It’s your turn to host the cookout and that’s awesome. There is just one problem: you don’t know how to grill the perfect burger. Don’t fret!
We’re here to tell you what you need to do when grilling a burger, bring you one step closer to that perfect meat patty. Let’s jump into it.
Start With the Tool
When grilling a burger the right way, you’ll find yourself with at the grill. Any size grill will work, whether it’s a small little barbecue or a top-of-the-line grill. If you’re looking for a new one, check out these Pellet Grill reviews.
While the size of the grill doesn’t really matter, the kind of grill you use may make a difference. Some common grill types include wood grills, charcoal briquettes, and electric. The other types of fuel sources in addition to these can affect the flavor of your burgers.
While it’s certainly up to you, we recommend the charcoal briquette or a standard charcoal grill. These grills tend to put out the best flavor, both for grilling and for smoking. Just make sure to settle on a flavor before select your grill.
The Right Meat
You should not just go to the store and pick up the first pack of ground beef you spot. In order to have an amazing burger, you need to have the right kind of meat. The right kind of meat relies on one thing: the beef to fat ratio.
Most of the flavor in meat comes from the seasoning and the fat, so if your burger doesn’t have enough fat, it’s not gonna taste the best. The goal is to secure some ground beef with a good mix, ideally some with 80 lean beef and then 20 percent fat. You can always look for or mix your own beef with a higher fat content if you would like.
Grilling a Burger
Grilling a burger can be a daunting task for some. It seems so simple, but it can be complicated. To start, take the meat out of the fridge.
The goal here is to keep the meat cold. This will stop the fat from binding to the lean meat. If it does this, the burger will likely turn out dry.
Once out of the fridge, season it how you’d like, quickly shape the beef into patties, and then put them right back in the fridge. When cooked, burgers will shrink, so in order to have your burger cook to bun size, you want to shape your patties a little larger than the bun itself.
The Meat
Now, when you’re ready to start grilling, take your burger patties out of the fridge. Before you set them on the grill, make sure to dimple the patties.
Dimpling the patties will keep the meat from puffing up in the center, allowing for a better look and better cook. You want to aim for small, wide, and shallow well in the middle of the patty. It’ll be easiest to just gently push down with your fist.
Once the patties have been dimpled, you can set them on the grill. You want to make sure you lay them down away from you. Now, you just wait for them to cook.
In most cases, you’ll probably be aiming for a medium-rare burger. To do this, try to cook each side for about 3 minutes each.
The Veggies
While your burgers are cooking, head on over to your veggies and pull out a cutting board. Go ahead and slice up your favorite toppings. If you’re looking for recommendations, the classic combo of lettuce, tomato, and onion is always a hit.
If you do use onion, don’t just put it on your burger raw. To get even more and an arguably better flavor, put the onions on the grill as well. This will allow the onions to caramelize, boosting the taste of your burgers.
The Cheese
If you don’t like cheese or you can’t eat it, then you can skip this section. If you want cheese on your burger, don’t just put the cheese on after you’ve cooked it. The only way to have cheese on a burger is if it’s cooked with it.
After you’ve flipped tour patties, go ahead and lay down a slice of cheese on it. This will allow the cheese to melt while the rest of your burger finished cooking.
The Buns
If you don’t toast your hamburger buns, you’re doing it all wrong. Toasting your buns is the one true way to go, but it all relies on timing.
If you put your buns on the grill too early, then they’ll either end up burnt or cold by the time you dig in. The goal is to set them on the grill about a minute before your burgers are done. This will leave you a perfectly heated bun set.
Condiments
Now, condiments are up to the people eating the burger, but you still have to have them on hand. Ketchup and mustard are a must, but mayonnaise is also a requirement. If you aren’t feeling store-bought mayonnaise, try mixing it with something else to create your own delicious mayonnaise.
Bon Appetite
Grilling a burger can be difficult, but when you know what you’re doing, you’re bound to cook up some perfection.
If you found this article helpful, be sure to share it with your buddies who definitely need some help with their grill game. If you want to see more awesome content like this, go ahead and check out the rest of our blog.
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