Perfect your burgers with our top 10 tips: How to melt cheese evenly, guaranteeing a juicy patty and more!
Every summer, it seems, burger lovers vow that this will be the year they will perfect their burger-making skills and Burger recipes. Well, listen up, burger lovers. it's time to set your grilling resolutions straight as Tim, Nic, and long-time customer Damon of Big D's BBQ give their handy little trade tips for the ultimate burger.
1. Use 80/20 Meat to Fat Ratio
An 80% lean, 20% fat ratio is our choice for making juicy burgers. Because of the relatively high-fat content — it guarantees a juicy burger. The blend is not exactly diet-friendly, but then if you are after a tasty burger, we say it's worth the occasional splurge: To us, if you’re going to eat a burger, it might as well taste good.
2. Grind Your Own Meat
Grinding your own meat at home is one of life's pleasures because you know exactly what meat you are using. When it comes to burgers ground chuck, brisket, and boneless short rib all work. Weigh out the fat to meat before you put it through the grinder. As you get more experienced, you can make a visual estimate.
Just dice your meat and fat into one-inch chunks, put them in a bowl and put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes until they’re firm but not frozen. Then working in 1/2-pound batches, pulse the meat to the desired grind size. We recommend an 8mm plate for burgers.
In the words of Big D “Once you grind, you never rewind. You will never buy shop brought mince again."
3. Experiment with Your Seasonings
Experiment with seasoning. If you are a total beginner use Weschenfelder American Burger seasoning the first time around to get the hang of it and a sense of what makes a great burger. Once you have done this you can use the American burger seasoning as a base seasoning then add your own herbs and spices to make your signature burger.
Once you have seasoned your meat and mixed it all together, just fry a bit off on your pan and give it a quick taste test to make sure the seasoning is to your taste. This way you can adjust it to your liking.
As you gain more experience there are heaps of different seasonings waiting to be tried and you will soon find your favourite.
4. Weigh Out Burger Seasoning Out
Weigh and measure out your burger seasoning so you get the correct balance of flavour. Too much and it's overpowering, too little and it's a dull burger. So weigh the seasoning out using the recipe provided. For most of our seasonings, you add 7% seasoning and 13% water to the meat (80%).
5. Use Cast Iron Pan or Grill on a High Heat
Cast iron for burgers, that's what all the chefs will tell you. The reason is cast iron has excellent heat diffusion and retention and will produce an evenly cooked burger with a great crust around the edges. Heat a cast-iron pan or griddle on high heat, until it begins to slightly smoke. Then, add a few teaspoons of canola oil to the pan, which has a neutral flavor to the pan, (If you don't have canola oil just use your best olive oil). Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat up and put the burgers in the pan.
When cooking with a hot griddle or hot Charcoal BBQ it is important to get the heat up before you add the burgers. Once you are ready add the burgers to the griddle and close the lid immediately. This helps cooking and allows smoke to penetrate the burger, whilst retaining all the heat.
6. Flip Once
Once the burger is cooking on one side, DON'T TOUCH IT anymore! You should only flip once but when to flip is key!
When you start to see the edges of the burger lift is the best time to flip. You will see the edges lift after at least 3 minutes. Use a metal spatula to flip them over and do it in one fast movement.
If there is no crust on the edges then do not be tempted to flip, only flip once the crust on the outer edges is there and you will be sure to keep that perfect round shape.
Continue cooking until a crust has formed on the bottom once again, and the burger is cooked to your desired doneness, about 4 more minutes for medium, which is our preference.
7. Get the Temperature Just Right
What makes a burger stand out? To us, it has to be pink and juicy in the middle and cooked somewhere between medium-rare and medium which is about an internal temperature of 65 to 75 degrees.
For those who have compromised immune systems, you should cook it to well done with an internal temperature of 75˚C+ to be on the safe side.
So how long should you cook it to get your perfect burger? Well here is a little guide on cooking times to keep you right.
Rare: 6 minutes
Medium rare: 7 minutes
Medium: 8 minutes
Medium-well: 9 minutes
Well-done: 11 minutes
8. Mix Your Cheeses
They say don't mix cheeses but we say DO! Ever heard of a four-cheese pizza? The Italians certainly know it works, so why not try it out on your burgers? Strong mature cheddar, blue cheese or mozzarella. Find out your favourite combination. When melting the cheese, add 1 splash of water to the pan and cover the pan entirely for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The water is a secret trick to melting the cheese.
If you are cooking on the BBQ melt the cheese by keeping the lid closed for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The cheese should not be dripping off entirely (disintegrating) but enough that it is no longer solid.
9. Use a Squishy Bun
Squishy buns are the way forward, so there isn't a huge mouthful of bread with each bite. A burger is a sandwich and is meant to be eaten as such. Rolls tend to break up the burger and the next thing you know, you need a knife and fork. Burgers should never have to be eaten with a knife and fork.
A soft bun moulds itself around the contents. Brioche buns are ideal but if you can find the buns with sesame seeds on top at your local bakery then you are on to a winner.
10. Crunchify the burger without going too crazy with the toppings!
People are putting way too many things on their burgers than they used - it's got a little bit crazy. We recommend sticking to the classic toppings like lettuce, beef tomatoes and gherkins. Be sure to use fresh crunchy lettuce in your burger. The extra crunch lifts it up and compliments the softness of your bun.