How to Grill a Perfect Burger

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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(102 Ratings)

Burgers are the quintessential menu item for the backyard grill. Getting great results every time is easy if you follow a few common-sense steps.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

fresh ground chuck
salt
pepper
hamburger buns
cheese
tomatoes
lettuce
onion
pickles
ketchup
mayonnaise
relish
mustard
Barbecue Grills
Grill Baskets
Grill Utensils
Wire Grill Brushes
Groceries

Step 1

Start with fresh ground chuck. Chuck is the most flavorful type of ground beef, and comes from a single cut of beef. Plain "ground beef" can include meat from all over the animal.
Step 2

Make sure the chuck has a fat content of at least 15 to 22 percent to ensure juiciness. If you prefer your burgers well done, ask your butcher for a higher fat content. This will allow you to cook them more without drying them out.
Step 3

Chill the beef well before forming patties. Wash your hands well, then form the patties.
Step 4

Make each patty by forming about half a pound of ground chuck into a tight ball about the size of a baseball. Firmly press ball into a flat cake, first between your hands, then onto a clean cutting board.
Step 5

Use a spatula or other straight-edged tool to "pull in" the sides of the patty so that they remain together and tight.
Step 6

Form patties about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Make the diameter about 1/2 inch larger than the bun to allow for shrinkage.
Step 7

Build a hot fire in the grill. Lightly oil the bars with vegetable oil - pour oil onto a paper towel, then hold the towel with tongs to wipe the oil onto the grill bars.
Step 8

Season the burgers on both sides with salt and pepper. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper give the best flavor.
Step 9

Place the burgers on the grill over direct heat. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once. Do not press down on the burgers with the spatula during cooking - this only squeezes out the juices, encourages flame-ups and dries out the burger.
Step 10

Check doneness by peeking inside a patty with a spatula, or use an instant-read food thermometer inserted into the center of the patty. (See Tips for recommended temperature.)
Step 11

Serve on fresh buns with any toppings you prefer: cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, pickles and condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise or mustard.

Comments

Freunde said

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on 7/8/2009 Yummy! I love burgers on the grill.

scleveland said

on 6/24/2009 Great recipe for grilling burgers, I will definitely have to give this a try some day.

on 5/26/2008 Here is the recipe that will have your guests mouths watering for more and filling up until they explode. The flavor and juciness is phenomenal. I am a home cooker and I cook every weekend for my family. 90% lean beef 3 lbs., 4 eggs, 1 cup chopped onions, 1/2 tablespoon of A1 Sauce per lb. or worchester sauce, lawrys garlic salt 1 table spoon per pound, 2 packets of lipton onion soup mix, teaspoon of fresh ground pepper per pound, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, hand mix in a bowl as you were making meatballs. Grill Medium well depending on grill- I say this to keep them slightly pink in the center, I cross grill sear the burgers in opposite directions to get that restaurant style look, I then put a slice of American Cheese- and I only use American Cheese due to this being an American Classic. Let me know what you think- johngalek@hotmail.com

chef-dejour said

on 9/27/2007 You should avoid making the patties too tight. Loosely formed patties will be juicier and more flavorful. Also the patties should be room temperature before grilling.