Homemaking,  Recipes

Aaron’s Burger Tips

May 3, 2020 /

Okay ya’ll, it’s Aaron writing this one. And I’m here to tell you that my absolute favorite food in the world is a hamburger. The combination of fresh juicy beef, cheese, vegetables, any toppings or sauces you love, all on a delicious soft bun??? How can that not be the world’s most perfect food??? Let’s get right into it…

 

The Homemade Burger Problem

If you’re like me, you have a favorite restaurant where you always order a burger. Somewhere that makes their burgers so thick, so juicy, and so flavorful. But then when you try to make a burger like that at home, you get a chewy, dry patty of beef with something to be desired in the flavor department, so it’s slapped thick with ketchup or mayonnaise and a slice of cheap American cheese, all between a $0.99 8 pack bun? Maybe I can help. I’m not a chef by any means, but I’ve spent a lot of time trying to perfect how to make a restaurant quality delicious burger at home.

 

Aaron’s Tips for the Perfect Homemade Burger

 

Tip #1: NOOOOOOO DON’T SMASH THE MEAT IN A BOWL!

We’ve all done it. You take the beef out of the pack, put it in a mixing bowl, put all your favorite seasonings and sauces into it, maybe an egg and some bread crumbs, and smash it all around. Then you roll it into little balls and smash them flat. WAIT! STOP! NO! DON’T DO THIS!

This is the most important tip of them all. If you only read one, read this one!

Instead of doing what I described above, carefully remove your ground beef from the package and place it on a plate. If it’s a 1 pound pack, that’s 2 burgers. Carefully cut it in half with a knife. With the two 1/2 pound sections, carefully and gently shape them into a big burger patty. Be gentle! Don’t smush it too hard! You’ll ruin the juicy tenderness of the burger. Remember, it’s going to shrink a lot when cooked, so don’t be afraid to make the patties big.

Disclaimer: I’m no food scientist so I can’t explain this to you. But if you try it, prepared to be shocked by the tender juicy deliciousness. 

Tip #2: Season it like a steak.

Don’t bother with the egg, bread crumbs, etc. Once you’ve done tip #1, that burger is a perfectly formed artistic perfection that deserves to be treated like the steak that it is.

Here’s my favorite seasoning combination for a burger, but feel free to season it with anything that tickles your fancy! Just PLEASE don’t smash it in. It’s a steak now!! Remember tip #1?!?! 

  • Kosher Salt
  • Onion Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Ground Red Pepper
  • Smoked Paprika

Tip #3: Cook it hot. Cook it fast.

Did anyone else hear the phrase… “Keep it secret. Keep it safe.”??? (Karlee isn’t into the Lord of the Rings series so she probably won’t get that one.) 

Back to the burger tip!

When you’re cooking a burger, you should cook it with the same philosophy as cooking a good steak. Get your cooking surface HOT! Put the burger right on the heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, flip it, cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side. Then, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. I personally shoot for about 145-150 degrees for a burger.

If you want it to be more done, it will depend on what you’re cooking the burger on. If you’re grilling it, pull the burger off to the side of the heat and let it come up to the temperature you want with indirect heat. If you’re cooking the burger in a skillet, turn down the heat and let it finish to the doneness you like!

Tip #4: Use a GOOD, BIG bun!

So often, a burger is ruined by using those $0.99 8 pack of buns. All that effort into making a delicious burger patty deserves an equally delicious bun! I highly recommend going to the bakery section of your local grocery store and finding some soft, big buns to match your new burger making skills! When choosing a bun, imagine what type of bun you’d expect when you order that $15.99 burger from your favorite restaurant. 

 

That’s all folks!

I hope you’ll try some of these tips! Let us know if they help your homemade burger match the deliciousness of your favorite restaurant’s burger!

~Aaron Bowman

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