The Perfectly Elusive Perfect Burger

[Boone]

I love me a great burger. I’m a pretty skilled cook, especially when it comes to the grill and smoker. But I have never been able to do a great burger. Don’t get me wrong, even a ‘bad burger’ is still pretty damn good, but...

Here’s my issue.I don’t buy pre-made, pre-formed burgers, but hand form my own. The challenge I have run into is figuring out how not to compact the patty as I form it. Mine always come out much more dense than I want. When I eat at a top burger place, the meat in their burgers is very loosely packed and you can still see individual strands of ground beef in them. It’s like a totally different product.

I don’t know if it’s the quality of beef, how they ‘form’ their burgers, or how they are prepared.

I need those of you who make a great burger to share your most closely guarded burger secrets

 

[Elephant]

Have you ever used egg to bind the beef? Maybe a little panko bread crumb?

Just don't overfill with either...

I will say this...I rejected Bobby Flay's burger at Bobby's Burger for a loooooong time. That place has a phenomenal burger!

 

[Chris]

I love me a great burger. I’m a pretty skilled cook, especially when it comes to the grill and smoker. But I have never been able to do a great burger. Don’t get me wrong, even a ‘bad burger’ is still pretty damn good, but...

Here’s my issue.I don’t buy pre-made, pre-formed burgers, but hand form my own. The challenge I have run into is figuring out how not to compact the patty as I form it. Mine always come out much more dense than I want. When I eat at a top burger place, the meat in their burgers is very loosely packed and you can still see individual strands of ground beef in them. It’s like a totally different product.

I don’t know if it’s the quality of beef, how they ‘form’ their burgers, or how they are prepared.

I need those of you who make a great burger to share your most closely guarded burger secrets

The top places have their own mix of beef that they grind fresh. Generally 2-3 cuts.

And, yes, handle the meat as minimally as possible is a golden rule.

 

[Goaldeje]

Yeah, I usually "grind" whatever I am using in a food processor to make sure I maximize flavor and texture. That way I can use chuck but also cut in some sirloin or something else (I cut in some bacon the other day and that was... very good). Then keep the add-ins to a minimum, imo. Let the beef speak for itself if you're using good stuff.

 

[Win4us]

Damn, seems I’m alone just forming regular ground beef with my hands, like a peasant.

If you guys ever happen to buy pre-made patties ‘Bubba’ makes some bomb ass burgers.

BUBBA burger®

For BUBBA burger®, bold flavor comes naturally. That's why we use only the very best in all of our all-natural products. Learn more.

bubbafoods.com

 

[Beetlejuice]

I love me a great burger. I’m a pretty skilled cook, especially when it comes to the grill and smoker. But I have never been able to do a great burger. Don’t get me wrong, even a ‘bad burger’ is still pretty damn good, but...

Here’s my issue.I don’t buy pre-made, pre-formed burgers, but hand form my own. The challenge I have run into is figuring out how not to compact the patty as I form it. Mine always come out much more dense than I want. When I eat at a top burger place, the meat in their burgers is very loosely packed and you can still see individual strands of ground beef in them. It’s like a totally different product.

I don’t know if it’s the quality of beef, how they ‘form’ their burgers, or how they are prepared.

I need those of you who make a great burger to share your most closely guarded burger secrets

Years back my ex was a manager at five guys when they first came to the area. She needed help, so I started working mornings there to prep. The way they did their burgers was to individually weigh out each patty to 1/4 pound, roll it in a ball, stick it on a piece of wax paper, and mash it down to about 1/4 inch, then grill it. No mashing on the grill at all. This is the method I still use, and it works great. The only thing I do different, is I use 73/27 for better flavor, not the 90/10 they use.

 

[Boone]

Did smash burgers for the first time. Sort of eliminates the challenge of keeping the burgers formed but loose. They were super good and that’s got to be the easiest method of cooking a burger ever.

Brother Om can testify

 

[Mark The Homer]

The only question I have is, how in the world is it possible to have a burger thread created nearly five years ago with only seven posts???

This thread reminds me of a thread I started on ES called "The World's Greatest Hamburger" or something like that. It was pretty popular and it spawned some regular visits to my nearby burger place in Sunshine Maryland - which is just a gas station and a small country market with a grill in the back. They make some damn delicious burgers. And it's just a few miles up the road from me - but it's a long trek from Leesburg, VA. Pez and Huly and Ben and, um, that Donaldson guy and some others would drive all the way out here several times to eat burgers.

And once I met TK there, he drove all the way up from friggin' Roanoke, VA, just so he could get a Sunshine burger before the tailgate. That's like six hours, bro. If you hurry.

Also, there came a time when the pre-tailgate tailgate crew on Redskins Rd would want burgers for breakfast, so I would take orders, then go up there and order ten or twelve burgers in advance at like 6 AM, all custom made with custom toppings, and they'd be wrapped tight with people's names written on them in magic marker, and then I'd go up there again and pick them up and then drive aaaalll the way down to FedExField and hand-deliver them to the pre-tailgate tailgate crew early in the morning while Pez blasted RATM on the speakers.

"Hamburgers! The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast," declared Jules! A classic Pulp Fiction quote.

Ahh, those were the days.

 

[Boone]

I have been saddened over the years that there weren’t more ‘foodies’ here among the active membership. The way I was raised , men cook. My brother was a huge inspiration to me on that front. But I have posted many a thread here on cooking and food,
Most of which got minimal attention. Goaldeje was a big contributor to our cooking threads for years, but for whatever reason disappeared. I’m thrilled to have some guys and gals here now that enjoy talking food and cooking as much as I do.

 

[Mark The Homer]

I have a prediction: This thread is about to be re-awakened!

 

[HOF44]

I LOVE Sunshine Burgers!!! Drove up there with the wife once to eat. As we walked by the bait cooler to that back with the mismatched chairs and chipped Formica table tops she was like WTF did you bring me too. But after one bite she was a convert.

 

[Mark The Homer]

I don't go there as often these days because it seems I always have leftovers in the 'fridge I need to eat. But I've heard people say the Sunshine burger is not quite the same. They did lose Sue, who was like a rock and cooked almost all the burgers. I would call and Sue would answer and I'd say "Burger for Mark" and she knew exactly how I liked it. They would do up to 200 on a given Saturday. But she was forced to retire. Now they got Margarita who does a fair job, but she's not nearly as attentive as Sue was. And also they are closed on Mondays now. Halter went up there a few years ago and posted on FB that his burger was not up to par. I haven't had any problems, but like I said, I don't go up there as often anymore. My other problem is, I make a damn good burger myself right here at home.

Here is a recipe I posted on the smoking meats forum. It's a little over the top, but it's a damn tender delicious burger. It's unconventional.

An okay burger is easy to make. But a really good burger is not so easy.

This was posted over two years ago and I've improved on it since then.

Most Unconventional Burger Recipe You've Ever Loved

Okay I don't have a youtube channel for food but I would like to share this because I think it may be a break-through recipe and have nowhere else to post it. I've been trying to perfect the best burger ever for fifteen years and I've finally come up with this. I've never seen a burger recipe...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[Skinsfan1311]

I don't go there as often these days because it seems I always have leftovers in the 'fridge I need to eat. But I've heard people say the Sunshine burger is not quite the same. They did lose Sue, who was like a rock and cooked almost all the burgers. I would call and Sue would answer and I'd say "Burger for Mark" and she knew exactly how I liked it. They would do up to 200 on a given Saturday. But she was forced to retire. Now they got Margarita who does a fair job, but she's not nearly as attentive as Sue was. And also they are closed on Mondays now. Halter went up there a few years ago and posted on FB that his burger was not up to par. I haven't had any problems, but like I said, I don't go up there as often anymore. My other problem is, I make a damn good burger myself right here at home.

Here is a recipe I posted on the smoking meats forum. It's a little over the top, but it's a damn tender delicious burger. It's unconventional.

An okay burger is easy to make. But a really good burger is not so easy.

This was posted over two years ago and I've improved on it since then.

Most Unconventional Burger Recipe You've Ever Loved

Okay I don't have a youtube channel for food but I would like to share this because I think it may be a break-through recipe and have nowhere else to post it. I've been trying to perfect the best burger ever for fifteen years and I've finally come up with this. I've never seen a burger recipe...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Those Grillgrates are the shit!
I have the one pictured in your thread with an SnS on one of my kettles. I replaced the of OEM grates with Grillgrates on an old Weber Genesis B with a couple panels flat side up as a griddle.

I also have a full set for a 22" kettle that the guy never used and he sold me for $40.00. I even have a travel bag for that set that I use for road trips when we stay at places with grills. It's a game changer when you use them with those shitty campground grills.
I've also been known to use them at tailgates....

 

[Mark The Homer]

Those Grillgrates are the shit!

I have the one pictured in your thread with an SnS on one of my kettles.

Of course you do.

Edit; BTW, WTF is the deal with some of these sites that shut down your ability to edit your own OP? Specifically, smokingmeatforums and that weber forum. Kudos to DH and Boone for letting us do that. For cryin' out loud!

 

[Skinsfan1311]

Of course you do.

Edit; BTW, WTF is the deal with some of these sites that shut down your ability to edit your own OP? Specifically, smokingmeatforums and that weber forum. Kudos to DH and Boone for letting us do that. For cryin' out loud!

 

[Mark The Homer]

What's your address? Non-FB Anne and I haven't eaten yet!

 

[Skinsfan1311]

What's your address? Non-FB Anne and I haven't eaten yet!

Old pics😉

 

[Mark The Homer]

Haha I figured. I just used my expiring papa dough to order a pizza for free. All is well with the world.

 

[RedWolf]

IMO

Fresh ground beef, a nice 78/22 grind
Cooked over a real wood grill, medium
Thick cooked bacon
Double extra sharp cheddar
Great fresh roll, toasted
Lettuce fresh tomato and thin sliced onion
Preferred sauce on the side

 

[Skinsfan1311]

Smashburger on the griddle.
A couple of patties made with~ 1/3rd of cup of 80/20 rolled into a ball. Smash onto a smoking hot griddle, salt & pepper...get that crust, flip and serve on a buttered brioche roll that was toasted on the grill before the burgers went on with whatever toppings that I'm feeling that day. Sometimes I'll put some thinly shredded onions on top of the beef before griddling.