# cooking fresh burgers



## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Yes if you worry about that type of thing, 160 internal.


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## ajaye (May 19, 2019)

oh my fav is onions (fried/tom's fresh and luttuce) tom sauce or mootard !
sesame seed bun
what are yours !


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## ajaye (May 19, 2019)

I usually like it mooing, but as previous thread was saying why burgers need to be well done :wink2:



Colbyt said:


> Yes if you worry about that type of thing, 160 internal.


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

ajaye said:


> oh my fav is onions (fried/tom's fresh and luttuce) tom sauce or mootard !
> sesame seed bun
> what are yours !


Thick slice of red onion, thick slice of tomato, romain or butterhead lettuce on Kaiser roll. Oh yeah, homemade patty about 1/2" thick from 85/15 chuck and seasoned with a locally made BBQ rub or S&P, granulated garlic and onion and lots of dried tarrogon and made the size of the Kaiser roll, roughly the size of a lid from a 1/2 gal. jar. Grilled over charcoal until just not pink inside. 85/15 chuck because it shrinks hardly any doesn't cause grease fires. I use that 1/2 gallon lid as a form for the patties.


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## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

I order steak medium rare but have started ordering burgers medium, otherwise I find the cheese does not always have time to melt. Either way, the center is not to 160°F.

The other option is the smash burger where you really make an effort to squish the patty down to a minimal thickness when it first hits the pan - two or three minutes a side in a cast iron skillet is all these need to cook through and, IMO, are a better option if worried about the quality of the meat. FWIW, you only squish it initially, never again after that.


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## ajaye (May 19, 2019)

ok so my results yesterday,

I followed my method, but it wasn't great, def not hockey pucks but here is what I found

1> They grilled concave ! not flat
2> came out a medium, not dry, but I guess at 160 what do you expect
3> The meat was not flavorful. I added S&P, and also a dash of paprika, served with ketchup and white onions
4> The meat also didn't quite taste right, no-one had tummy ache or anything, so not bad, but juts not right, a very gammie smell and taste

I think I should go with what everyone has been hammering me and making my own, I really like a nice juicy , flavorful burger 

so, we write an underline, and start again ......


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

Yep you need good meat. Sounds like the meat you had may have been on it's last legs. For seasoning I like a good BBQ dry rub instead of just S&P and onion. I used this which I buy in 5 lb. bags. Now it is pretty much only available by mail order.










I've no idea what it would cost to ship to Canada. 5 lbs. cost me $25 US plus $19 shipping. Next order I'll call and find out if I can drive out to get it. The family that sells it does so from their home now since they closed their market. Been around for years the rub was used on the HLSR BBQ cookoff winner in 1979. I don't think it's been used in that competition since.

HLSR, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. That and the Calgary Stampede may be the largest events of their kind in the world.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

ajaye said:


> I think I should go with what everyone has been hammering me and making my own, I really like a nice juicy , flavorful burger
> 
> ......



Buy yourself a $15 adjustable burger press and a box of patty papers. Buy fresh meat, patty and freeze immediately. Enjoy burgers with a bit of pink in the middle.


You will never, ever buy a dog food patty again.


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## ajaye (May 19, 2019)

how do I stop the burgers from turning into tea cups and not staying flat ! LOL


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Thaw them before cooking. Use lower heat. 



The nice all metal hand press on AMA does not pack the meat as densely as factory patty machine so you wind up with a burger more like Dad used to make.


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## ajaye (May 19, 2019)

they were fresh at room temp,
although I didn't do the "indent" trick on it ? maybe that was it,

same as thoes big flat ham steaks, they always curl up for me, was told to put a couple of cuts on the edges to stop it



Colbyt said:


> Thaw them before cooking. Use lower heat.
> 
> 
> 
> The nice all metal hand press on AMA does not pack the meat as densely as factory patty machine so you wind up with a burger more like Dad used to make.


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

ajaye said:


> how do I stop the burgers from turning into tea cups and not staying flat ! LOL


I've never had a ground meat patty do that. What about a steak/bacon press.

https://www.amazon.com/Weight-Wooden-Heavy-Weight-Tezzorio-Commercial/dp/B0728B6N55?th=1


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

wooleybooger said:


> Thick slice of red onion, thick slice of tomato, romain or butterhead lettuce on Kaiser roll. Oh yeah, homemade patty about 1/2" thick from 85/15 chuck and seasoned with a locally made BBQ rub or S&P, granulated garlic and onion and lots of dried tarrogon and made the size of the Kaiser roll, roughly the size of a lid from a 1/2 gal. jar. Grilled over charcoal until just not pink inside. 85/15 chuck because it shrinks hardly any doesn't cause grease fires. I use that 1/2 gallon lid as a form for the patties.


I like salt and pepper and eat burgers medium and I like all the fixins. Maybe as not as many fixins as you, but I like the fixins!
Sounds very good booger.
In fact we are having cheese burgers for dinner!!!!!
Lettuce, tomato, Vadalia onion, pickles and the usual condiments. Mayo, ketchup and mustard.



ajaye said:


> how do I stop the burgers from turning into tea cups and not staying flat ! LOL


Buy 80/20 ground beef or grind it yourself. ( I never grind my own).
I like to use a scale when trying to get each burger the same but its not required.
I take the meat (cold)* and make a loose ball. Do not play around with your meat! The less you press and shape the better.

Take some clear/cling wrap and put your ball in between. Press it to the desired thickness. You can control side blowout with the plastic wrap as well.
Once you have the size patty you want, press down in the middle to make a nice deep indentation. This my good man results in a flat burger. Every time.
And it makes perfect sense right?
And the plastic wrap results in a better shaped burger as well.
Meat between the wrap is where its at! 

Apply salt and pepper to the patty and onto a hot grill (as close to the coals as possible) or if you just have to, a grill pan.
Good eating.

* Cold meat is easier to shape and you can bring to room temp after you make the patty's.
I keep mine cold until they go onto the grill. I do not bring to room temp.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

I like them with fried onions, fried mushrooms, sliced blue cheese, lettuce
and tomato and a slice of raw bermuda onion too...all on a big fat roll.

Jacques Pepin never presses the hamburger, shape it and put it on the grill
with a thumb print in the middle. That keeps it juicy.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

All the Hamburger cookers need to follow the method used by Dyer's in Tenn.
They have saved the grease for 103 years & use it to cook their burgers each day.
When they open a new restaurant there is a police escort to the new location to deliver the grease.


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

Two Knots said:


> I like them with fried onions, fried mushrooms, *sliced blue cheese*, lettuce
> and tomato and a slice of raw bermuda onion too...all on a big fat roll.
> 
> *Jacques Pepin never presses the hamburger, shape it and put it on the grill*
> with a thumb print in the middle. That keeps it juicy.


I've never seen sliced blue cheese. Had a blue cheese burger at Hooters once. Nasty, too much cheese.

I don't press the patties just season the meat, shape and put on the grill. No middle indentation, tried it but it didn't work for me or so I thought. Good meat, good seasoning, even thickness, hot fire, cook quickly, no shrinkage. Perfect.


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

ClarenceBauer said:


> All the Hamburger cookers need to follow the method used by Dyer's in Tenn.
> They have saved the grease for 103 years & use it to cook their burgers each day.
> When they open a new restaurant there is a police escort to the new location to deliver the grease.




With proper meat you don't get enough grease to save. JMO.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

ClarenceBauer said:


> All the Hamburger cookers need to follow the method used by Dyer's in Tenn.
> They have saved the grease for 103 years & use it to cook their burgers each day.
> When they open a new restaurant there is a police escort to the new location to deliver the grease.



From 103 years ago?


Nowadays, they know overheated grease causes radical free fatty acids that cause the 'greasy spoon restaurants'. Upset stomach & a film of grease all over.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

How to make perfect, equal size burgers.


Buy a set of this exact style measuring cups (straight lip). https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Measuring-Laxinis-Stackable/dp/B07KDXVMBZ/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3K48MSUWG7LJ3&dchild=1&keywords=ss+measuring+cup&qid=1592482704&sprefix=ss+measuring+%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-8

Turn your 1-3 pounds of meat out onto wax paper and decide what weight burger you want:
1/3 cup = 6/1 patty (2.6oz)
1/2 cup = 4/1 patty (4 oz)
1 cup = 2/1 patty (8oz)


Flatten the meat to slightly thicker than the selected cup. Cut out meat pucks by pressing down like a cookie cutter and set them aside.


Hand press, use a plate to flatten or buy an adjustable burger press.


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