Even though I spent many, many years in the kitchen specializing in fine dining, I have a rather embarrassing affinity for ketchup. I won’t say I put it on everything, but I will say that those 3 packs of ketchup from Sam’s Club don’t last long in my house. Our opponent this week just happens to play at Heinz Field , and that gives me the perfect opportunity to talk about one of my favorite foods with ketchup … hamburgers.
I absolutely love hamburgers … when they are prepared correctly. Nothing makes me cringe more when I show up to a cookout than when I see that hamburgers are being served. Nine times out of 10, they are misshapen and overcooked. Little thought is given to the bun or the quality and quantity of toppings. Here are a few tips and techniques that will turn ordinary burgers into extraordinary works of art.
The first decision you need to make is what cut of meat to choose. The most common cuts that are ground into hamburger meat are sirloin and chuck. Sirloin is typically leaner (a ratio of 90% meat and 10% fat … also called 90/10). Chuck will provide a richer blend of 80% meat and 20% fat (80/20). You can tell the difference when looking at them side by side … the chuck burgers will look more pink than red because of the extra fat. When it comes to hamburgers (as well as all red meat), fat equals flavor. I don’t eat hamburgers that often, so when I do, I want it to be a real treat. I prefer chuck. Not only will you get more flavor, your burger will be juicier as well. In addition, I like to buy Angus Beef as I find the quality to be better than regular hamburger. I feel the extra expense is worth it, but it’s not a deal breaker.
The second decision is whether to buy pre-formed patties or to form your own. This might surprise you … I strongly prefer to buy pre-formed patties from the butcher section of the grocery store vs. forming my own patties and there are a number of reasons for this (usually around a half-pound). Typically, the preformed patties are cut from a roll of ground meat to a half-inch thick. This uniform thickness is absolutely critical to get a more evenly cooked burger. Most hand-formed patties are thicker in the middle and thinner towards the edges, which results in a dry outside and underdone center … creating the dreaded “ball-shaped” burger. Third, all of the burgers will be the same thickness, giving you a more consistent doneness from burger to burger. And finally, it will save you a lot of time and energy … and this can’t be emphasized enough.
Your third decision will be to decide between gas and charcoal. Gas grills provide a much better cooking medium for burgers. You have a more even temperature across the grill, giving you a more consistent doneness across all of the burgers. Charcoal tends to flare up when fat drips on it, and your burgers will lose a great deal of fat during the cooking process. When you get these flare-ups, the liquefied fat actually turns to a compound very similar to gasoline. So, not only do you get a burnt burger, you get one that tastes like fuel. Yum!
Your fourth decision will be deciding on toppings. While I won’t go into an exhaustive list of toppings, I will instead provide a better process for providing them. One of the most important tips when grilling burgers is to have your toppings prepared before your burgers go on the grill. You don’t ever want to walk away from a grill full of hamburgers. Take the time to get your toppings sliced and laid out in advance! One additional tip is to slice your onions and tomatoes very thinly, so that it’s easier to put more toppings on the burgers should you choose to go that way.
Your fifth decision will be how to season the burgers. I’m a purist … I like good quality meat with salt and pepper only. I know some people who like to mix seasonings into the meat, but this will actually produce a tougher burger, as the mixing action will lead to a denser product. Since hamburgers contain a lot of fat and this fat easily drips off on the grill, it’s very difficult to over-salt a burger. The excess salt usually will melt away with the fat as it cooks. That’s not to say that you want to crust your burger in salt, but don’t be afraid to give it a good dusting. If you use fine-grained kosher salt, you will have a little more margin for error, as kosher salt isn’t quite as dense as table salt. Be careful not to use too many spices that could burn on the outside of the burger.
Your sixth decision is determining the proper grilling temperature. I can’t emphasize how important this is. The technique I use is to heat the grill on high with the lid closed for 15 minutes. At that point, I thoroughly clean the grill to remove any and all burnt bits that will impart an off flavor to the burger. Take a paper towel with some vegetable oil and rub it on the grill grates. This will finish the cleaning process and keep the burgers from sticking. Turn the heat to medium and you’re ready to grill. (It’s at this point that I will grill my hamburger buns. I don’t want to wait until the burgers are cooking or have already cooked. Also of note, I prefer potato buns for my burgers as they are usually moister and more flavorful than Kaiser rolls).
Your decisions are now over with and you need to properly grill your burgers. You’ve got a hot, well-lubed grill, your burgers are seasoned, your toppings are all set and you’re ready to go. Gently place your burgers on the grill (don’t toss them on) and DON’T TOUCH THEM for at least 2 minutes. Besides having a cold or dirty grill, the number one reason burgers stick to the grill is because people mess with them too much. Every single burger will stick if the meat that is in contact with the grill grates doesn’t sear properly and then release from the grate. Give it time … don’t be impatient. Place the burgers on the grill and step back. Resist the urge to tilt them, flip them, whatever. You are guaranteeing failure if you mess with your burgers!!!!
The FDA recommends that hamburgers be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees or well done. If you don’t cook your burgers until all the pink is gone, you do run the risk of food borne illness. You greatly reduce your chances of getting sick if you buy quality meat and reduce the amount of time it is at room temperature (don’t buy your burgers and then leave them in the car or on the counter for an hour). I’m not advocating eating a burger medium rare; however, I don’t like my burgers well done. The decision is yours.
In addition, you must wash your hands immediately after touching raw hamburger meat, every single time … particularly if you have children or elderly persons as guests. They are far more likely to contract food-borne illnesses than healthy adults. I am vigilant about this, often washing my hands three or four times. And be sure to wash your countertops thoroughly if raw hamburger has touched them.
For a half-inch thick burger cooking on a 450-500 degree grill, you will typically hit a temperature of medium after 8-10 minutes (4-5 minutes per side). You know it’s time to flip them when you see blood begin to pool on the top of the burger. (At this point, the only time you should have touched the burger is to move it away from a flare up or turn it 45 degrees to get the perfect grill marks). Do not, under any circumstances, push down on the burgers as they’re cooking … you will dry them out. Even if they begin to bulge in the middle, resist that urge! The bulge will subside if you give a minute or two. You can always move them to a cooler part of the grill. What you are seeing is the juices in the burger coming to a boil and the steam is trapped inside the meat, causing the burger to bulge. Even if you want your burger well done, don’t push the juices out of it. Simply place the burger on a cooler part of the grill and be patient.
My last tip when it comes to the burgers is to let them rest for a couple of minutes to give the juices a chance to run out. This way, you don’t get a soggy bottom bun. One other trick to avoid this is to put a slice of lettuce under the burger. This will hold the juices and keep the bun from getting soaked.
For the record, I like my burger cooked medium with American cheese, two very thin slices of tomato, a very thin slice of onion, pickles, lettuce, ketchup, mayo and a little bit of yellow mustard. Please post how you like your burger!
