It's no wonder America has an ongoing love affair with the hamburger. Who doesn't love sinking their teeth into a thick, juicy burger, hot off the grill? Here's how to make yours the best of all -- how to grill your burgers to absolute perfection.
Picture this: it’s a warm, sunny day and you’re so hungry you can barely stand it any more. The enticing smell emanating from the smoky barbecue grill on your patio is making your stomach rumble. Finally you hear the long-awaited words – “They’re done!” – and you’re the first in line to receive your hamburger, hot and fresh and perfectly charred. In a matter of seconds your teeth are sinking through a toasty bun, crisp, cool layers of lettuce and tomato, and finally into the thick, juicy burger. Could there be a more perfect summertime meal? We think not. Burgers are relatively cheap, easy to prepare, and versatile: they can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. Best of all, they’re so darn delicious! So how do you move even the most basic of burgers to "ultimate burger" status? Follow these simple tips and reach hamburger heaven!
Not all meat is created equal.
You may be tempted to go cheap when buying meat. But for the very best burgers, you’ll want meat with a 15-20% fat content, usually ground chuck or ground sirloin (or you can even mix the two). A package that’s simply marked “ground beef” doesn’t tell you much about where the beef came from; by law, it can come from any part of the cow and may contain up to 30% fat that can lead to a greasy burger. Ground round can be used for a lower-fat option, as it has approximately 11% fat, but it can make for a rather dry burger. Ideally, you should choose freshly ground beef from a butcher shop. That way you know exactly what cut you’re getting and exactly what has gone into the mix, which cuts down on contaminants. But if that isn’t an option, select ground chuck or ground sirloin from a reputable supermarket.
To season, or not to season?
Purists insist that you’ll get a better burger when the flavor of the beef is really allowed to shine through, meaning no extra seasonings besides the requisite salt and pepper. The other flavors will come later, in the form of add-ons such as bacon strips and condiments. For a neater version of a cheeseburger, and to keep the burger moist, you can mix shredded cheese in with the meat. You can also keep the meat from drying out by adding a bit of finely chopped onion. Dryness shouldn't be an issue, though, unless you're using a type of meat with a lower fat content, such as ground round; the add-ins are really just personal preference, definitely not a necessity.