| There really is nothing better than a nice, juicy | | | | always skip it-- I prefer a real meat texture!). Others |
| hamburger fresh off the barbecue grill. Noted as a | | | | stick with simple salt and pepper. Either way always |
| true American classic, the hamburger is a food that is | | | | season the meat with at least salt and pepper (and |
| eaten world-wide and in many sizes and varieties. | | | | don't be shy with the salt!), but don't be afraid to be |
| From bacon and cheddar to mushroom and Swiss | | | | creative and try other seasonings, such as gourmet |
| (heck, I've even come across recipes for | | | | blends of seasoned salts and even add a few drops |
| cheeseburger salad!), there is no end to the amount | | | | of Worcestershire sauce to the mix to boost the |
| of creative ways to dress this carnivore's dream | | | | flavor. |
| dinner. But the true secret to success in a grilled | | | | Once you have seasoned the meat you can begin to |
| hamburger recipe? It's all in the meat itself. | | | | add some serious flavor to your grilled hamburger |
| People continuously search high and low for the | | | | recipe. If you want to make a chili burger, try adding |
| perfect hamburger, and most will agree that the | | | | minced bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and a generous |
| variations of flavors truly depend on individual | | | | amount of chili powder or minced jalapeño. Or, |
| preference. There are too many ways to eat this | | | | you can add finely chopped cooked bacon and |
| perfect food to choose just one "right" way. So | | | | grated cheddar cheese to your burger meat to |
| while you can always add your own toppings and | | | | create the perfect bacon cheddar burger patty! |
| flavorings, here are a few tips to keep in mind when | | | | There is no end to what you can do in this step, just |
| creating your perfect grilled hamburger recipe. | | | | remember: to avoid having your burgers crumble on |
| 1. Buy the best. When choosing your meat, always | | | | the grill, keep your ingredients finely chopped and |
| choose quality over quantity. The best type of | | | | distribute them evenly. |
| hamburger meat you can choose is ground beef | | | | 3. Be gentle with your patties. Now it's time to form |
| chuck with 17-20 percent fat. Fat content in | | | | the patties. The general rule is to work with cold |
| hamburger meat tends to make patties shrink on a | | | | meat, so make sure you refrigerate your meat |
| grill, so if you use a high-fat meat to make your | | | | mixture before shaping. In fact, it's even a good idea |
| hamburger patties, they might end up smaller than | | | | to make sure your hands are cold! When you are |
| you intend. Although high fat hamburger meat tends | | | | ready to start, divide the meat into 1/4 to 1/2 pound |
| to be less expensive, it's best to purchase 17-20 | | | | balls (depending on how hearty your eaters are). |
| percent. This allows for a burger that is both moist | | | | Then, making sure that you have a tray to place the |
| and meaty. | | | | patties on, gently shape each ball into a patty using |
| 2. Season the meat before you start grilling. The best | | | | your hand. Make the patties slightly larger than the |
| way to prepare your hamburger patties is to put all | | | | bun, as they will shrink a little when cooked on the |
| of the raw ground beef into a large mixing bowl and | | | | grill. Make sure that your barbecue grill is hot, because |
| use your hands. Some cooks add binding agents like | | | | when you finish this step, its time to cook! |
| egg or breadcrumbs (while this is a personal choice, I | | | | |