How To Season Grilled Burgers

Mccormick Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon Seasoning

How to Season a Burger | How to Grill with Grillabilities from BBQGuys

McCormick Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon seasoning is our top favorite from the entire McCormick collection.

The unique thing about this seasoning is that it lets you simultaneously add sweet brown sugar, molasses, red bell pepper, and bourbon flavors to the food. Thats why its so high in demand on Amazon.

Like most McCormick products, this one also has no MSG or artificial flavor. Thats probably why the brand has a reputation for being pro-supporters of non-monosodium glutamate salt and non-artificial flavored foods.

There is a significant difference between the other McCormicks seasoning and this oneit has molasses, evaporated cane syrup, and bourbon, which gives it a bit of a sweet taste.

Sprinkle this seasoning if you love to treat your tastebuds with umami flavors!

Pros

Franks Redhot original seasoning focuses on adding the perfect hot spicy flavor to your meals.

Your first question would probably be, whats new in it compared to other seasonings?

Its Cayenne pepper sauce! Yes, this ingredient sets this seasoning entirely apart from other seasonings. The real magic is done by its super corn taste that uplifts the overall flavor of the food.

Pros

Cons

How To Grill Burgers On A Propane Grill

I always grill burgers on a gas grill as I prefer the ease of use. See this guide if youd like instructions on how to use a charcoal grill.

Below is a quick overview of the method Ive found to be the best way to grill hamburgers:

  • Turn the propane on, then ignite the burners to high heat. Brush the grates with a grill brush if necessary.
  • Close the lid and heat the grill until it reaches about 400 degrees F.
  • Reduce the heat to medium high, or about 375 degrees, and place the burgers on the grill.
  • Close the lid and cook until the burgers reach the desired doneness.
  • Burger grilling tip: Never, ever smash the burgers down while cooking! All of the juices will escape and the result will be a dry burger.

    Choose The Right Meat

    When it comes to beef burgers, you want a meat that isn’t too lean so the burgers will have the best flavor and stay juicy. While I prefer lean ground beef for other recipes, when making burgers my preference is 80/20, or 85/15 at the most. Freshly ground beef is best. You can even ask the butcher at the store to grind the meat fresh for you, or do it at home using a meat grinder and using sirloin, chuck, and/or brisket, which all have good flavor and a good fat to meat ratio.

    Read Also: How To Clean Stainless Steel Barbecue

    Cajun Burgers With Spicy Rmoulade

    Purists might tell you that burgers need to be 100% beef, but we see no problem in grinding up some spicy andouille sausage with the chuck to make extra-flavorful patties. We keep the Cajun theme going by topping the burgers with bell pepper, onion, celery, and a spicy rémoulade. Blue cheese isn’t Cajun, but the little bit of funk it adds here doesn’t hurt.

    Controlling The Grill Temp

    How to Grill Burgers with the best seasonings, sauces, tips and tricks ...

    When you first place each hamburger patty on the preheated grill on direct heat, the typical initial temp might be around 375-500°F. As you continue to cook, it may drop to about 350-425°F. All of this depends if you have a charcoal grill, a pellet grill, or a more consistent gas or electric grill.

    Controlling the Grill Temp Using the Grill Vents and Lid

    You can control your grill temp using available vents by opening or closing them. You can also use the grills lid. You can remove it to let the upper heat quickly escape. Or, you can use it to snuff out some air .

    Controlling the Grill Temp Using a Water Spray Bottle

    If your grill allows it, you can also have water in a spray bottle handy for quickly putting out excessive flames or mildly toning down a hot charcoal area. If using charcoal, you can spread out any charcoal that might be piled up a bit too high, which was causing higher heat. With gas or electric, its easy enough to turn the temp down.

    Read Also: Temp For Pork Chops On The Grill

    Bolners Fiesta Uncle Chris Gourmet Steak And Burger Seasoning

    Bolners Fiesta Uncle Chris Gourmet Steak and Burger Seasoning is another of the tastiest seasonings on Amazon. Having a bold flavor ranks it on the most favorable list.

    The jar of burger seasoning provides you with the best barbecue home service as it comes with a blend of multiple spices and herbs. The most prominent spices and herbs that serve you the most are salts, onions, pepper, a hint of lemon zest, and other flavorful spices.

    Although there is always a need for a tenderizer to break the meat fiber for a smooth application, this seasoning does this job outstandingly. The other most significant thing about this seasoning is that its not MSG, gluten-free, so skeptics need to consider this before using it for the meal.

    Pros

    • Best for beef, steak, burgers, and chicken

    Cons

    What Seasoning Do You Put On Burgers

    You can never go wrong with the classic salt, preferably kosher, and pepper on your burger. Any lean-to-fat ratio of beef can use salt and pepper.

    But if you are looking at how to season burgers and what are some of the best flavors, try some of these:

    • Paprika you can choose from sweet, regular, smoky, and hot. There is basically no taste to regular paprika and it is used mainly to add color to dishes. Sweet paprika has the taste of red peppers as it is made from the ground pod of the pepper. The hot has a spicier flavor as it is made of chili pepper. Smoked paprika gets its smoky flavor from exactly that being smoked. It can have a hot or sweet flavor. These different types of paprika can add a completely different flavor to your burger. Use alone or with garlic and onion powder.
    • Garlic Powder if you are looking for a garlic taste, but not too powerful, try garlic powder. It has a sweeter taste and not as strong as fresh garlic. Garlic powder is actually dried out and ground from a clove. Since burgers are cooked to get that dark sear, garlic powder is great to use as it is less likely to burn like fresh garlic.
    • Garlic Salt if you are opting for something with both garlic and salt, this would be your choice. Garlic salt actually contains table salt at about a 3 to 1 ratio. So if you cant go without salting your burger, try this route. You will get the saltiness and the added garlic flavor.

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    The Distance Of The Burger Meat From The Heat Source

    In the case of burgers, youll want the usual distance to be anywhere from 3 to 8 inches from your heat source on a charcoal or gas grill. Although this isnt a steadfast requirement, this is referencing a common distance when referring to direct heat. For indirect heat, of course, youre not directly over a heat source, and the distance doesnt apply as long as youre still cooking off to the side .

    What Goes In A Hamburger Seasoning Recipe

    What Kind of Seasoning Can You Put on Hamburgers? : Burgers With Flavor

    The best part about this recipe is it is made with seasonings that I bet you already have on hand in your pantry. The second best thing about this recipe is that you only need a little bit of each seasoning to create a hamburger seasoning mix that you can keep on hand and use over and over.

    What you need:

    • cayenne pepper

    Read Also: How To Deep Clean Weber Grill

    Is Seasoning Your Grill The Same For All Types Of Grills

    Yes. You can follow the same simple steps for seasoning charcoal grills, gas grills and pellet grills. Both cast-iron and steel grates will benefit from seasoning. But keep in mind, porcelain grates do not need to be seasoned.

    Want to switch-up your grill game? Check out our guide to the benefits of different types of grills.

    Bonus Tip: How To Keep Grilled Burgers Moist

    A hot, hot grill achieves just the right char and sears the perfect grill marks on burgers, but the fierce flames can also dry them out. Graham Elliot, a judge on MasterChef, has a pretty cool solution: hide a small ice cube in center of the patty! That’s right, the cube melts as the burger grills, and keeps the meat nice and moist.

    See our collection of Grilled Burger Recipes.

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    Whats The Difference Between Paprika And Smoked Paprika

    This seasoning recipe uses two types of paprika. You may think that paprika is just paprika, right? In reality, paprika is more interesting in that there are several different varieties.

    First off, not all paprika is spicy. Paprika is made from dried and finely ground capsicum peppers, and different regions grow peppers with different levels of heat.

    Paprika labeled as sweet will have almost no heat at all. Smoked paprika is made from peppers that are slowly smoked over a fire, resulting in a rich smoky-sweet powder. Read more about paprika by clicking here.

    Smoked paprika goes well in other foods too! Try some in chili, or sprinkle it on top of your next batch of deviled eggs, the smoke adds a nice touch to everything you add it into.

    Mccormick Garlic Onion Black Pepper & Sea Salt All Purpose Seasoning

    How To Season A Hamburger Before Grilling

    McCormick has a wide range of seasonings for your everyday meals. McCormick Grill Mates Worcestershire Pub Burger Seasoning is one of the most in-demand seasonings from their collection. However, McCormicks all-purpose seasoning brings different flavors to the table.

    Its an excellent all-purpose seasoning that you can use for vegetables, steak, beef, fish, seafood, chicken, lamb, turkey, and other similar foods.

    The best thing about this seasoning is that it has no gluten, non-genetically modified organisms, and is 100% kosher.

    Ingredients are pretty simple but add a lot of value to your steaks and burgers taste. Specifically, onion powder, oregano, and parsley boost the whole thing to a new level. This burger seasoning for grilling has essential ingredients, but you can use it in your everyday meal, from breakfast to dinner.

    Pros

    Recommended Reading: Best Way To Clean Ceramic Grill Grates

    How To Form Burgers

    There is definitely a method to shaping the perfect burger. In my opinion, simple is better. Let the flavor of the meat speak for itself. Here is what I recommend.

  • Dont over handle or mix the meat. It will become tough and dry out faster.
  • Use a burger press to get the perfect shape every time. This is the one I use and you can measure it out based on 1/4 lb., 1/3 lb. or 1/2 lb. patties.
  • Bigger is better. Remember the burgers will shrink when you put them on the grill. So as a general rule I form the patties about 3/4 larger than the bun itself.
  • Sides For Grilled Burgers

    Having sides for grilled burgers is to understand what complements this kind of sandwich. So, lets look at what goes with grilled burgers commonly.

    Fast and easy things are shown here:

    • canned, already seasoned baked beans
    • regular potato chips
    • pickle spear
    • watermelon

    Also, here are some good recipe ideas for more substantial side dishes for burgers on the grill.

    Recipe for Cantaloupe Salad EASY

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    How To Grill Burgers 8 Keys To Pro Success

    You may be surprised that many grilling tactics, like pressing the burger down, are the WRONG way to get the perfect grilled burger. Following these simple steps will have you grilling burgers like a pro!

  • Not the time to cut the fat: Fat is actually a major component in adding flavor to burgers. With our current day fat consciousness, Im here to advise when grilling burgers dont cut the fat. I typically use 85% lean grass-fed ground beef. I also use double ground beef, which ensures a better mix of the fat uniformly into the meat.
  • Prepare burger patties and chill them. Making the burger patties early and refrigerating them allows them to better stay intact while grilling. Dont overhandle them which can compress the meat and start to melt the fat. You can even run your hands under cold water before making the patties on a hot day.
  • Stick Your Thumb in It. Pressing your thumb into the center of the prepared burger to make a divot will keep it from bulging as it grills. It keeps the burgers nice and flat.
  • Brush burgers with olive oil before grilling. This might sound excessive but it ensures the burgers wont stick on the grill and will take on a nice sear, sealing the juices inside.
  • NEVER push on a burger when grilling! For some reason it is commonplace as a burger grills to push down on it with a grilling spatula. DONT! This only squeezes out flavorful juices that keep the burger moist.
  • How Long To Cook Burgers On The Grill

    Big Mistakes Everyone Makes When Grilling Burgers

    The key to testing the doneness of a burger is measuring the internal temperature with an Instant Read thermometer.

    The USDA guidelines state ground meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. This temperature ensures killing of any dangerous food safety related bacteria.

    Meat does continue to cook while it rests off the grill so usually they can be taken off the grill slightly under 160 degrees.

    This guide focuses on beef burgers but if cooking ground turkey burgers the internal temperature needs to reach 165 degrees. Grilled salmon burgers need to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

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    Burger Construction: Building A Better Burger

    Once you have your burger game in place, think about the condiments and toppings you want to serve with them. Ketchup, mustard, and mayo are all traditional, with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles for classic burger fixings.

    Soft, pillowy burger buns make such a huge difference in your burger game, so don’t waste your time on boring, stale buns from the store. Brioche buns are the best for burgers, in my opinion, but potato rolls are good too. We love our buns toasted on the grill during the last minute or two of cooking our burgers!

    I’m probably the last person to realize this, but I recently learned that if you place your lettuce under the burger it will help keep the bottom bun from getting soggy.

    Using A Charcoal Vs Gas Grill

    The charcoal vs gas grill debate is long and storied, and they both have their pros and cons. Gas grills heat up more quickly, and its easier to control the heat by turning a knob. On the downside, they tend to have hot spots, so youll need to move the burgers around the grill to make sure they all cook evenly. A charcoal grill can infuse more smoky flavor into your burgers, but it takes longer to heat up and learning how to adjust the vents to increase or decrease the heat is a process.

    In the end, any type of grill will make a delicious burger, so use the one youre most comfortable with.

    Also Check: Traeger Steak Temperatures

    Best Meat For Burgers

    The long and winding road to burger glory begins way before its time to fire up the grill. The most important part of crafting the perfect hamburger is actually making sure youve got the right meat to get the job done.

    When youre using a recipe to make a burger, youll normally be asked to use ground beef but if you see anything in the store thats simply labelled ground beef, its normally just code for some random collection of cuts that have all been mushed together.

    We recommend you go with one of three more identifiable and consistent specific types of ground beef.

  • Ground sirloin – this cut will normally give you a tasty and wholesome beef flavor, and because its cut from the midsection, ground sirloin tends to give you fat content between 7 and 10 percent. Thats way too low, but well get to that in a minute.
  • Ground rounds – normally lean and tough. Fat content here can be as low as 10 percent which isnt really enough to render the best flavor.
  • Ground chuck – knowing what we know about ground beef, sirloin, and rounds, that leaves ground chuck as the superior choice. Ground chuck is cut from the shoulder and is normally between 15 and 20 percent fat. This is the perfect fatty sweet spot in order to keep your burger from drying out while giving you the perfect amount of flavor. Ground chuck is tender and its way richer in flavor.
  • Your burger will only be as good as the meat that you choose, so choose wisely. Lean beef makes for dry burgers.

    How To Make Perfectly Grilled Burgers Every Time

    5 Epic Burgers to Kick Off Grill Season
    • Tip #1: Pick your favorite cut of beef: For burgers, I like to go with 85/15 or 80/20. Most burger chefs and avid connoisseurs will tell you 80/20 but the dietitian in me creeps in and says hey, theres nothing wrong with 85/15! And there really isnt as long as you dont overcook it, season it properly and top it with all the goods, youll still be in burger heaven.
    • Tip #2 Chill the patties: Keep the patties in the fridge until youre ready to cook. Putting cold patties straight on the grill will help you achieve that juiciness on the inside of the burger, and it also helps the burger patties stay together rather than falling apart.
    • Tip #3: SEASON! Grab that kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper and season those burgs! Yes thats right, you dont need anything special, just good ol s and p. I recommend forming your patties first, then generously seasoning both sides of the burgers. Many years ago when I was studying how to make the perfect burger, I dissected my favorite restaurant burger to figure out why it was so darn good. And come to find out, I just needed to add a bit more salt and a lot more freshly cracked black pepper. If you think youve added enough pepper, go ahead and add a bit more. You simply wont regret it.

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