Americas summertime grilling favoritethe hamburger.
My aim: a burger that is easy to throw together on a weeknight, flavorful enough to stand up to the person who adds every condiment known to mankind to his or her burger, and yet balanced enough to satisfy the minimalist burger eater .
How Long Does It Take To Grill The Perfect Hamburger
Grilled hamburgers are perfect for small backyard barbecues and giant neighborhood block parties alike. So, how long it takes to grill the perfect burger? Knowing how long to grill hamburgers is a must for any griller. But, grill times can vary based on the thickness of the patty, the kind of meat you use to make them, and just how you exactly you want your burger to be cooked. Follow these tips to ensure your patties come out just the way you like them.
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