Could be an ultimate burger

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jmp138

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Dec 13, 2008
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Location
Pittsboro, NC
Tonight I am trying the oven bacon method with a wire rack suspended over a calphalon pan, thusly creating perfect bacon and catching all the drippings. Since its pouring rain, Im not going to do the charcoal but rather use a bit of the bacon grease to cook my burger in the pan. Using local organic grass fed ground chuck, throwing on the oven bacon and topping with a thick slice of smoked gouda!

I make a mean burger, but I think this may turn out to be the best indoor burger ever! Going to serve with some brewmaster mustard and a big stein of sweetwater 420.

I guess for a night at home alone, this isn't too bad.
 
I have done the over bacon before and it is great. I don't know if I would cook the burger in the grease though because bacon grease has a really low smoke point.
 
Home alone? Shee-yit...

If anyone who reads this knows where you live you'd best have an extra burger or two.
 
I do enjoy your response arturo! Hell its only a 6 hour flight, then again, you do lose an hour!


Edit: Good call on the low smoke point on bacon grease, I think I am just going to use a bit of oil, could get a little greasy too. Still going to be a sick burger, neighbor just brought over fresh sourdough bread, WORD!
 
You don't really need the wire rack. In fact, it actually makes things more difficult because the bacon tends to stick to the rack when it's done. Just throw them straight on the baking tray.
 
I didnt have a baking tray, the cooling rack suspended over an oven proof pan worked great, and now I have bacon grease to make the dog some fine treats!
 
pittsboro huh, that's not too far. :) The burger sounds like it would be awesome... with some avocado slices added to it!
 
I do love a big slice of avocado and a thick beefsteak tomato on my burgers in the summer. This burger was probably one the best I have ever had, the bacon was cooked perfectly, the gouda melted just enough, and I used a whole wheat kaiser roll from a local bakery that was baked today. Cooked that thing up medium rare and it was fantastic.

I think at this point hamburger helper would have been amazing, I haven't had red meat in over a month, and this was definitely the way to break back in.
 
For me, cooking burgers (or just about any meat) on a hot cast iron skillet (~$10 on Amazon) will always, always give better results than a grill. The sear that you get is more even, and all the juices stay in the meat instead of dripping into coals. Yum.

I'm definitely going to try your bacon-on-a-rack trick, though. And then I'll add some of the bacon fat to the skillet, to better flavor the burger.
 
If you use a baking/cookie sheet for cooking bacon in the oven, line it with parchment paper (NOT wax paper) first. No sticking whatsoever and the pan is soooo easy to clean (it's just greasy is all). When you cook bacon in a lined baking/cookie sheet; draining (and always reserving!:rockin:) the grease about 2/3-3/4 of the way through cooking will improve the final product. Perfect bacon everytime.

I agree on the pan seared burgers (and steaks). I like grilled too.
 
Oven bacon is definitely the way to go. I use a wire rack inside a half-sheet pan. The rack just barely holds a pound of my home-cured bacon. It goes into a cold oven, which is then turned to 400°. This allows the bacon to render slowly. Flip the bacon at 20 minutes and put it back into the oven for another 15-20. Perfectly done, perfectly flat, no sticking, and all of the grease is contained in the sheet pan. Best of all it frees up the stovetop for eggs, hashbrowns or other breakfast treats.
 
Re-posted to add:

While bacon grease does have a lower smoke point relative to canola or peanut oil, it's still 350-370° and should be fine for medium-temp pan frying of a hamburger. I wouldn't deep fry with it, but I've popped popcorn with bacon grease before. Damn tasty, too.
 
And that thing was so good I'm doing it again tonight! Going to grill tonight since its nice out, but when you live alone and you get a pound of beef, kind of have to make it a two night affair. Grilled potatoes with olive oil and fresh thyme, and some of Daniel Boulud's braised carrots, oh and just tapped a fresh pumpkin ale. I am digging tonight!

Oh and Phish in two days, woop woop!
 
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