We all know that the average American likes his burgers and eats lots of them. According to the statistics, this happens at least once a week. We all hear mouthfuls about the quality of the burgers in fast food restaurants and are not very positive in our assessments.
So why would you eat lesser-quality food and pay more for it? Prepare your burger with the best ingredients and grill it at home. I promise you, it will be the best burger you ever had.
Let’s discuss how to make homemade burger!
The best meat for your burger
The best meat for your burger is not the most lean meat. Believe it or not, the most flavor resides in the fat. So look for a fat content of 10 to 15 percent. Most chefs use chuck for their ground beef. Chuck is a rectangular cut, about 1″ thick, and contains often parts of the shoulder bone. Ask your local butcher to ground it for you. There is a trend to use 50 % pork in burgers for the best hamburger results, I personally prefer 100% beef burgers.
History of the Burger
In the early 1200s, the Mongol army used to place slabs of lamb and mutton under their horses saddles as they rode into battle. One would wonder “why into battle?” – well that is simple they were always in battle. After the meat was tenderized by the saddle and the back of the horse, they would consume it raw. This strange but practical method eventually developed into the creation of modern ground beef.
Now we are only one step away from the hamburger. There are many stories about the origin of the hamburger. Truth is, nobody really knows. Some say it comes from a flattened meatball others say it came from a hotdog stand owner that replaced his hotdog with beef. All could be the truth, but the fact is that the hamburger became extremely popular.
Tips for your perfect burger
– Do not overwork your burger. This will compress the meat too much. Add your seasoning and loosly work it through. If you overwork the burger it gets dense and will result in a dry hamburger.
– Don’t use too many spices. Keep it simple, if you want more flavor then go for additional toppings.
– Use wet hands to shape your burger patties. This way they won’t stick to your hands and will shape more easily.
– Make a dent in the middle of your hamburger patties. No more curled burgers. Make your patties about 3/4-inch thick at the edges and 1/2-inch thick in the center. A burgers shrinks and the dimple will even out as the burger cooks.
– To make sure your patties keep their shape it is best to keep them cold. It also helps in keeping them juicy while grilling.
– Flip your burgers only once. Constant turning will result in tough and dry meat, and if you flip too early, your burgers will stick to the grill. Cook your hamburgers 2 minutes per side for rare, 3 for medium-rare, 4 for medium, and 5 for well-done.
