When you’re making the patties, there are a few things to keep in mind. One: cold meat, cold hands – it’s the cardinal rule. Make sure your meat has been in the refrigerator until right before you’re ready to shape it, and chill your hands under cold running water first, or hold two handfuls of ice cubes until you can’t stand it any more. Two: handle the meat as delicately and quickly as you can. The reasons behind these tips are simple – over-mixing will toughen and firm the burger, and any heat will begin to melt the fat, which also makes the burgers tougher. Form the meat into a flat, uniform patty that’s anywhere from ¾” to 1” thick. The thicker the burger, the more pink it will be on the inside when it develops the seared outer crust, so keep that in mind if you like your burgers well done through and through. Be sure to make it level, because patties with mounds in the center will cook unevenly. A tip to try: if you don’t have a commercially made hamburger patty mold, try pressing the meat gently into the lid of a pickle jar. If you want the burgers to stay together better on the grill, cover them and allow them to chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so before cooking.
Time to grill!
You should always begin with a clean, well-oiled grill. It’s tempting to put the burgers on ASAP, but the grill should be allowed plenty time to get sufficiently hot; if you’re grilling with charcoal, make sure all the coals are white and gently smoldering. Immediately before you slap those babies on the grill, sprinkle salt – sea salt is a nice touch – and coarsely ground fresh pepper very liberally on both sides of the burger. (Salting them too long before grilling will draw out the moisture, so make sure you do this at the last minute.) Place the burgers on the hottest part of the grill first to allow them to develop that beautifully charred crust, and then move them to a spot with less intense heat to finish cooking. Basting with barbecue sauce, although it gives you something to do while you’re waiting, is not necessary. And never press down on the burgers with a spatula, like so many of us are inclined to do; it squeezes out all the flavorful juices (not to mention can cause a dangerous fire flare-up). Take the “less-is-more” approach and just leave them alone while they’re cooking.