Teach me to make burgers??

Jasconius

The time has come for me to be conjuring my own meat foods. I've never done any such things. I bought some ground beef today and crafted a hamburger. It was alright. But I know it could be much better.

The goal is juicy burgers. The road is uncertain.


Postscript: I am making these on a stove in a pan, not on a grill.


TIA

Corvus

You don't normally marinate ground beef. Marinating ground would probably end up with some sort of raw beef soup. Marinade is usually for whole cuts of meat, like steaks, chicken breasts, etc.

For a juicy burger, make sure to get regular or lean, not extra lean ground. You need fat for juiciness, and extra-lean won't have enough. Some people add an egg to the burger mix to help it bind, and you may even want to add a tiny bit of water. I usually add a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce as well.

Personally, when making burgers in the kitchen, I prefer to put them in the oven under the broiler at around 450. Pan frying isn't that great. Also, after you've cooked the burgers, as with all meats, let them sit for a minute or two to let the juices get back into the meat.

You might be overcooking your burgers if they are dry. You can learn to judge the doneness of meat by pressing them, but its also easy to use a digital meat thermometer. You can get one for 20 bucks or less. More if you want a wireless one.

Edit: I suppose if one were really hard core, you could marinate a cut of steak, then grind it for burgers. I don't think too many people have a meat grinder hanging around their kitchen though.

Infidel

My marinating technique, for whatever the hell I'm doing, making it up as I go along:

Mix up three or four ingredients in a bowl and stir it up, then soak you vittles. Make sure you have something acidic, to actually marinate, vinegar or any such thing. And I have at least one kind of spice.

Seriously, it always seemed pretty easy to me to just bullshit a marinade, everyone always digs it and it's pretty hard to go wrong other than not actually including an acidic ingredient or using nothing but (too much ain't good flavour...)

KalTorak

I wouldn't marinate ground beef unless you marinate a single cut before you grind it. Basically, listen to Corvus.

I wouldn't put an egg into burgers, since at that point you're basically making round meatloaf. Toss some coarse salt in with the ground meat, form it loosely into patties. Do not mash or press the meat together into patties, they'll tighten up as they cook and you'll get knotty chunks of meat in the burger.

BladeX

Corvus wrote: »

You don't normally marinate ground beef. Marinating ground would probably end up with some sort of raw beef soup. Marinade is usually for whole cuts of meat, like steaks, chicken breasts, etc.

For a juicy burger, make sure to get regular or lean, not extra lean ground. You need fat for juiciness, and extra-lean won't have enough. Some people add an egg to the burger mix to help it bind, and you may even want to add a tiny bit of water. I usually add a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce as well.

Personally, when making burgers in the kitchen, I prefer to put them in the oven under the broiler at around 450. Pan frying isn't that great. Also, after you've cooked the burgers, as with all meats, let them sit for a minute or two to let the juices get back into the meat.

You might be overcooking your burgers if they are dry. You can learn to judge the doneness of meat by pressing them, but its also easy to use a digital meat thermometer. You can get one for 20 bucks or less. More if you want a wireless one.

Edit: I suppose if one were really hard core, you could marinate a cut of steak, then grind it for burgers. I don't think too many people have a meat grinder hanging around their kitchen though.

Seriously, listen to this and don't marinate ground beef!

As for other meats it's usually as simple as finding a marinate recipe/bottled sauce you like, mix the ingredients/pour the bottle into a container and stick the meat in it for awhile.

EDIT: In the fridge so you aren't breeding bacteria. Take it out before you cook so it warms to room temperature (this is especially important for steak).

Jasconius

Hrmm interesting. See how little I knew about this topic.

DragonPup

Also, sprinkling a good smoked salt on the patty can help the taste.

Dehumanized

I recommend rather sparse seasoning for the burgers... just some garlic powder, black pepper, and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce makes for an awesome tasting burger. Those spices, applied to one side of the burger after placing it on heat should add a ton of flavor.

EggyToast

A good burger is really as basic as ground beef and some Lowry's salt. Throw some cheese on top for the last minute or two if you're into that sort of thing.

The difference between a "meatball" and an actual patty is in the shaping. I like to squish up my beef into a rough meatball, work it a little bit, and then squish it gradually into a patty shape in one palm by gently smooshing it with the other palm. You typically want to get it a lot flatter than you'd think, as the meat will shrink up a fair amount.

RUNN1NGMAN

Try using ground chuck instead of normal ground beef.

pinenut_canary

I've followed the Good Eats recipe and it turned out quite good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Lj-ZSVvWI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gip89zEyiM&feature=related

Jasconius

RUNN1NGMAN wrote: »

Try using ground chuck instead of normal ground beef.

Why is this.

Actually the kind of ground beef I got is that no-antibiotic organic type which seems to only come in chuck variety, so there's that.

I am just wondering what the difference is... doesn't all the fat pretty much cook itself off anyway?

RUNN1NGMAN

Jasconius wrote: »

RUNN1NGMAN wrote: »

Try using ground chuck instead of normal ground beef.

Why is this.

Actually the kind of ground beef I got is that no-antibiotic organic type which seems to only come in chuck variety, so there's that.

I am just wondering what the difference is... doesn't all the fat pretty much cook itself off anyway?

Chuck comes from a better cut of meat than supermarket ground beef, which comes from all kinds of left over cuts of beef. it's definitely better quality and when I've used it the burgers always seemed "juicier." It's got the right amount of fat, less gristle and connective tissue, and just has more flavor.

A lot of fat cooks off, but before it does it flavors the meat and it also keeps the burger from drying out on the grill.

Noquar

Easy peasy recipe: Get some ground beef, get some lipton beefy onion dry soup mix. Mix the ground beef and one packet well. Voila, great burger!

I agree with the advice to not get the super lean ground beef. Also, if you aren't buying the organic stuff stay away from the ground beef "bricks". Try to get a pack that looks like it just came out of the grinder.

Djeet

50% chuck and 50% sirloin chopped into chunks and then processed lightly, season w/salt and pepper. Form into patties, and then moosh the center slightly, and then put patties back in fridge (separated by wax paper) for 1 hour. The cold helps the fat re-solidify from handling and burgers are less likely to fall apart during cooking (more an issue when pan cooking then grilling). When burgers cook they shrink a bit, more at the edges then the middle, so you end up with a kinda fat in the middle burger unless you make the center a little concave.

the wook

Start with one (1) cow

Quid

Worth looking at, I have their book and what I've had from it is fantastic.

No idea how good their recipe database is though.

strakha_7

My burgers:

1 pound of ground or lean ground beer.
1 egg
1/2 onion very finely chopped
Some Worcestershire sauce
Basil, oregano, pepper

Crack the egg, beat it up. Put all the ingredients except the meat in the egg and mix it all up. let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then add the beef it's time to get dirty! Mix it all up really well with our hands, you'll know when it's ready to make patties with. Then make patties. And yeah, thinner is better. Be sure the middle is not thicker than the edge of the burgers, or else you end up with bulletburgers or giant meatballs.

After this I put them in the fridge for an hour or two if I have time or the freezer for about 30 minutes. The idea is that it helps them stick together on the grill.

Enjoy it!

supabeast

Buy grass fed ground buffalo sirloin at a farmer’s market for burgers. Mix it with Worcestershire, an egg, black pepper, garlic powder, salt, and chopped onions by flattening it out on butcher paper and then repeatedly folding and flattening it. If you want to add smoky flavor and don’t have a grill, add a little fake soy sauce—the shitty American brands like La Choy that are made with corn syrup.

Delzhand

Make sure you get ground beef that's at least 15% fat for juicier burgers. I usually go 80/20 lean, but I also cook on a foreman grill so the excess runs off.

oldsak

ground beef + worcestershire + diced onion + diced (fresh) jalepeno (though not the seeds or pulp).

mix, shape, and cook til you've got a pink center (medium rare).

oh, and whatever you do, don't press down on the burger as it's cooking. You're just squeezing out all the juicy goodness.

Raneados

NEVER press burgers

I don't know why people do this!

DON'T PRESS YOUR BURGERS

a penguin

I recommend picking out a nice roast with a decent amount of fat and getting the dudes behind hte counter to grind that up for you. That way you aren't just getting crap beef. Remember, fat is important, as it holds the burger together. Don't use "SUPERLEANLOL" ground beef.

Kudos to the ground bison idea. It has excellent flavor.

Corvus

Raneados wrote: »

NEVER press burgers

I don't know why people do this!

DON'T PRESS YOUR BURGERS

I think its the sizzling sound that it makes. It sounds awesome, though its terrible for the burgers.

Reznik

My mom uses a blend of ground beef and ground pork, and I think she also uses a bit of egg, and some italian seasoning.

I think.

I can grab the recipe later. They are very tasty burgers.

KalTorak

a penguin wrote: »

Kudos to the ground bison idea. It has excellent flavor.

Venison is nice too, I usually go half and half with 80:20 beef (a little extra fat helps since venison is leaner).

Shadowfire

Garlic pepper or lemon pepper are great seasonings for burgers.

Alternatively, do not use a powder seasoning, and instead, as you pick each burger up to flip them, pour some of your beer over them. Even just a little helps.

Tron

If you have tolerance for pink, I like the burger about medium for juiciness. If it's well-done (gray interior) you have a fine hockey puck.

If you must have it well done, form your patties around a small pat of butter.

This will give you heart disease.

Alternatively, addition of steak sauce or Worcestershire to the mixture will work as well.

Unearthly Stew

If you're going to have cheeseburgers anyway, you can add some shredded cheddar to the mix. Helps keep the burgers together, while making them that much more delicious. I've never made this type indoors though, so it could get rather messy.

Deadfall

Mix in some blue cheese crumbles into your ground beef as you form the patties. Just made some last night. Even if you don't like blue cheese, it's fantastic.

SniperGuy

I also heartily recommend ground chuck over anything else.

But I also enjoy chopping up pepperoni and liberally spreading it inside my burgers.

Siska

I like like to add about a table spoon of sugar when cooking any kind of ground meat. It's not to make it taste sweet. What it does is neutralize that old sock after-taste you get sometimes when cooking meat. Especially if it's the slightest burnt.

A bit of sugar is also great when making brown gravy from scratch, for the same reason.

Eeveelution

I personally use onion powder and garlic salt in my meat mix.

Chris's Heart Attack Burger:
3 Pounds of Meat
1 Packet of Ranch Seasoning
Shredded cheese, more than one type if possible
Bacon bits, the real ones, not the fake bacos

Mix the seasoning in with the meat, and form two thin patties. Take one patty and place in the middle, bacon and shredded cheese. Take the second patty, hopefully its a touch bigger than the first or smaller, just so you can fold in the sides. Mush the two patties together and make sure the meat forms a tight seam around the goodness you just packed into it. Cook to your desired level of doneness.

Serve with a slice of cheddar on a buttered bun, with BBQ sauce. Not crappy sauce, good shit.

Enjoy!

(Everytime I make these burgers, people ask me why I didn't go to culinary school)

Hypatia

Djeet and Pinenut's linkage of Alton Brown's recipe/technique is right on. I don't always agree with all of Alton Brown's stuff but his "Burger of the Gods" is really -really- good.

Djeet

A note on grinding your own meat: if you are using a food processor instead of a grinder, make sure to trim off any hard fat and gristle before processing. This stuff doesn't process well and you will end up with gristle in your burger and although edible, doesn't make for pleasant burger consumption. You should also learn how "done" the meat is from feel; press a finger to the burger, rare offers little resistance, and well done offers a lot. If you can push the patty around with your finger without the patty "giving" a little then it's overdone.

I like medium rare, and cook at very high heat, and start checking for done-ness at around 2 minutes a side. I grill though, and time required of course depends upon patty thickness and preferred done-ness.

KalTorak

When grinding meat in a food processor, it also helps to stick the meat in the freezer for a short period (10-12 minutes) - you don't want it frozen through, but firm enough to keep together and not get gluey in the processor.

Jobastion

strakha_7 wrote: »

My burgers:

1 pound of ground or lean ground beer.
1 egg
1/2 onion very finely chopped
Some Worcestershire sauce
Basil, oregano, pepper

Crack the egg, beat it up. Put all the ingredients except the meat in the egg and mix it all up. let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then add the beef it's time to get dirty! Mix it all up really well with our hands, you'll know when it's ready to make patties with. Then make patties. And yeah, thinner is better. Be sure the middle is not thicker than the edge of the burgers, or else you end up with bulletburgers or giant meatballs.

After this I put them in the fridge for an hour or two if I have time or the freezer for about 30 minutes. The idea is that it helps them stick together on the grill.

Enjoy it!

I like your style, though I'm not sure how exactly one grinds beer.
I've had really good results from making a patty in such a way as to be able to actually have a small pocket of Worcestershire sause in the center. As the patty contracts while cooking, the pocket goes away and the sauce permeates the burger. It does takes wayyyy more prep time per burger than just splashing some on though, so the benefit might not outway the effort.

tony_important

You're all missing one thing from your recipes:

While you're mixing your beef together, shake in several dashes of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce.

This makes burgers taste SO good, the flavour just lays underneath the taste of the meat, and you get a touch of heat.

Delzhand

I tried a new burger last night and it was horrible.

Two thin patties pressed together around a core of bleu cheese - an inside out cheeseburger

problem: bleu cheese tastes like a mushroom's asshole

SniperGuy

Delzhand wrote: »

I tried a new burger last night and it was horrible.

Two thin patties pressed together around a core of bleu cheese - an inside out cheeseburger

problem: bleu cheese tastes like a mushroom's asshole

You sir, are wrong.

This may be the finest burger recepie ever conceived. http://pinchmysalt.com/2007/11/08/blue-cheese-burger-recipe.



Doesn't even need any toppings, though I do sometimes throw a bit of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce on top. And of course, add the Worcestershire to the burger mix. Seriously though, I make 'em on a george foreman and they're like sex.

Delzhand

SniperGuy wrote: »

Delzhand wrote: »

I tried a new burger last night and it was horrible.

Two thin patties pressed together around a core of bleu cheese - an inside out cheeseburger

problem: bleu cheese tastes like a mushroom's asshole

You sir, are wrong.

Hmm. Let me consult my sources.

...

Nope. Blue cheese still sucks. Thanks for playing. :P

However, the idea of an inside out burger is phenomenal, because typically I have a tendency to pull burgers off the grill too quickly and end up with uncooked, fleshy centers - better for that center to be wonderful cheese, bacon, etc. than cow muscle.