How to Grill Burgers
Buy quality meat., Season your fresh ground beef., Form your patties.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Buy quality meat.
Start with the right kind of meat and you're well on your way to making a delicious burger.
For any type of grilling, you want to start with fresh quality meat.
If possible, ask your butcher to grind the meat for you while you wait.
Look for 75 to 80 percent lean for the juiciest burgers.You can choose leaner meat if you prefer.
Leaner meat isn't ideal for burgers as they are often cooked at very high temperatures.
Meat with a low fat content can become dry when grilled.
If you can't get freshly ground beef, choose beef with a bright pink color.
Ground meat that is starting to turn gray has likely been sitting on the shelf longer.
Try ground chicken or turkey if you are looking to avoid beef.
You can also use pre-formed frozen burger patties. -
Step 2: Season your fresh ground beef.
Crumble 2 lbs (32 ounces) of ground beef into a large bowl and sprinkle in about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Use your hands to mix the ground beef and take care not to overwork the meat.
Gently toss the ground meat until the seasonings are just combined.
Handle the meat as little as possible.
The heat from your hands can actually melt the fat of the burger resulting in a denser patty.Vary the amount of seasoning based on your preference.
Try adding some ground sage or chili powder.
If you have started with frozen patties, you can season them as they cook. , Grab about 1/4 pound (6 ounces) of ground beef and shape it into a ball in your hands.
Carefully flatten it between your palms until it's about 3/4 of an inch thick (1.3 cm).
Flattening your patty evenly as possible.
Use your thumb or a spoon to make a shallow indentation (about 1 and 1/2 inches wide) in the center of your patty.
This can help your patty cook more evenly and prevent it from puffing up in the center.
Your patty will shrink a little when cooking.
Use your hamburger buns as a reference and form the patties to extend just a little bit past the diameter of the buns.
This will create even patties that better fit your buns when cooked. -
Step 3: Form your patties.
Detailed Guide
Start with the right kind of meat and you're well on your way to making a delicious burger.
For any type of grilling, you want to start with fresh quality meat.
If possible, ask your butcher to grind the meat for you while you wait.
Look for 75 to 80 percent lean for the juiciest burgers.You can choose leaner meat if you prefer.
Leaner meat isn't ideal for burgers as they are often cooked at very high temperatures.
Meat with a low fat content can become dry when grilled.
If you can't get freshly ground beef, choose beef with a bright pink color.
Ground meat that is starting to turn gray has likely been sitting on the shelf longer.
Try ground chicken or turkey if you are looking to avoid beef.
You can also use pre-formed frozen burger patties.
Crumble 2 lbs (32 ounces) of ground beef into a large bowl and sprinkle in about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Use your hands to mix the ground beef and take care not to overwork the meat.
Gently toss the ground meat until the seasonings are just combined.
Handle the meat as little as possible.
The heat from your hands can actually melt the fat of the burger resulting in a denser patty.Vary the amount of seasoning based on your preference.
Try adding some ground sage or chili powder.
If you have started with frozen patties, you can season them as they cook. , Grab about 1/4 pound (6 ounces) of ground beef and shape it into a ball in your hands.
Carefully flatten it between your palms until it's about 3/4 of an inch thick (1.3 cm).
Flattening your patty evenly as possible.
Use your thumb or a spoon to make a shallow indentation (about 1 and 1/2 inches wide) in the center of your patty.
This can help your patty cook more evenly and prevent it from puffing up in the center.
Your patty will shrink a little when cooking.
Use your hamburger buns as a reference and form the patties to extend just a little bit past the diameter of the buns.
This will create even patties that better fit your buns when cooked.
About the Author
Heather Martinez
A passionate writer with expertise in crafts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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