Secrets to a good burger

GameBoy27

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Nov 23, 2004
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Fresh ground brisket, no seasoning, just the beef. Ball then smash on a hot griddle, liberally season with kosher salt. Once seared, flip once, don't squish, don't over cook it. Add toppings, enjoy.
 

K Douglas

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Jan 5, 2005
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My dad made the best grilled burgers and I haven't been able to replicate them. He said his secret ingredient was dry mustard powder.
Great tips stinkynuts. I'll add do not mix and form the patties with cold ground beef. Let the beef get close to room temperature first. And like someone else said don't use extra lean ground beef, they will be dry. Medium ground beef works best.
 

Primetime21

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Nov 27, 2001
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For me, my grandmother made some of the best burgers i've had. She'd use lean ground beef, ground pork and ground veal. She'd make her own breadcrumbs and add a couple of eggs, salt, pepper and some diced up onions. Most of the time she would fry them in whatever grease was leftover from the last time she used the pan.
 

stinkynuts

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Jan 4, 2005
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really great tips in this video. every one of them important.

I had two burgers in the last two days that I made.

One was the classic burger: lots of sauce, lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickles, grilled onion.

The other was a bit simpler: double the cheese, just ketchup and mustard, diced onions, and pickles.

I enjoyed the second one one more. I could enjoy the meat more with fewer distractions, and the gooey cheddar was very flavorful. The mustard, onions, and pickles provided a flavorful, sour accent which complemented the burger. And the ketchup provided the tanginess and sweetness.

Again, same thing with pizza. Too many toppings distracts from the goodness of the crust, cheese, and sauce. That's why a plain cheese pizza can taste so good if done right. You don't need five differnt toppings. One topping, such as pepperoni can add without subtracting. Two, such as mushroom and sausage, can work well together, but beyond that the taste of the pizza becomes overwhelmed.
 
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downbound123

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Best burger buns I have had are Portuguese Buns. They are sturdy enough so they don't fall apart with a lot of condiments, toast well and big enough for even large patties. Give them a try, I think you will be impressed.


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Adamxx

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Oct 29, 2018
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Regarding medium or lean fat etc. Grind my own meat, stopped buying ground beef for a few years. Found the fat did not really add any extra flavour, and if left to long before or after cooking, spoiled the taste, as I normally cook a few and place some bbq patties in the freezer, which makes a quick and tasty meal in no time.

Usually buys a good cut of beef, mostly lean, maybe strip loin, sirloin, etc. Grind it on the day purchased if possible, season per liking, here is where I love to try different stuff, add enough but not to much liquid, egg, jerk, Worcestershire, etc and bbq.

If freezing after the bbq, which is usual , a good freezer bag, and good for weeks.
 

mellowjello

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Jan 11, 2017
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For me, my grandmother made some of the best burgers i've had. She'd use lean ground beef, ground pork and ground veal. She'd make her own breadcrumbs and add a couple of eggs, salt, pepper and some diced up onions. Most of the time she would fry them in whatever grease was leftover from the last time she used the pan.
That's exactly how I used to make them....add parsley.
Then I switched over to freshly ground chuck, never looked back.
When I come across a good home made burger I eat it completely bare, a better experience for me.
 
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GameBoy27

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Nov 23, 2004
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For me, my grandmother made some of the best burgers i've had. She'd use lean ground beef, ground pork and ground veal. She'd make her own breadcrumbs and add a couple of eggs, salt, pepper and some diced up onions. Most of the time she would fry them in whatever grease was leftover from the last time she used the pan.
In my opinion, a hamburger doesn't need all those fillers. You're making a burger, not meatloaf. You can cook a fresh ground beef burger, medium rare 130°-140°F. If you add pork, you must cook it to 160°F.
 
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richaceg

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Feb 11, 2009
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Made myself a delicious burger. Some tips:

Don't overcook your patties. They should be seasoned liberally with salt and pepper, and grilled until medium rare. They will cook to eventually medium after letting rest.
Let the cheese on top melt completely, it tastes much better. The patties should be juicy, not dry.


Grill your onions until caramelized. They add more flavor and less harshness than raw onions.

Try this sauce: 1/2TBSP mayo, 1/2 TBSP ketchup, 1/3TBS mustard, 1/3 TBSP barbecue sauce, and 1/3 TBSP thousand island dressing. Very tangy and flavorful sauce.

Don't use too much sauce, just layer the bottom. Too much sauce overwhelms the other flavours.

Final tip: Toast the buns!! They taste so much better and the texture is different. Put margarine or butter on the inner sides of each bun. Heat pan until medium low (not too hot or it will burn). Toast until golden brown, and toast the other sides.

Layer as follows:

Bottom bun
sauce
lettuce
tomato
patty
cheese
onions
pickles
bun


However, one of the best burgers I had was Angel's burger in the phillipines. They are like a McDonald's basic hamburger, but so yummy since they toast the buns. Sometimes less is more, just like pizza. The bun and beef together are a simple, great combo. Just add a little bit of ketchup and mustard, and perhaps a slice of melted cheese.

Anyone here convinced they make better burgers than five guys?
What I found out about the way most Filipinos season their patties (homemade) is salt, pepper and take note of this...something in a pack they call "Magic Sarap" translation "Magic Tasty" now I'm not saying that's what's in the Angel's burger but that's somehow a staple seasoning...if you look further into magic sarap ingerdients... Iodised Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Sugar, Chicken Fat, Flavour Enhancer (Ribonucleotides), Garlic, Onion, Spices, Nature-Identical Flavour (Gluten), Egg Powder, Chicken Powder. Just keep that in mind.

Here's my ingredient when making my own burger...
finely chopped garlic
finely chopped onion
salt
pepper
lean ground beef
I grill my buns on a panini maker with some margarine on it.

toppings
lettuce
caramelized onions
mushrooms
jack cheese slice (not the singles crap)
mayo
ketchup
honey dijon
bbq sauce
 

jalimon

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Jan 10, 2016
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In my opinion, a hamburger doesn't need all those fillers. You're making a burger, not meatloaf. You can cook a fresh ground beef burger, medium rare 130°-140°F. If you add pork, you must cook it to 160°F.
I agree. I prefer to make meatball if I am to add egs, bread, onions... Just add parmesan and it makes a delicious meatball ;)
 

jalimon

Well-known member
Jan 10, 2016
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Well done with Ketchup mustard pickles bacon cheese
I can do without the pickles and bacon most of the time. But never without the salad as you need to place the cooked patty on the salad so the juice of the meat is retain by the salad and does not make the bread all soggy.
 

kherg007

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May 3, 2014
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Surprised no one suggested this tune yet lol
 

lomotil

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Mar 14, 2004
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Oblivion
What I found out about the way most Filipinos season their patties (homemade) is salt, pepper and take note of this...something in a pack they call "Magic Sarap" translation "Magic Tasty" now I'm not saying that's what's in the Angel's burger but that's somehow a staple seasoning...if you look further into magic sarap ingerdients... Iodised Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Sugar, Chicken Fat, Flavour Enhancer (Ribonucleotides), Garlic, Onion, Spices, Nature-Identical Flavour (Gluten), Egg Powder, Chicken Powder. Just keep that in mind.

Here's my ingredient when making my own burger...
finely chopped garlic
finely chopped onion
salt
pepper
lean ground beef
I grill my buns on a panini maker with some margarine on it.

toppings
lettuce
caramelized onions
mushrooms
jack cheese slice (not the singles crap)
mayo
ketchup
honey dijon
bbq sauce
MSG, I try to avoid it, but it jerks off the tongue with umami !
 
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