How To Make A Perfect Burger
Walk right by those pre-made burger patties.
With just a few simple techniques, you caneasily serve up burgers rivaling those found
on the menu of your favorite gastro pub.
From shopping advice to pro grilling tricks,the following simple tips and hints will help
bring you to the top of your burger-makinggame.
Meat matters
When it comes to making a dynamite burger,the lean, pricier cuts of meat are just not
going to, well, cut it.
In fact, America's Test Kitchen held a tastetest using the most popular kinds of ground
beef, and found that "ground chuck" was thefavorite among testers.
Pro chefs love it too ...
"Go to your butcher's ask him for chuck steak.
It's got incredible flavor classic meat for a classicburger."
Chuck is cut from the shoulder, and testersfound the 15-20 percent fat content of the
meat lends it a rich flavor and tender texture.
But what about other meats?
Turkey, chicken, and lamb burgers can certainlymake a showing at your cookout, but these
leaner meats often need the help of some addedingredients to prevent a dry burger.
Moisture matters
The lower the fat content of the meat youuse in your burger, the drier your burger
will be — unless you help it along withsome added moisture in the patties.
Lower-fat content meats can benefit from theaddition of ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard,
Worcestershire sauce, or even freshly gratedonions to add the necessary boost of moisture
for a juicy, mouth-watering burger.
"The secret here is not to overdo it!"
Mix your ingredients until just incorporated,and then form well-shaped but somewhat loose
patties for tender burgers.
Intend to indent
There is a pro trick to getting perfectlyshaped cooked burgers.
Once you've formed your meat into patties,press a small indent in the center.
This quick trick will combat the tighteningof the meat that happens when cooking, and
prevent your burgers from turning into oddlyshaped balls instead of the nice, even patties
you want.
It's easy to do with just your fingertips,and will make a world of difference in producing
professional-looking burgers.
Time of the season
Salt immediately breaks the meat down, dissolvingits texture and drawing out valuable moisture.
For this reason, you don't want to add itto the inside of the patties.
Instead, you want to liberally salt the outsideof the patties right before you cook them.
The only exception would be if you're cookingthe burgers immediately, in which case a pinch
thrown into the mix will work well.
Some freshly ground black pepper would bea welcome addition also, but salt is an absolute
necessity.
Method, man
Grilling is the preferred method for mostburger-loving chefs, and for good reason.
There's nothing quite like the smoky, juicyflavor grilling conjures up.
It's easy: Make sure your grill is clean,nice and hot, and well-oiled.
Simply space your burgers out so they haveroom to breathe, and avoid the temptation
to flip them too much or to press down withthe spatula, lest you lose those precious
juices.
If the weather prevents you from firing upthe backyard grill, cast iron pans make great,
diner-style, flat burgers.
The broiler of your oven or even your toasteroven can stand in for your grill in a pinch
when you've got a burger craving.
You could even follow Saveur's advice andsteam your burgers in a pot.
Dress for success
The good news is, there's no wrong answerwhen it comes to how to top your burger.
Go Italian with fresh mozzarella cheese ora creamy pesto sauce.
Make it a breakfast burger with bacon slicesand an oozy fried egg.
Nowadays, there's little you can't get ona burger, with folks topping them with everything
from peanut butter to lobster.
Whichever toppings you choose, slice everythingthin enough so you don't end up with a burger
mess on your lap instead of in your mouth.
Bun fun
Softer buns like sesame seed or potato bunsare ideal for burgers, or a bakery brioche
bun if you're getting a little fancy.
Be mindful of the size of your bun, whichshould be comparable to the size of the patties
you'll make — nobody wants a mouthful ofjust plain bread when they'd rather be noshing
on a juicy burger.
Quick word of warning for the mess-averse:Those trendy pretzel buns and other tougher
rolls can be a little difficult for your teethto get through, which means the meat and toppings
can get pushed out of the back of your burgerwhen you take a bite.
"It's alright to eat messy, yeah?"
"You're supposed to eat messy!"
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If you're new, Subscribe! → http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-Mashed Walk right by those pre-made burger patties. With just a few simple techniques, you can easily serve up burgers rivaling those found on the menu of your favorite gastro pub. From shopping advice to pro grilling tricks, the following simple tips and hints will help bring you to the top of your burger-making game… Meat matters | 0:16 Moisture matters | 0:59 Intend to indent | 1:30 Time of the season | 1:54 Method, man | 2:20 Dress for success | 2:58 Bun fun | 3:25 Read more here → http://www.mashed.com/67828/tips-making-perfect-burgers/ Fast Food https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPMzwYshqWNPR70WCNJQjIBSKoxn0e8ZV Ex-Workers Reveal The One Item You Should Never Order At McDonald's https://youtu.be/D5yY7XYvKIo?list=PLPMzwYshqWNPR70WCNJQjIBSKoxn0e8ZV What Makes McDonald's Coke Taste Better Than Other Coke https://youtu.be/xev6mmpd_9E?list=PLPMzwYshqWNPR70WCNJQjIBSKoxn0e8ZV McDonald's Worker Reveals Why You Should Always Ask For A Receipt https://youtu.be/poFYE0PTfmw?list=PLPMzwYshqWNPR70WCNJQjIBSKoxn0e8ZV Fast Food Myths You Probably Fell For https://youtu.be/W8MPrpW4hCU?list=PLPMzwYshqWNPR70WCNJQjIBSKoxn0e8ZV Shady Things You Never Knew About Papa John https://youtu.be/AXMAIaiZTvc?list=PLPMzwYshqWNPR70WCNJQjIBSKoxn0e8ZV What Die Hard Fans Don't Even Know About Steak 'N Shake https://youtu.be/0C33glNixo8?list=PLPMzwYshqWNPR70WCNJQjIBSKoxn0e8ZV Website → http://www.mashed.com/ Like us → https://www.facebook.com/MashedFood/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/mashedfood/ Pinterest → https://www.pinterest.com/mashedfood/ Mashed is the ultimate destination for food lovers. Whether you're just learning how to cook or ready to take your kitchen skills to the next level, Mashed has all the tips and tricks you'll ever need to be a chef… Or at least enough hacks to help you fake it til you make it. We’ve got your back at every step, from grocery shopping smarts to serving a perfectly prepared dish. Would you rather eat out than whip it up yourself? Mashed has all the info you’ll need for that, too — from the best and worst foods to order at your favorite restaurants, to what today’s most popular chefs really have up their sleeves. No matter what kind of foodie you are, Mashed has your recipe for success.