Get Your Burger On

It’s officially spring time. The cooler weather has finally let go and it’s time to get your burger on. Here are some tips to help you get that perfect juicy burger.

  1. Say it with me brethren, charcoal. While you can still get a good burger with a gas grill or by using the sear setting on your smoker in our opinion the best burgers are done on a charcoal grill.
  2. Fresh is best. Whenever possible use fresh ground beef. While bulking up on ground beef when it’s on sale is always a good idea, fresh unfrozen beef makes the best burgers.
  3. Don’t over-season. Sounds weird coming from a seasoning company, but a common mistake is to overpower the flavor of the meat with seasoning. Use just enough to enhance the flavor without burying it.
  4. Fat is the flavor. Avoid using the leanest beef. A fat content of about 20-25% will give the flavor and result in a juicy burger, but hey if you like hockey pucks on a bun then roll with the 95% lean.
  5. Clean your grill grate. Some say that the left over burnt on junk helps. We think it just makes old crispy chicken wing goo stick to your burger.  It does suck scraping all of that stuff off, but on the bright side you get to use that cool monogrammed grill brush you ordered on Amazon.
  6. Cook in smaller batches. It always seems easier to throw 20 patties on and roll with it. The truth is that most people just can’t manage that many burgers well.  y making smaller batches you can avoid flare up, burnt burgers and scorched eyebrows.
  7. Temper temper. Make sure to temper the meat. Let it come up to room temperature after making your patties. Never go directly from cold fridge to hot grill.
  8. Use 2 cooking temps. Keep about 1/3 of your grill for indirect heat. Sear the burgers over the high heat and finish them over indirect. This will help you not overcook them.
  9. Leave it the hell alone. Don’t smash it on the grill, don’t keep moving it around and just let it do it’s thing.  You made a great burger from quality meat. It knows what it is supposed to do.
  10. Give it a break. When you have your burger cooked to your desired internal temperature and have pulled it from your grill let it rest for about half of the time that it took to cook it. This will draw the juices back into your burger instead of leaving them on the platter.

Now get after it and make your nest cookout your best one yet.