Seriously - THE best hamburger

[RazorDingo]

I've been cooking burgers for myself and guests all of my adult life. But a recent New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/dining/01burg.html) has transformed the simple hamburger in haute cuisine.

The interesting thing about the Comme Ça Burger is not the ingredients - its basically 80% lean ground chuck with lettuce, cheese, and some seasonings on a toasted bun - so much as the technique. It treats the patty in much the same manner as you'd use to cook a steak. Read the recipe (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/dining/012brex.html) as well as the associated article for full details. But it really breaks down to this:

1) You want good beef - but not too lean.

2) Don't over handle the patty. Make a slight dimple in the center with your thumb. Read the article to understand why. Season generously with Kosher salt and ground pepper, just before cooking, to help create the perfect sear and heighten the flavors.

3) Sear the patty for two minutes a side on a hot, hot, hot pan

4) Transfer to a 375F oven for four minutes and bake, to achieve a perfectly evenly-cooked medium rare.

5) Remove from the oven and preheat the broiler. Use the broiler to melt the cheese, and toast the perfect bakery bun.

6) Top with chopped iceberg lettuce in a dressing made from mayo, ketchup, chili powder and cayenne pepper.

The pleasures of this burger cannot be overstated. The patty is juicy, without being undercooked. Melting the cheese under the broiler removes the sometimes nasty cold lump you sometimes get with most cheeseburgers. And the dressed lettuce adds a piquant, delicate flavor - without the sometimes harsh chemically elements you can get from ketchup.

Try it - and tell me if it isn't the best burger you've ever had.

[**Bingo_Bob**]

thanks for putting this up. I will definitely have to try this!

[danek]

This sounds like an challenge. I'll accept your challenge young man, and I promise to try your burger if you promise to try mine.

Makes 2 burgers, adapted from an Alton Brown recipe:
1) 1/4 pound each of beef chuck, pork shoulder and lamb chuck cut into 1" cubes.
2) Pulse in food processor with salt, pepper, garlic, 10-12 times for a rough grind.
3) Form into balls, using almost no pressure from hands, just tossing from right-to-left-to-right-etc.
4) squish balls into disc patties.
5) **optional** smoke for 1-2 hours in smoker, let rest 1-2 hours in fridge.
6) warm in indirect heat, not over fire, for 2 min, then grill over direct heat, natural coals, hot as you can get it. Remove when early medium rare, about 1.5 min per side.
7) let rest 5 min, so some but not all juice 'leaks' (if smoked, don't rest as they won't juice much). Grill buns to toasty.
8) dollop of mayo on bottom bun, then patty, then one slice o' tomato, top bun. Burger juice will mix with mayo on bottom bun and make a nice sauce, but shouldn't get the bun all sloppy.

Edit - I like the idea of "dimpling"; makes total sense!

[Noebie]

i do something similar with filet mignon - sear it on both sides in an iron skillet and then stick it under the broiler (sometimes with a little goat cheese on top) to finish up

will have to try it with the burger

[mretzloff]

Homemade burgers are the best. I might try this recipe this Friday (burger night in my family).

[DSB]

Jularington was a success. How about Septburger?

[wedwards]

thats a really good article. over the past 12 months i have by trial and error come to the same conclusions and use essentially the same processes. basically, if you want restaurant quality burgers, you have to cook them the same way as in a restaurant (i.e. put marks/brown both sides and straight in the over for good even cooking). you then need to ensure they rest on a plate covered with foil for 2 mins after cooking - this re-distributes the juices in the burger evenly). the other key is getting the right amount of salt on both sides before cooking - you need more than you would think, and it has the most significant impact on taste of the end product (IMHO).

you can basically use the exact same process for cooking steaks - just adjust timing to suit your portion of meat.

[Brodirt]

Its all about the not handling them too much. Even with crappy meat, and with this I mean basic super market meat...not chuck, because good chuck makes the best burgers, a properly formed burger will turn out good. Far better than one that is over packed and then, worse, over handled while cooking.

The NYTimes method is excellent, its nothing new though. Now if you want to truly take that method up a notch get your hands on some fresh ground prime chuck and you will truly experience a great burger.

Oh, and make sure that pan you use there is well seasoned cast iron. Preferably one that has never felt the taint of soap.

[Jatte]

i make a recipe that has half beef chuck, quarter deer roast, and either quarter lamb or quarter buffalo, if it's buffalo i need it fairly fatty because it's a dry meat,

i always add onion soup mix to the burgers and an egg and some grated potatoe, they are amazing, almost like meatballs but for a burger, sear , flip sear, cook for a couple minutes flip add cheese and finish cooking,

very very good
let rest for 2 minutes while you toast the buns,
and mayo on the bottom and ketchup and honey mustard on top:D

[Wendy]

What a bummer I am reading this now. I just made burgers tonight.

[_JP_]

The way that we did burgers was different, but kind of followed the same principals. Of course, don't over handle the meat. And don't keep flipping them when cooking, that only dries them out.

We cooked the burgers on a flat grill under individual domes, which served to keep the moisture in the meat. You can do the same with a covered skillet. Cook them just short of the desired temperature that you want and them add your toppings. Put a splash of water into the skillet and cover it so that the steam heats up the toppings quickly. Then serve.

[Nick D.E.vious]

This thread is making me hungry...Please, somebody post pictures of the finished product! :w00t:

[OldSaw]

One word, Al's. Al's Hamburger Shop in Green Bay, WI. Of course, my wife refuses to walk into the joint, especially after watching the waitress swat flies on the counter with a fly swatter. I said, "what did you expect her to use, a rolled up newspaper?" She wasn't amused, but the burgers are nice and greasy... and so is the staff and most of the regular customers.

[Barbarian]

Hate to be a party-pooper, but there is a reason people don't cook burgers like they cook steaks. Escherichia coli 0157:H7.

Medium-well for my burgers - 155*F for 15 sec.

This is especially important if you are feeding smaller children in your families.

I know many people will state, 'I have been eating em for years without a problem.' I understand that. However, the burgers many people ate back in the day were ground by your home town butcher with home town beef, not mass produced in massive meat plants and prepacked to be sold in your local 'mega-store.'

Don't kill me for this. :001_huh:

[Austin]

I never buy lean beef for burgers. I like my burgers big and greasy. You can't beat the taste.

[Topgumby]

Hate to be a party-pooper, but there is a reason people don't cook burgers like they cook steaks. Escherichia coli 0157:H7.

Medium-well for my burgers - 155*F for 15 sec.

This is especially important if you are feeding smaller children in your families.

I know many people will state, 'I have been eating em for years without a problem.' I understand that. However, the burgers many people ate back in the day were ground by your home town butcher with home town beef, not mass produced in massive meat plants and prepacked to be sold in your local 'mega-store.'

Don't kill me for this. :001_huh:

You sir, are correct, and that is why I grind my own if I want a proper burger.

Sometimes a frozen CostCo patty that has the crap grilled out of it hits the spot, but for a real burger, I grind the meat and treat it like a steak-in-a-bun.

[wedwards]

You sir, are correct, and that is why I grind my own if I want a proper burger.

Sometimes a frozen CostCo patty that has the crap grilled out of it hits the spot, but for a real burger, I grind the meat and treat it like a steak-in-a-bun.

yeah i kinda assumed you were all grinding your own beef if you were getting that involved in burger making! :)

if you decided to use supermarket ground beef...well...if you die or end up very sick, dont come crying to me!!

[RazorDingo]

The technique described in this recipe, if anything, guarantees that the meat will be cooked to a proper temperature: 160 F.

By baking the patty in a hot oven, where we can precisely control both the temperature and the duration, as long as the thickness of the patty is not too great (it should be < 1"), simple physics will ensure that the meat is properly cooked, without becoming dried out.

I've done this recipe enough times, checking it with a meat thermometer, to appreciate the consistency of the results.

[Barbarian]

The technique described in this recipe, if anything, guarantees that the meat will be cooked to a proper temperature: 160 F.

By baking the patty in a hot oven, where we can precisely control both the temperature and the duration, as long as the thickness of the patty is not too great (it should be < 1"), simple physics will ensure that the meat is properly cooked, without becoming dried out.

I've done this recipe enough times, checking it with a meat thermometer, to appreciate the consistency of the results.

What got me was the 'a perfectly evenly-cooked medium rare' part.

[dwnwrdishvnwrd]

I still make burgers every once in a while if I'm having a party (I'm vegetarian) and I normally go with chuck, short ribs, and brisket for my beef, 1/3rd of each. To that I add fresh ground mustard seed, fresh ground black pepper, sea salt, cayenne pepper, pureed onion and garlic, a mixture of room temp butter and black truffle oil, and some eggs. I'll normally beat all of the dry ingredients and the butter/oil mixture into the eggs and then fold the eggs into the beef.

[Brodirt]

I still make burgers every once in a while if I'm having a party (I'm vegetarian) and I normally go with chuck, short ribs, and brisket for my beef, 1/3rd of each. To that I add fresh ground mustard seed, fresh ground black pepper, sea salt, cayenne pepper, pureed onion and garlic, a mixture of room temp butter and black truffle oil, and some eggs. I'll normally beat all of the dry ingredients and the butter/oil mixture into the eggs and then fold the eggs into the beef.

you had me at "black truffle oil."

[dwnwrdishvnwrd]

you had me at "black truffle oil."
I love black truffle oil. There's a french restaurant in AZ called Vogue Bistro (http://www.voguebistro.com/) that makes this ridiculous mac & cheese that uses black truffle oil and has black truffle shavings on top. Severely good stuff. Hmmm--maybe next time I whip up some burgers for friends I'll try my hand at making a black truffle mac & cheese. Maybe parm-reggi, brie, and white cheddar for the cheeses. Use the brie and cheddar for the sauce and shave the parm-reggi lightly over the top. I'm getting hungry now. The downside to talking about food!

[Mr. Clean]

I never buy lean beef for burgers. I like my burgers big and greasy. You can't beat the taste.
Agreed. Tried using longhorn beef before, but it is just too lean for my taste.r


The technique described in this recipe, if anything, guarantees that the meat will be cooked to a proper temperature: 160 F.

By baking the patty in a hot oven, where we can precisely control both the temperature and the duration, as long as the thickness of the patty is not too great (it should be < 1"), simple physics will ensure that the meat is properly cooked, without becoming dried out.

I've done this recipe enough times, checking it with a meat thermometer, to appreciate the consistency of the results.
As Austin mentioned above, I prefer my burgers big. A <1" patty results in a wish burger...as in I wish I had some meat. :biggrin:

[ryanl7640]

No bacon in this thread? No Jimmy Buffett? No samaurai chef?

Seriously, I love burgers because they can be as simple or complicated as your mood fancies. Personally, I like to buy the "meatloaf pack" at the store and use that. Equal parts of Beef, Pork, and Veal mmmm

[RazorDingo]

No bacon in this thread? No Jimmy Buffett? No samaurai chef?

As I said at the beginning of this thread - this recipe is not about ingredients, so much as it is about technique.

And you know, in my experience, most home cooks worry way too much about the former, and don't pay enough attention to the latter.

Years ago, I had a girlfriend whose family always made a big deal about serving "steak and lobster" at Christmas. Which sounded good: Everyone knows lobster and steak taste good, right?

Wrong. The lobster, which I think they bought frozen on sale at a warehouse club, was rubbery, cold, and tasteless. The steak was stringy, tough, and badly cooked. Burned on the outside, it showed up on my plate cold, swimming in a grey-brown pond of greasy instant gravy.

Frankly, these folks would have been far better off if they'd spent half as much per serving (I'm estimating they spent about $12 per head) - and bought better quality, simpler ingredients - and taken the time to cook them properly. An English-type roast sirloin, or a roasted chicken or turkey.

Whatever your level of interest in cooking, I say this: Master the basics first. Know how to cook perfectly scrambled eggs. How to make fluffy mashed potatoes. Learn how to saute or deep fry. Learn how to roast meat so it serves up juicy, tasty, and tender. Learn what flavors go well together. Learn how to maintain principles of food hygiene and safety.

Once you've mastered the basics - then is the time to start getting creative. Adding the black truffles. Making your burgers from a combination of lark pate and ostrich breast.

A good cook can make humble ingredients taste divine. A bad cook can ruin the finest ingredients imaginable.

[mretzloff]

The technique described in this recipe, if anything, guarantees that the meat will be cooked to a proper temperature: 160 F.

160 F is not a proper temperature for ground beef, if you ask a chef. At that point, the beef is overcooked and tasting like cardboard.

[rtaylor61]

Start with one lb of 73/27 ground beef (what I can get locally). Makes 3 patties. Roll each portion into a ball. Heat your cast iron skillet to medium high. "Slam" the patty into the pan and immediately press out to the desired size. Season with Lawry's Lemon Pepper (no other brand works as well). Cook 2-3 minutes per side or until you are happy with shoe leather (I turn mine when the blood begins to pool). While the meat is cooking, toast your buttered bun on a griddle. Add your favorite cheese and put the top of the bun on the burger. Serve on a bed of romaine lettuce, thinly sliced onion (not chopped), fresh tomato and any other condiment you like. Seems there is a new chain of burger stores called Smashburgers that is stealing a technique I've been using since the late '70's.

Randy

[FreezerBurns]

you had me at "black truffle oil."

But of course, hamburgers is a perfect place to use that good ol pantry staple "black truffle oil" which we all have on hand at all times.
MUST BE NICE!!!!! :biggrin:

[mretzloff]

I am trying the burger out tomorrow (the NY Times one). I will post back once I have tried it.

[Blondie]

As I said at the beginning of this thread - this recipe is not about ingredients, so much as it is about technique.

And you know, in my experience, most home cooks worry way too much about the former, and don't pay enough attention to the latter.

Years ago, I had a girlfriend whose family always made a big deal about serving "steak and lobster" at Christmas. Which sounded good: Everyone knows lobster and steak taste good, right?

Wrong. The lobster, which I think they bought frozen on sale at a warehouse club, was rubbery, cold, and tasteless. The steak was stringy, tough, and badly cooked. Burned on the outside, it showed up on my plate cold, swimming in a grey-brown pond of greasy instant gravy.

Frankly, these folks would have been far better off if they'd spent half as much per serving (I'm estimating they spent about $12 per head) - and bought better quality, simpler ingredients - and taken the time to cook them properly. An English-type roast sirloin, or a roasted chicken or turkey.

Whatever your level of interest in cooking, I say this: Master the basics first. Know how to cook perfectly scrambled eggs. How to make fluffy mashed potatoes. Learn how to saute or deep fry. Learn how to roast meat so it serves up juicy, tasty, and tender. Learn what flavors go well together. Learn how to maintain principles of food hygiene and safety.

Once you've mastered the basics - then is the time to start getting creative. Adding the black truffles. Making your burgers from a combination of lark pate and ostrich breast.

A good cook can make humble ingredients taste divine. A bad cook can ruin the finest ingredients imaginable.

I agree with you on some of this, and before you condescend to me, realize I have cooked one or two dishes in my life that have been complimented and Dean Fearing and I have wrapped about a few things and swapped ideas, so...

A bad steak to begin with will be bad when you serve it. Good meat has certain properties and you have to play to a certain cuts strength. At $12 a head for Steak and Lobster, I don't think you or I could make that work, unless we robbed a meat truck and just spent $12 a head on sides and salad. Sounds like your GF's parents wanted to impress but not spend the money for the good follow through. Sorry you ha to go through that. There is nothing worse than lousy ingredients, and hosts that don't even realize they were doomed from the start.

[SRock]

this thread is making me hungry...please, somebody post pictures of the finished product! :w00t:

+1

[dwnwrdishvnwrd]

But of course, hamburgers is a perfect place to use that good ol pantry staple "black truffle oil" which we all have on hand at all times.
MUST BE NICE!!!!! :biggrin:
Black truffle oil really isn't expensive and the taste is phenomenal. I don't use it like other oils. Fry up some potatoes in pure black truffle oil? No. Mix in some of the black truffle oil to my regular cooking oil to impart a flavor? Definitely.

Since seeing this thread I've had a craving for a hamburger like no other. It's been a test for sure. No matter what a vegetarian tells you, veggie patties are no substitute for a real burger. I'm gonna go eat a Tofurkey sausage now...

[SpyvSpy]

I never buy lean beef for burgers. I like my burgers big and greasy. You can't beat the taste.

Same here. A good burger not cooked at home if any of you have it by your area is Five Guys (darn good burgers, better than fuddruckers IMO)

[FreezerBurns]

I'm gonna go eat a Tofurkey sausage now...

:lol: I prefer faux-fu, for the tofu intolerant.

[dwnwrdishvnwrd]

:lol: I prefer faux-fu, for the tofu intolerant.
Ha! I think that's called chicken. If you've never had a Tofurky sausage I'd suggest picking up a pack. They're at Trader Joe's for like $3. You get 4 sausages (think, brat size sausages) and they're tasty. Twenty-nine grams of protein, eight grams of fiber, and they actually taste good coming off the grill. I prefer to soak mine in some water for an 10 minutes beforehand, otherwise they may become a little dry. The other good thing is that they don't have to be cooked. Right out of the fridge I munch on em. Perfect for when I'm at work.

[FreezerBurns]

Ha! I think that's called chicken. If you've never had a Tofurky sausage I'd suggest picking up a pack. They're at Trader Joe's for like $3. You get 4 sausages (think, brat size sausages) and they're tasty. Twenty-nine grams of protein, eight grams of fiber, and they actually taste good coming off the grill. I prefer to soak mine in some water for an 10 minutes beforehand, otherwise they may become a little dry. The other good thing is that they don't have to be cooked. Right out of the fridge I munch on em. Perfect for when I'm at work.

Haha! I thought it was a joke... sounds interesting though.

[mretzloff]

Same here. A good burger not cooked at home if any of you have it by your area is Five Guys (darn good burgers, better than fuddruckers IMO)

I love Five Guys. I just wish they would not insist on cooking all of their burgers well done.

[TimmyBoston]

I love Five Guys. I just wish they would not insist on cooking all of their burgers well done.

I'm sure they have to for legal reasons. I'd never eat a medium rare burger from that place.

[ClubmanRob]

I'm sure they have to for legal reasons. I'd never eat a medium rare burger from that place.

I'd never eat a medium rare burger period. In a restaurant I ask for mine cooked extra well, because apparently "well done" to most cooks means "still pink in the middle."

I've had E Coli poisoning from undercooked meat before. It's not fun, and there's no slice of meat out there worth going through that again. If I see the slightest hint of pink or red it gets sent back.

[Monkeydad]

I love Five Guys. I just wish they would not insist on cooking all of their burgers well done.

That's a reason I love them.


I actually made burgers last weekend and made about a dozen extra to freeze, so I can have them on hand.

Of course, I grill mine, not bake, but I've played around and found a recipe I love by tinkering (how I formulate most of my recipes).

Ground beef, of course. Rather than going really lean, I get 80/20 or 73/27. It seems to have more flavor and the fat cooks out anyways.

Onion, sliced and diced.

I put the beef and onion in the bowl, mix in some salt, pepper, some Goya Adobo seasoning (blend of garlic, oregano and other seasonings blended together and given a funny name), some crushed red pepper flakes, some Worcestershire Sauce and here's my surprise ingredient...KETCHUP. I put the ketchup IN the meat mixture. I tried it one day on a crazy thought and it actually tasted great when put in the meat before grilling. The burger seems juicier and more tender too, probably because of the extra liquid. I work all of the liquid ingredients and dry seasonings/onions into the beef without squeezing too hard to smash the juice out of it. Form into 1/4 lb patties and grill. Flip only once, NEVER smash with a spatula.

My burgers are far superior to anything you can buy from a grocery store and most restaurants except maybe Fuddruckers.

I'm going to have to try that dimple technique. I've seen it done, never knew why.

[mretzloff]

I'd never eat a medium rare burger period. In a restaurant I ask for mine cooked extra well, because apparently "well done" to most cooks means "still pink in the middle."

I've had E Coli poisoning from undercooked meat before. It's not fun, and there's no slice of meat out there worth going through that again. If I see the slightest hint of pink or red it gets sent back.

If the meat these use is quality beef and does not contain intestines, I do not believe you can get E Coli poisoning. If the meat is 100% ground chuck, it should be fine.

[Barbarian]

If the meat these use is quality beef and does not contain intestines, I do not believe you can get E Coli poisoning. If the meat is 100% ground chuck, it should be fine.

This is totally untrue. Quality has nothing to do with contamination. E.coli contamination often occurs at the processing plant and there is potential surface contamination on any cut of beef.

The issue with ground items such as sausages and ground beef is that the outside is ground into the center. That is why you can sear a steak and it is safe but you should thoroughly cook a hamburger. You should also thoroughly cook any injected meats or needle tenderized meats for the same reason.

Unless you know what you are talking about, you really shouldn't give people a false sense of security.

Here is more information for those that are interested:
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/stec_gi.html

[ClubmanRob]

This is totally untrue. Quality has nothing to do with contamination. E.coli contamination often occurs at the processing plant and there is potential surface contamination on any cut of beef.

The issue with ground items such as sausages and ground beef is that the outside is ground into the center. That is why you can sear a steak and it is safe but you should thoroughly cook a hamburger. You should also thoroughly cook any injected meats or needle tenderized meats for the same reason.

Unless you know what you are talking about, you really shouldn't give people a false sense of security.

Here is more information for those that are interested:
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/stec_gi.html

+1. Any grade or part of the meat is at risk for E Coli contamination. Heck, my dad caught it from well water once.

You want to hear about the second time I caught food poisoning? Salmonella Peanut Butter. :rolleyes:

[duotone]

Thanks for posting this, I will be trying this!

[mretzloff]

I made this burger tonight and it was the best I have ever had. The meat was perfectly cooked and the sauce was great (it tasted like Thousand Island salad dressing). My only suggestion would be to add a slice or two of tomato to the burger.

[Barbarian]

Thousand Island is my favorite of the secret sauces. Like in that scene from 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High.'

[mretzloff]

Thousand Island is my favorite of the secret sauces. Like in that scene from 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High.'

I believe that is what McDonald's uses for their burgers.

[the beav]

Anyone really interested in hamburgers might like a book called Hamburger America. It's a book about unique hamburger spots across the States and comes with an award-winning DVD of some of the places in the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamburger-America-Cross-Country-Odyssey-Burgers/dp/0762431024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251506999&sr=1-1

[marvin100]

I made the Comme Ca burger tonight (from the OP's link) and IT WAS AWESOME.

[ginantonix]

Great thread!

I only learned about the 'secrets' of generously seasoning the meat and not overhandling, dimpling, etc. a couple of years ago from the 'Build a Better Burger (http://www.buildabetterburger.com/)' contest that was broadcast on the food network, sponsored by Sutter Homes winery. Same techniques, but with some very creative ingredients that definitely brought them to 'haute cuisine.'

I bought the companion cookbook (http://books.google.com/books?id=Xz7bvVDZZJIC&dq=build+a+better+burger&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=vY6aSsqbMIHYtgPn9rSLAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#v=onepage&q=&f=false) edited by James McNair, and have tried several recipes. Not one didn't turn out spectacular.

Think it's time to make me some burgers today.....

[kingfisher]

This is totally untrue. Quality has nothing to do with contamination. E.coli contamination often occurs at the processing plant and there is potential surface contamination on any cut of beef.

The issue with ground items such as sausages and ground beef is that the outside is ground into the center. That is why you can sear a steak and it is safe but you should thoroughly cook a hamburger. You should also thoroughly cook any injected meats or needle tenderized meats for the same reason.

Unless you know what you are talking about, you really shouldn't give people a false sense of security.

Here is more information for those that are interested:
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/stec_gi.html

This is exactly right. You can eat a steak medium rare because the bacteria on are on the OUTSIDE of the steak and they are killed by searing. With hamburger, the outsides are now all mixed in with the insides, so all parts of the burger must get to a high-enough temperature if you want to kill the bacteria. Obviously not all beef is contaminated, so you can get away with eating it undercooked and not get sick over and over again.

But, as ClubmanRob has pointed out, if it happens ONE time it is one time too many.

I should add that in some cases this type of bacteria can also cause a disease called hemolytic-uremic syndrome that is potentially life-threatening and causes some survivors to have to get kidney transplants.

[RazorDingo]

I made this burger tonight and it was the best I have ever had.

Thanks (and to Marvin) for the positive "shout out" on the CC burger.

I'll note in passing that I also noticed the similarity between the dressing and Thousand Island (to say nothing of McDonalds "Secret Sauce") - but then, you probably don't sell half a trillion hamburgers by making them taste bad...

To all the folks who posted their own recipes, secrets, cautions, etc. - Thanks.

Saying any one method or recipe for a burger is the "best" is probably hyperbole. And like any opinion, subject to considerable personal taste.

I'd just hope that anyone reading this recipe, even if they do their own burgers differently, would think about some of the principles utilized - and use them to explore ways in which they can improve and/or enhance the burgers they cook for themselves, their family, and their friends.

Tastebuds everywhere will appreciate it.

[Lynchmeister]

I'd never eat a medium rare burger period. In a restaurant I ask for mine cooked extra well, because apparently "well done" to most cooks means "still pink in the middle."

I've had E Coli poisoning from undercooked meat before. It's not fun, and there's no slice of meat out there worth going through that again. If I see the slightest hint of pink or red it gets sent back.


Agreed. I got food poisoning from some type of hot-dog product thingy while backpacking through Europe. We were on the island of Ibiza off of the coast of Spain and while my buddies were out and about whooping it up, I was stuck in our rented out condo puking my brains out for days. Then I had the pleasure of boarding an overnight ferry back to Barcelona...ugh...the seas were angry that day...like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.

Moral of the story? Don't buy unrefridgerated meat-resembling food from the corner bodega. If you do, for God's sake, man, don't eat it!

[Aevum]

i find that if you use too much of a lean cut, the meat gets dry and hard to cook, it needs to have some fat to it,

anyways, i make 1/2lbs patties, thai pepper mix, lemon juice, burbon (jim beam, its not drink worthy anyways) chayanne pepper, salt, and a touch of papprika,

let it sit for a few minutes, i like my burgers pink on the inside, but not rare,

[dwnwrdishvnwrd]

burbon (jim beam, its not drink worthy anyways)
:a11: Fighting words! :lol: I love my Beam. On the rocks with a branch. Yum.

[Abdiel]

I like my hamburgers classic, simple, and not to mucked with.

One of my favorites is to make a smaller patty and have it on a toasted english muffin with a good mustard.

[Groundhog]

We need some drool-worthy pics of finished products in this thread!

[kap49]

"I like my hamburgers classic, simple, and not to mucked with."

I'm with you. For me KISS applies to hamburgers as it does to wet shaving.

[airplanedoc]

(jim beam, its not drink worthy anyways)
Then you should not be cooking with it.

I never cook with beer, wine, or spirits that I would not drink

[DirtyDave]

The best burgers always have a decent amount of fat in them. It enhances the texture and flavor, even if just salt and pepper are used.

I, too, like to follow the KISS principle, salt or maybe some garlic salt and pepper and for toppings just onions and, pickles and mustard. On burgers I can take catchup or leave it, preferably leave it. Much better on the fries.

I should also add my wife will combine some seasonings from Weber and Tone's we bought at Sam's that really do add a lot of good flavor to the meat. She also will add some chopped jalapeno.

Julia Child liked her burgers hand formed, kind of loose, and fried in a cast iron skillet. I prefer mine on the grill cooked over mesquite charcoal.

I think we will having burgers this weekend. :w00t:

[the beav]

I can recall the days when a regular hamburger patty was fairly small and to buy a 1/4 pounder at McDonald's was only for people who were VERY hungry.

So here's a question: Do you think that these huge hamburgers that you see on TV (a la Triple D and Man vs. Food) are really better? Or would you prefer to get just as much flavor with a regular sized hamburger (say 1/4 pound or less) without all the excess of the larger burgers.

I vote for smaller burgers, because I think that when most people get halfway through the larger ones they aren't really enjoying the burger anymore, but are just going through the motions to finish it.

[kap49]

I can recall the days when a regular hamburger patty was fairly small and to buy a 1/4 pounder at McDonald's was only for people who were VERY hungry.

So here's a question: Do you think that these huge hamburgers that you see on TV (a la Triple D and Man vs. Food) are really better? Or would you prefer to get just as much flavor with a regular sized hamburger (say 1/4 pound or less) without all the excess of the larger burgers.

I vote for smaller burgers, because I think that when most people get halfway through the larger ones they aren't really enjoying the burger anymore, but are just going through the motions to finish it.

I agree. I much prefer a smaller, tasty burger to these towers of death that I see people wolfing down at fast food joints. I must admit that if they had these when I was young, I'd probably be scarfing them down too. With age comes some wisdom, (and smaller stomachs) and the knowledge that what you eat now will reappear later to haunt your sleep. :biggrin:

[dwnwrdishvnwrd]

what you eat now will reappear later to haunt your sleep. :biggrin:
Much like Asami from Audition. :wink:

[Lynchmeister]

I can recall the days when a regular hamburger patty was fairly small and to buy a 1/4 pounder at McDonald's was only for people who were VERY hungry.

So here's a question: Do you think that these huge hamburgers that you see on TV (a la Triple D and Man vs. Food) are really better? Or would you prefer to get just as much flavor with a regular sized hamburger (say 1/4 pound or less) without all the excess of the larger burgers.

I vote for smaller burgers, because I think that when most people get halfway through the larger ones they aren't really enjoying the burger anymore, but are just going through the motions to finish it.

I agree that a 4 lb. hamburger is an exercise in hyper-indulgence for its own sake, but I do appreciate a "large" burger in the 1/2 lb. range.

[Alacrity59]

Just spent the afternoon cleaning up the BBQ runs like new now that I've cleaned up the burners and declogged all the jets. Just found this thread so I'm gonna try some of the ideas. Here is one for you from me.

When I was a kid mom used to make inside out burgers. She surrounded a slice of process cheese food (American cheese? Does America really want credit for this?) and some sliced green onion and chives with the hamburger and cooked the hamburger as usual. . . which in our house meant in an electric frying pan. I've got to try this now some 40 years later and on the BBQ to see if it holds up to my memories of it.

Mike