July 4th and The Perfect Burger

July is here and grilling season is in high gear. I know what I will have for dinner tonight, I can only guess what you will have for dinner tonight, so to make July 4th’s burgers perfect, here are some

Guidelines for a Perfect Burger

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• MEAT beef, chicken, fish or vegetarian are all good options, as long as you keep the mix juicy and moist. Beef lovers mix lean meaty parts with fat juicy parts; chicken or turkey mix dark meat with white meat; Salmon, Tuna, mushrooms are all great option as well.
• TEXTURE the secret to a good burger is good texture. If you have the time and energy, chopping the meat with two knives is the way to go. If time is of the essence make sure it is coarsely ground, whether at home or by the butcher. Unlike meatballs, we are looking for a “bite”, not pure softness.
• SPICING AND SEASONING for a classic burger from premium meat, salt and pepper are all you need. If you like doctoring up your meat mixture consider grinding the meat with one or more of the following: fresh or fried onion, mayo, mustard, horse radish, steak sauce, lemon or orange rind, herbs, hot sauce, bacon, and even some alcohol.
• WATER cold water serve as a protein binder, so you want to add some ice cold water and mix roughly with your hands till the mixture absorbs the water. You will know you did a good job if the meat mixture developed white strands.
• SHAPE the easiest way to shape a burger is by using your egg rings or baking rings. You want to avoid condensing the mixture, as it will create a very “dense” burger, and you want the center of the patty to be thinner then edges, to have a uniform level of “done-ness”.
• COOKING hot iron skillet, griddle or grill, just make sure the surface is HOT, and do not over do it! Make sure you cover the roasting area to allow the heat to develop all around the burger, not just below it. Don’t be tempted to squeeze the burger with your spatula; you will simply lose juices.
• HOW DONE? is a personal preference; remember to take meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before grilling!
  • Rare 2 minutes per side
  • Medium 3.5 minutes per side
  • Well Done 5 minutes per side
• THE BUN paleo aside, a good burger must have a good bun involved… classic burger bun that has been lightly warmed on the skillet / griddle / grill is all you need.
• EXTRA on the bun or over the burger, the list is endless and totally up to you: cheese, mushrooms, bacon, egg, guacamole, tomato, lettuce, onion, pickles, salsa, ketchup, mustard; did you ever try it with hummus and pickled roasted peppers? Or with pickled lemon? What about pesto sauce? Let your creativity juices run wild!

Happy July 4th and Happy Grilling!

We would love to hear back from you. What is your favorite burger? How do you like it done? What is your favorite condiment? Your favorite topping? What is your secret for a good burger? AND, If you have a burger image to share – just send it to us, and we will add it to our gallery, attributing it to you.