Build a better burger

B

BoxsterCharlie

New member
I'd like to talk a little bit about BBQ burgers. I'm finally starting to get the results I want, but I'm pretty new to BBQ and would love some tips.



I think we all are shooting for the same goal, a juicy, moist burger with a nice grill marks and not burned or uncooked.



Here's what I do:



-Get the fattest ground beef I can (also happens to be the cheapest)



-Try to quickly shape it into a ball and then use a spatula to get it as thin as possible (under 1/2 inch)



-Put it on the grill at the highest setting



-Wait about 2 minutes. I read somewhere that although it sticks immediately, after it cooks there is a window when you can easily lift it off to flip it. This seems to be true.



-I give it another 2 minutes on the other side, then flip every minute or so until I guess that it is done. The juices seem to run clear if you look really close.



-I put the cheese on the bottom bun and let the weight of the hot burger melt the cheese. I got tired on it never melting on the grill, then running off.



Another ideas, suggestions?
 
I am also new the the bbq game. A question to add would be....



Does it matter if you buy the straight ground beef or if you get it in pre-made patties? Other than a possible cost difference, does it really matter?
 
I don't have too much technique for bbq'ing anything other than beer bratts, maybe just that I'll cook things over a low-to-medium heat until they're cooked almost enough through the center, and then flip or move over to a much warmer area to give a little "flame kiss."



But as far as ground beef or pre-made patties, I prefer to buy the ground beef so that I can mix in some seasonings... but it does just boil down to preference.
 
BoxsterCharlie,



As opinionated as we are around here, even this seemingly innocuous as this post may seem, I can seem flames being fanned (yes, of course the pun is intended). That said, I'll add the first log, or in this case charcoal briquette to the fire. :D



To build a better burger and cook it, you need charcoal and perhaps a seasoned wood (ie. hickory or mesquite). Forget the gas grills. If you are at all unsure about this advice, check out any BBQ competition where the winner cooked on a gas grill (don't waste your time) or BBQ house and show me the one without a smokestack with a heavenly scenting wafting out.



Your fire should be hot and your grill hot and clean. When you slap those pattys down you want to hear the sizzle which will serve to sear the meat and help to hold the juices in.



Now back to your meat. If you want your burger juicy, a ground chuck will do. If you choose a poor quality meat, expect a poor quality burger. If you choose a leaner meat (ie. ground sirloin), you will have to cut back on the grill time and you still may get a drier burger because of the reduced fat content, or you will have to add some moisture perhaps in the form of a sauce (no not ketchup :) ) Don't smash your patty down so thin. And finally, you don't need to turn your meat more than once.



That just scratches the surface. Charcoaling takes a lot of hands on to get to know your grill, but the results will be worth the effort.
 
It's just like using a polish; you modulate time, product thickness/density, and temperature/aggressiveness! Even when you know what you're doing, you can turn up duds often enough to realize it's an art.



I'm OK with a gas grill for burgers and steaks; they're a different animal from ribs and briskets. 99.999% of all steaks cooked in the finest steakhouses in the world are cooked over a gas flame. And anyhow, I'm not cooking for campetition at home. It's like, vinyl sounds better than CD, but which one do YOU choose? That's right, CD, and you do it because the difference in sound quality isn't worth the inconvenience of constant care that vinyl demands.





Tom
 
Hehe .. I might as well throw in my 2 cents..



I've experimented with different ground meat for burgers and have settled on ground chuck 80/20 as offering the best balance of taste and juice. I do make most of my burgers from fresh ground meat, but we do keep a few frozen patties in case of emergency. I'll sometimes add a little salt and pepper, Lee N Perrin's or other steak sauce to the ground meat to add a little flavor.



I'm lucky to own a smoker and a gas grill, and I find I cook burgers, steaks and shrimp on the gas grill most of the time. Any meat that needs low 'n' slow cooking; ribs, pork butt, brisket, ham, turkey etc.... is thrown into the smoker, where the low heat and long cooking time allow the smoke to really add flavor. Any tender, quick to cook meat or shrimp, I start cooking with the gas grill pre- heated as hot as possible, reducing the heat to low after a few minutes if I need to cook the center of the meat more.



Dang .. talking to you guys about this is making me hungry!
 
Here's my "secrets". First, yes, charcoal and wood chips usually yield a better flavor, but they just aren't feasible most of the time I grill. Few things can beat the convenience of clicking a button and grilling in about 5-10 mins. But if you do use charcoal/wood, also get some bell peppers, onions, etc. Chop them up and put them in with the fire. The aroma will cook into your meat and give it extra flavor.



The higher the fat content, the more "flavor" it has and the better it sticks together, but it's also less healthy. Make your decision on what fits your needs. I don't like pre-formed patties as they are too thin and shink dramatically when they cook. I get a pound of meat and mix in some spices with the ground beef when I'm forming the patties. I use Mrs. Dash's, Garlic Powder, sometimes a marinade. I've even put finely chopped pieces of onions and peppers in it. Suit your tastes.



When I cook the burgers, I keep one side of my grill on high and the other on low. Initially, the burgers go on the high side to sear in the juices. Just a minute or two on each side. Then I move them to the low side and close the lid. Check them every couple minutes and flip as needed. The low heat underneath and high heat contained in the grill from the other side will still cook them (although a little slower) and they seem to be a little better (I learned this technique from grilling steaks). I put cheese on when there is a minute left and let it get soft on the grill and then let the heat of the burger melt it the rest of the way.



I put my buns (well, the hamburger buns) on the grill for just a second to grill them. Adds crunch to them. Also try grilling onions or anything else you can.



I also like grilling ears of corn. Wrap it in foil with lots of butter and salt & pepper while it cooks. This will soak it in all the crevices between the kernels.



I just moved and finished my deck, but don't have a new grill yet. After this thread, I might be going to buy a grill soon. I miss it!!!
 
Mosca said:
It's like, vinyl sounds better than CD, but which one do YOU choose? That's right, CD, and you do it because the difference in sound quality isn't worth the inconvenience of constant care that vinyl demands.

Tom
Click to expand...



Oh no! I don't even have a CD player in my rig! :)



turntable.jpg




I get your point, though. I have a gas grill and love it because it is easy and makes me grill more often. I'm so novice all I really cook is burgers and dogs.



Great ideas, everyone!



Extra question...is it worth going to the butcher and asking for them to grind up meat fresh? If so, what do you ask for?
 
Well .. I probably gonna get flamed for this, but if you have a Walmart close by I would start there! My Walmart offers ground beef made from a number of different cuts and with fat contents between 95/5% through to 70/30%. Also, because the turnover is so high at Walmart, their ground beef tends to be very fresh.



If you do go to the butcher, you might try ground chuck, round and sirloin, see which cut you like best, then tweak the fat content to your taste.
 
You're talking to a guy who's spent over $1000 just for a cartridge, so I know where you're coming from... I think the analogy's apt though; I no longer search out NEW stuff on vinyl, 'cause it's generally not found.



Tom
 
Chris, Woody's is great (can I get an AMEN?) and I still plan on getting a smoker, but for every night cooking when I need to fix dinner in 30 minutes, it just doesn't perform (although it sure tastes GREAT!!!)
 
okay, a summary?



fire: gas or charcoal/wood is fine, make sure it's hot



meat: good quality ground beef (chuck, sirloin), 80% lean/20% fat. Salt and pepper to taste. Fillers optional (egg to bind, bread crumbs to fill, worcestershire sauce optional)



cook: sear to seal the juice, don't crush or you lose the juice/fat
 
I already do alot of what has been suggested here...I just bought a kick *** 4 burner grill with cast iron grates and I keep one side on highthe other on low/med low.



As for the meat. I use an 80/20 mix, make the patties with egg, lee, wostershire and some salt and pepper - sometimes I will add jerk sauce or peppers. I always let me the meat sit for at least and hour after adding seasoning and then make the pattys.



On the grill I sear then slow cook, flipping as little as possible.



sometimes I will add more sauce as they are cooking or set oinion on them for flavor.



Most importantly, I ALWAYS have a stell bucket with ice and veer out by the grill as grillinhg gets me "parched".



For bread I usually go oinion buns and lighly toast adding some cheese to the bottom part of the bun.



Damn, I might have to go to in and out on the way home now!
 
Just to keep y'all in line: those of you who are not native to Dixie, please be aware that the word "barbecue" (abbreviated BBQ) is a noun and refers to a food dish consisting of a whole (or good part of) a pig slow cooked over a smoldering fire for a long period of time. What y'all are talking about is "grilling" (unless your "ham" burgers are ground pork).
 
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