The Perfectly Elusive Perfect Burger

[HOF44]

Absolutely. I use HT ground chuck all the time.

I'm not exactly sure where you're located, but you must be not too far away. You should check out Boarman's Market in Highland. Take your time and peruse the aisles. Check out the sausage. Check out the beef. Check out the short ribs. Check out the tri tip. Check out the fresh wings. Almost all of it is local. I guarantee you will love it.

And yes, I know what you mean about the smash burger. I mean, I do like the smash burger, but I like plenty of other styles too. So I mix it up. Sometimes you want something thick, something you can sink your teeth into.

I’m in Virginia about 20 miles south of DC. Nothing around here. For hamburger and filet I get HT. For everything else I use an online shop.

 

[Mark The Homer]

My dad made great burgers too! At least I thought he did. I wonder how they would stand up today?

He'd smash them raw into this plastic cylinder thing in perfect form separated by wax paper, then put them in the freezer. Then on a particular day, he'd thaw them and cook them on the Weber. He used a bbq sauce. And they were excellent! At least I think they were. But then again, I thought grilled sirloin was the best steak on the planet back then.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

I’m not a big fan of the smash burger. I like a good thick loose patty. Interesting what you say about Sunshine not having the Maillard effect on their burgers. I do the same with mine. Cook them in a skillet over low heat for a good while till they reach the high 130’s. All I do is find good beef, add a little salt and cook it like that.

I like all kinds of burgers, depending on what I'm in the mood for.

 

[Boone]

80/20 Chuck with a little seasoning …

 

[RedWolf]

Loosely formed Burgers I agree.
I use lots of kosher salt and rough ground pepper on the outside.
I only flip it once on the grill
Double extra sharp cheddar

 

[Boone]

I am doing twice fried home fries tonight to go with burgers

Homemade fries are so superior to alternatives… and so easy to make

 

[RedWolf]

I am doing twice fried home fries tonight to go with burgers

View attachment 10009

Homemade fries are so superior to alternatives… and so easy to make

Pomme frites

 

[Boone]

Pomme frites

 

[Mark The Homer]

 

[Boone]

Crazy as it sounds, fries stole the show. Burgers were great but damn those fries…

 

[skinsmarydu]

Is that bleu cheese? One of my favorite places makes a Black 'n Bleu burger that I just LOVE.

 

[Boone]

My wife loves bleu cheese on her burger, so yeah...

 

[RedWolf]

Making great French fries is multiple steps and is a bit of an art. I hate to say this but I learned how to do it in France. Buy a real metal mandolin

 

[Mark The Homer]

Not sure what you mean. Do they make plastic mandolins? Do you have a link? I think I need to get into the french fry thing.

 

[RedWolf]

Not sure what you mean. Do they make plastic mandolins? Do you have a link? I think I need to get into the french fry thing.

Google French Mandolin

Mine below. Professional grade. They are cheaper options

 

[Ekimotama]

Y’all making me hungry reading this thread lol

Maybe I’m doing it wrong by mixing the spices in the meat?

I’ll add salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powders and oregano to a bowl and lightly break up the meat and loosely mix it together.
Also I add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil since I’ve been buying 85/15 recently.
I try not to mush the patties but I’ll form them between my hands and then thumb the center so it doesn’t bubble up.
Place em on the countertop griddle at 250, flipping once. Cheddar on top. Toasted bun from the toaster.
Usually just add sliced tomato, mayo and bbq sauce.

It’s not the same as charcoal for sure lol, but it’s quick.

Served with some homemade fries from the air fryer.

Mark, I gotta try your method sometime, sounds fantastic!

 

[Mark The Homer]

Thanks!

Yeah, I'm not sure if it is a big deal mixing in most seasonings with the ground beef before making the patties. But the exception is salt. You don't want to do it with salt.

I know it seems counter-intuitive. Especially with all the dry brining which has become very popular over the past 25 years.

But Kenji did an experiment on Serious Eats re salt mixed in the ground beef - here it is:

Salting Ground Beef | The Burger Lab

Do you salt your burger patties before grilling them? Well, ya shouldn't. Read the science behind salting ground beef. Warning: this piece contains graphic images of burgers being smashed, maimed, cut, tortured, and otherwise destroyed.

www.seriouseats.com

It seems that if your goal is a tender burger, then you don't want to mix salt in the ground beef. And he's right - the burger doesn't want to become as sticky if it is salt free. The ground beef remnants want to stick to each other if they have been salted. That makes the end result a tough burger. So it seems it's best to put salt on the surface just before cooking or while cooking so that it doesn't have a chance to enter the patty. I like to add it at the very end, before the cheese.

However, I've found the remnants do become a little sticky anyway during cooking, even with no salt.

And so, this article by Kenji is exactly what inspired me to come up with the "remnant burger" as I call it - meticulously separating the burger into remnants before cooking.

"I love my wife, but burgers are my mistress."

-Kenji

 

[Mark The Homer]

And then there's always the Jimmy Buffett burger...

"Cheeseburger In Paradise"

Tried to amend my carnivorous habits
Made it nearly seventy days
Losin' weight without speed
Eatin' sunflower seeds
Drinkin' lots of carrot juice and soakin' up rays

But at night I'd have these wonderful dreams
Some kind of sensuous treat
Not zucchini, fettuccini, or bulgur wheat
But a big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat

Cheeseburger in paradise
Heaven on earth with an onion slice
Not too particular, not too precise
I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise

Heard about the old-time sailor men
They eat the same thing again and again
"Warm beer and bread," they say, "could raise the dead"
Well, it reminds me of the menu at a Holiday Inn

But times have changed for sailors these days
When I'm in port I get what I need
Not just Havanas or bananas, or daiquiris
But that American creation on which I feed!

Cheeseburger in paradise
Medium rare with Muenster'd be nice
Heaven on Earth with an onion slice
I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise

I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and French fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer
Well, good God Almighty, which way do I steer...

...for my cheeseburger in paradise?
Makin' the best of every virtue and vice
Worth every damn bit of sacrifice
To get a cheeseburger in paradise
To be a cheeseburger in paradise
I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise

I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and French fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer
Well, good God Almighty, which way do I steer?

 

[Ekimotama]

Makes sense with the salt now, I hadn’t even considered a change in tenderness.
Thanks for the tip

 

[Mark The Homer]

One of the problems with a good cheeseburger is the toppings. Put too many on there and it's too high to eat comfortably. Meathead over at amazingribs recommends no more than two toppings to solve this problem. But this recipe solves the problem another way. It's the Tom Ryan Smash / Rick Shaden Smashburger - this is a copycat recipe of the Smashburger franchise. It's on YT demonstrated by Tom Ryan himself. You need a cup-style smash tool for this recipe. Heat griddle to 375 F, then brush melted butter onto griddle, place a 5.3 ounce (150 grams or 1/3 lb) ball of ground chuck onto griddle. Smash with cup-style smash tool and parchment paper - smash metal to metal - and hold down for ten seconds. Then lift up and remove smasher tool and paper. Allow burger to cook until you see grease or juices come up from the surface of the burger. Then scrape carefully and aggressively with a sharpened scraper tool leaving nothing behind. When you're done scraping and the burger is loosened from the griddle, flip. Add dry seasoning (e.g. SPG and MSG). Add cheese as you wish. After another minute or so, serve on a Brioche bun with loaded toppings. This is a relatively thin burger, so you can add as many toppings as you like!

Edit: Had this for lunch today - haven't made one in a while. It was excellent!