Grilling Tips for Great Burgers

Whether you’re cooking them on the grill, broiling them, or cooking them on the stovetop, burgers are a summer time staple.  But, there’s nothing quite as dissatisfying as biting into a burger that’s dry, tough, or lacking that rich flavor.  Here are some tips to get the perfect summer time burger!

First, you want to choose meat with a very high fat content.  Avoid lean meats and, instead, choose meat that is 80% lean and 20% fat – the ideal combination for the very best burgers.  Any chef will agree that you just can’t get the juiciness and flavor from lean meat and fatty meat helps with the burgers texture as well as flavor. 

Next, you’ll need to make sure that when you form your burgers, you handle the meat as little as possible.  It might sound counter-productive but resist the temptation to make your burgers look perfect – if you pack them into perfect circles, they’ll wind up being tough and hard.  Instead, used fist-sized chunks of burger and press them down into rough patties against a work surface (like a cutting board) with the palm of your hand.  Don’t forget to make a shallow dimple in the center of each burger patty.  Using your finger to press down in the center of the burger and making a dimple that’s about a quarter-inch thinner than the outer edge, will help avoid your burgers shrinking as they cook.

Make sure that you’re seasoning your burger prior to cooking – it will give the meat more flavors and will improve the texture of the burger.  You’ll at least want to season with salt but you can choose your own special blend of seasonings, as well – just make sure to season at the right time.  Avoid pressing down on the burger with a spatula while it’s cooking.  Again:  minimal handling and flipping is the key and when you press down on the burger, you’re letting all the fantastic juice and flavors escape.  Try to leave your burgers alone as much as possible while they cook, regardless of the cooktop you’re using (grill, broiler, or stovetop). 

The best tip for chefs when cooking burgers is to cook them on high and direct heat to cook them as fast as possible.   When grilling them, leave the lid open so they won’t dry out.  Try to flip them only once so you don’t disrupt those great juices inside the burger.  Cooking them for five to six minutes is best and when you see the juices collecting on top of the burger, you’ll know that the meat is cooking through to the middle (as the burger cook, it pushes the juices to the top).  Flip the burgers over and cook on the other side about one to two minutes shorter than it took for you to see the juices beginning to collect on the other side (about three to four minutes for medium). 

There you have it!  The best tips we have for the perfect hamburger.  If you’re in need of chef apparel for your summer grilling fun,  Fiumara Apparel has everything you need including coats, shoes, and aprons. We have a great return policy and a fantastic guarantee that can’t be beat and with our excellent customer service, you’re sure to have a positive experiencing when ordering and can rest assured that if you encounter any problems, Fiuamara Apparel will be quick to address issues and correct them.