Tips For The Best Grilled Hamburgers

There are a few tips to make sure your hamburgers are juicy and delectable. Every time you make grilled burgers you will know they will turn out with these tips!

• 80/20 Ground Beef: You might be thinking that these are a bit fatty for your taste, but you need the fat to create the juicy, full of flavor, interior. Without the fat, your burgers will dry out before they are done, leaving you with overcooked tasteless dry pucks of beef. Most of the fat will cook off as you grill it so it’ll be ok, but trust me you will need the fat. You could go down to 85/15 without losing the juiceness or flavor, but I would not go lower.
• Divot: The divot is extremely important for ensuring your hamburgers cook evenly and without too much shrinkage. There is nothing worse than having not enough burger for your bun. Denting the beef prevents the burger from puffing up in the middle which will make it difficult to cook, leaving the edges burnt and dry before the center is done. It is a must do!
• Thickness: For optimal burger to bun ratio the standard is ¾ of an inch thick. If they are thinner than that you will need to adjust the grilling time. Also form the patties about an half an inch to an inch bigger than the circumference of the bun. This way the burger is sure to fit the bun.
• Keep it Cold and do not overmix: You need the beef to stay cold so that the fat doesn’t melt. When that happens to much of the fat will cook off and leave you with a dry hamburger. Overmixing will also break down the fibers causing your burger to crumble and become dry.

Grilling Burgers for Beginners

There are lots of little tidbits to keep in mind when you are making the best burgers. You will love how simple these grilled burgers come together!

• Resist The Temptation: Try not to press down on the burger while it cooks. This squeezes out all those lovely juices that are meant to be inside.
• Let it Rest: Let the hamburger rest for 5-10 minutes after grilling to redistribute the juices throughout the meat.
• Got Fire: If you get a flare up on your grill, cut off the oxygen to the flame by closing the lid. This should put it out. And have a glass of water on hand, just in case.
• Variations: There are many ways to vary your burger from the kind of meat you use, to the seasonings and the toppings. Once you feel you have the basics down good, experiment with flavors and textures. Keep in mind any time you change the meat, you will change the cook time, temperature, and seasonings. Besure to do your homework before working with different meats in your burgers so that you can still have the best, juiciest and most flavorful burger around.
• Toppings: Get creative with your tastebuds and try different toppings. Some ideas include grilled onions or mushrooms, pineapple and teriyaki sauce, pepper jack cheese and avocado spread. Melt blue cheese and top with bacon. The possibilities are endless. Let the grilling begin!

Grilling is just so much fun, it truly is. It allows you to get creative and discover food in a whole new way. You are going to love how easy and often fast it is to grill foods. The unique flavor and char that comes from gilling adds to the distinctness of each dish. It is also a great way to keep the inside cool by not heating up the kitchen by using the stove. Here are some recipes to tryout on your gill soon!

Ingredients

Instructions