The Basics: Making the Perfect Burger

This one is not a recipe, rather a tip for when it comes to making and grilling the perfect burger.  

First things first...if you are going to have a burger...have-a-burger!  No skimping or trying to cut fat!  I would rather wait 60 days for an amazing burger than have one made with the wrong meat, no cheese or whatever it is that a person might think is saving them calories or fat.  In my opinion..WHY even bother eating a burger if its not a great one?

Go for it!

Oh and those frozen things in boxes at the grocery store...for the love of Pete...stay away from them...stay far, far away! Anyone who thinks "they" are a great burger needs to give me their address so I can come over and cook up a burger they will never forget!  I am SO not a food snob...but THAT...nope...ain't gonna do it, that's where I draw the line!  Since it takes no time at all to make a burger and you pay just about the same for your meat as you do the pre-made patties - why bother?

So back to making the perfect burger!  First you need to start with the best beef available...the better the beef...the better the burger.  Freshly ground is best, whether by you or your farmers market/butcher.  I personally like to add loose ground sausage to my burgers (which lucky for me my farmers market carries). I feel that the addition of sausage lends my burgers both fabulous moisture and flavor.  Anyone who bites into them, especially the first time...asks me "what's in your burger?"

However many pounds of beef I use for burgers, I include half of that in loose ground sausage.  Which means if I am using 1 pound of ground beef, I use 1/2 pound of loose pork sausage.  Make sense?

Beef, sausage, salt,  pepper and a couple splashes of Worcestershire...that is it.

Work the meat as little as possible, which means that you want to scatter your seasoning across it, mix it ever so slightly then begin scooping up snowball-sized portions of meat.  Gently pack it like you would a snowball, place on a tray, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Remove burgers from your fridge 20 minutes before placing them on the grill.  Using the palm of your hand, give each burger a good whack! To flatten it to about 3/4 inch deep, then use your knuckle or thumb and indent the center of each burger.  This ensures that one your burger is done correctly in the center and two the burger itself doesn't puff up to much.

Cook your burger to your preference of doneness (I know where my meat comes from, so I cook it to just past medium).  Turn off the grill, add the cheese, close the cover wait a minute or two for the cheese to melt them top it with the things you love, close your eyes, take a big beautiful bite and enjoy!