Mastering the art of creating a good hamburger is an essential skill for the autumn season. Because football is on its way back after a long hiatus, and nothing’s better than cooking delicious burgers as you watch your favorite team. Cooking a burger may sound easy, but mistakes can be easily made. No matter how simple it sounds, it is one of those food items that can go really wrong even with the slightest lack of attention to detail.
If last year’s backyard lunch with your football crew was ruined by that so called hamburger, then this is the year you need to finally learn making the best one.
Get Your Ingredients in Order
Instead of jumping right into knowing the secret of making the best hamburger, you first need to get the ingredients right. It really starts that simple. It is the biggest mistake men can make when preparing hamburgers. Seriously, meat is the most significant part so how could you ignore its quality. The experts prefer an 80/20 ground chuck. It has the right amount of fat to produce that juicy effect. Feeling hungry yet?
Making the Patty
Use your hands to make the patty. Keep it gentle; not overworking the meat. This will ensure that burgers don’t turn out like bricks. The patties should be around 6 ounces. Also, keep them larger than the bun as meat shrinks while cooking. Using your thumb, make a dimple in the center of the patty. This ensures evenly cooked meat without any plumping. Seasoning depends on your taste but don’t overdo it, as you want to try keep the flavor of the meat.
The Process to Create the Perfect Hamburgers
So now that you have the ingredients and patties ready, it is time to follow the right method of making totally mouthwatering and irresistible hamburgers.
- Use high heat to grill the burgers. This will create a crust many people enjoy
- You may have seen the use of a spatula to press on the burgers at your local McDonald’s or Wendy’s. When it comes to hamburgers, don’t do it! You are ruining the juicy flavor hamburgers are supposed to have. Pressing too much runs the juices out.
- Avoid excessive flipping too. Flip once on each side and give 3 minutes to cook to medium rare. Although, eating medium rare or just medium burgers can lead to certain health risks. If you are a purist, try using meat ground at home.
- In case you experience a flare up, just cover the grill and the flames will die. After cooking, let the burgers rest for some time so the juices can evenly redistribute into the meat
Now that you have cooked the main part of the burger, you can get creative with the condiments. Add cheese, greens, onions, pickles, tomatoes, herbs, etc. according to choice. Although, remember not to overwhelm as it takes away from the flavor of the meat.
There is not really a secret ingredient for the best hamburgers. It is more about the process and dedication.