The perfect burger

Strange how sometimes the simplest things get screwed up so badly. We've all had burgers at a friends/family/neighbors house and it's often either a dried out meatball half the diameter of the bun or it's frozen patties that are dense/dry...and concave. Levels of char are all over the place.

The devil is in the details as they say.

So what are your keys to the perfect burger?

Mine are:
Not too big, not too small...between 5-6 oz. is perfect imo (5.3 oz. is 1/3#).
80/20 chuck is my go-to...not much leaner than that imo. Never frozen.
Make the patties by hand and don't over-handle/compress the meat.
Make the patties slightly bigger diameter than the buns and make them flat with a very slight dimple in the middle.
High heat grill*...medium to medium-well (true medium-well still has a tiny sliver of pink in the middle). Char should be mostly just the grill marks.
Season with salt and pepper while on the grill (after you flip it)...no garlic powder or Dales/etc.
Only flip once...and don't compress with the spatula. If you need to compress it you didn't make the patties right to begin with (that's what the dimple is for).
Cheese (usually non-smoked Provolone for me) goes on the instant they come off the grill (not a big deal but I NEVER want liquified cheese on my burger).

* - seared on a flattop or in an iron skillet is good too.

Then for me...the order in which you stack it makes a huge difference. Starting from the bottom bun and building upwards:

Bottom bun
light layer of mayo...real mayo
shredded lettuce with diced onions mixed in (mixture lightly seasoned with salt/pepper)
Thin tomato slice(s) (lightly seasoned w/ salt/pepper)
Burger patty
cheese
ketchup
sometimes mustard depending on my mood
top bun

I guess I never realized I'm so anal about burgers. Can't wait for dinner.

Not bad...but I like mine better

1/3# burger (I agree 100% with slightly larger burger than bun w/ dimple in the middle before grilling)
90/10 sirloin but I add the fat back using bacon fat instead. About 2 tablepoons per #
The other thing I do is make a mash of 1 slice of white bread per # with crusts removed and enough milk to cover. Mash it up for a minute then squeeze the milk out and mix the bread mush into the beef.
Salt and pepper in the mix then I dust both sides of the patties w/ fresh pepper again.
Medium/Medium Well in a toasted bun with sharp cheddar cheese and its perfect.

90/10 sirloin but I add the fat back using bacon fat instead.

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Interesting...sounds great. I always have bacon grease on-hand.

The burger...

The beef we get is from a local farmer and it's a mixture of whatever we didn't want cut into steaks or roasts so I have no idea of the fat content but it's DAMN good. We get the beef in 1lb. packages so I usually weigh off 1/4lb. for the wife because that's all she wants and then split the remaining 3/4lb. in two for myself, one for that night and one for later.
Before I do the separating I mix up the beef in a bowl with salt and pepper, good beef needs nothing else.
Next I make my patties and let them sit while I go fire up a chimney full of charcoal.
Once the grill's good and hot toss on the burgers, 1-2 minutes on one side over direct heat, flip, 1-2 minutes on the other side over direct heat and then slide them off to the side and throw on the lid.
In 6-8 minutes my burgers are a nice med-med rare so they come off.
In another 3-4 minutes the wife's are well done (burnt in my opinion but that's a whole other story) so they come off.
All burgers get covered in foil as they come off the grill to rest.

The build....

Toasted bottom bun.
Mayo & mustard
Thin sliced onions
Thin sliced tomatoes
Burger
Pickles
Ketchup
Toasted top bun

When I'm eating out I'll take cheese on my burger but when I'm eating in I don't care for it. For me it seems to smother the other flavors and I when I just grilled the perfect burger I don't want anything to interfere with it.

One time we discovered after the meat had already hit the heat that our buns were moldy so we had to use bread. The bread was toasted and I used all the same toppings and the net result, a juicy burger sandwiched between two thin, crunchy pieces of bread, was really good. I've been meaning to do it again, on purpose this time, but we keep remembering to buy buns.

Interesting...sounds great. I always have bacon grease on-hand.

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Yeah I try to add it back almost 1:1 from the beef fat I cut out. 80/20 to 90/10 = 10% less fat or 1.6 oz/lb. 2 tablespoons = about 1 oz. That works for me but YMMV.

Turkeyfoot Jr. said:

The bread was toasted and I used all the same toppings and the net result, a juicy burger sandwiched between two thin, crunchy pieces of bread, was really good. I've been meaning to do it again, on purpose this time, but we keep remembering to buy buns.

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What you've got there sir is a patty melt. And I agree they're damn good.

johnnyc said:

What you've got there sir is a patty melt. And I agree they're damn good.

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I wouldn't call it a patty melt exactly. I've had them and I do enjoy them but to be a patty melt it's got to have cheese and caramelized onions....and mushrooms but that's just me.

Stop! STOP! You people are killing me! I am going to be grilling myself a burger in a minute if you don't stop!

Paul the Nurse was talking about grilling a peppercorn crusted burger last night or the night before... I was thinking that sounded good then... kind of a Burger version of steak au poivre...great scott! I almost bought a case of the red wine he was drinking with it it sounded so good.

I just got on a kick eating burgers with wickles brand relish... their red stuff. Fabulous... just hot enough, but not too hot.

The other thing we love is mixing our rib rub into some burgers. My favorite beef is from the processor like TurkeyFoot... pretty lean, but really REALY good!

The biggest key to the perfect burger is grinding your own meat.

chefmike said:

Stop! STOP! You people are killing me! I am going to be grilling myself a burger in a minute if you don't stop!

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No kidding...I'm sitting here trying to figure out how I could possibly quick thaw some beef and grill up a burger...all within my 1 hour lunch break.

Turkeyfoot Jr. said:

No kidding...I'm sitting here trying to figure out how I could possibly quick thaw some beef and grill up a burger...all within my 1 hour lunch break.

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Buy it fresh and save the frozen stuff for sghetti...imo.

SpanishCastleAle said:

Buy it fresh and save the frozen stuff for sghetti...imo.

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When you buy half a steer at a time fresh isn't really an option...unless you're REALLY hungry that day.:rockin:

Ooops...sorry...that'd be sghetti overload.

EDIT: do you get it in primals or the entire half-steer or what? Sounds like a worthy thread (hint, hint)...including grinding your own (I see a thread in the similar threads below).

I usually make 1/2lb burgers whenever I do them. I'll mix ground chuck, worchestershire sauce, salt/pepper and an egg into a bowl. I'll prep the patties with a small dimple in the middle, then let set in the fridge for an hour or so before throwing on the grill. The way I cook them they come out perfect every time. :rockin:

...then let set in the fridge for an hour or so before throwing on the grill.

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I forgot to mention this...important step imo.

The gentle mixing and forming the patty is very important, as is the salt and pepper seasoning. That's all I use on mine, although I do occasionally buy 1lb of very lean beef and grind up 2-3 brats and mix together. That makes a very good burger.
Also don't be afraid to try other toppings. My last burgers ( for 3 burgers) I sauteed
1 vidalia onion
1 Poblano pepper
1 red pepper
4 oz mushrooms
all topped with smoked provolone


or make an Avocado relish
1 Avocado
1/2 vidalia onion
cilantro to taste
juice from 1/2 lime
salt and pepper to taste

The dimple in the middle is KEY, otherwise it puffs up and is a pain to top.

Here's my smoke burger:

In the burgers:

• 80/20 ground chuck, 8oz per burger
• Smoked Sea Salt, Black Pepper
• 1 minced garlic clove or a couple drops of garlic oil
• 1-2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
• Grated smoked gouda

On the burgers:

• Thick-cut hickory-smoked bacon
• Truffle Mustard
• Thinly-sliced Tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Mayo
• Smoky BBQ Sauce

Grill to medium-rare, put on a lightly toasted homemade bun in the following order: bottom bun, lettuce, mustard, burger, bbq sauce, tomato, bacon, mayo, bun. I'm toying with the idea of trying baconnaise instead of mayo, but it might be too much

I'm reverting back to the camp that burgers shouldn't have more than 1 or 2 condiments/toppings, in addition to the cheese. I would make some that were just overkill.

Brew buddy made some burgers a bit ago that were just dusted with some 'que rub and grilled to medium. Topped with some cheddar. Toasted bun and nothing else needed. His rub was the tits.

PseudoChef said:

I'm reverting back to the camp that burgers shouldn't have more than 1 or 2 condiments/toppings, in addition to the cheese. I would make some that were just overkill.

Brew buddy made some burgers a bit ago that were just dusted with some 'que rub and grilled to medium. Topped with some cheddar. Toasted bun and nothing else needed. His rub was the tits.

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Yeah...I've gone overkill before too. Pickles, onions, all that. Now I go with basics: lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, ketchup/bbq sauce. You could even do away with the mayo or mustard or sauce. But lettuce and tomato are requirements...and depending on the burger, Steph's homemade pickles sometimes really do wonders.

I'm reverting back to the camp that burgers shouldn't have more than 1 or 2 condiments/toppings, in addition to the cheese. I would make some that were just overkill.

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I agree. I think that dicing up the onions and mixing them with the shredded lettuce (or just sprinkling on top) almost makes it seem like one less topping regarding the finished height of the burger. I'm not a fan of 8" tall burgers that you can't get your mouth around.

I agree w/ Evan! that a good BBQ sauce can sub for the ketchup.

And for me, having shredded lettuce under the burger patty is key in stacking.

EDIT: and while I eat steak med-rare I like my burgers cooked to at least medium. Still very juicy though.

+1 on the BBQ sauce, I always use it over ketchup on a burger. Sweet Baby Ray's!

I get the trader joe's 80/20 1# bricks and divide that up into 2 or 3 burgers, depending on how hungry I am and how well I've been eating that week. I had a tablespoon of red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons of minced onions and a tablespoon of water to the pound of meat and mix it all together. Then I divide it up and use a patty press to form it. I don't dimple them when I cook them, but they usually come out a pretty good size relative to the bun.

I always cook it medium-rare, slap some cheese on it, and dip it in ketchup like a french fry (that way I don't have ketchup squirting/dripping out the back).

I don't like much, if any pink in my burger.

It's not steak, just crappy ground beef. Cook it.

I sure am glad I ate lunch before reading this!

Anyways, I had a chef friend tell me to put oatmeal in the ground beef when making patties. I tried it out, and havent turned back since! It sucks in a lot of the grease so you dont lose all the flavor. You can over cook them like crazy and they are still moist on the inside. If you dont have oatmeal, use bread crumbs but go easy, this isn't a meat loaf and it's pretty easy to add too much. I do maybe 1/8 cup per pound of beef.

SpanishCastleAle said:

I agree. I think that dicing up the onions and mixing them with the shredded lettuce (or just sprinkling on top) almost makes it seem like one less topping regarding the finished height of the burger. I'm not a fan of 8" tall burgers that you can't get your mouth around.

I agree w/ Evan! that a good BBQ sauce can sub for the ketchup.

And for me, having shredded lettuce under the burger patty is key in stacking.

EDIT: and while I eat steak med-rare I like my burgers cooked to at least medium. Still very juicy though.

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I hate shredded lettuce on a burger. I want a ton of whole leaves on it so that it actually has some crunch. I agree about the temp though. Steaks are always med-rare but burgers are usually just shy of well. I used to always eat my burgers medium but they really just make the bun REALLY soggy and a nice med-well tastes about as good. Plus with ground meat it is a lot healthier like that.

Yea, the shredded lettuce is a personal preference. However, putting the mayo on the bottom bun and shredded lettuce on top is partially designed such that the bottom bun doesn't get soggy...even with a real juicy burger. The shredded lettuce sort of absorbs some of the juice and the mayo provides a fatty barrier to prevent the juice from penetrating the bottom bun.

That's why the mayo (because it is fat-based) goes on the bottom bun and the mustard/ketchup go on the top bun. Mustard/ketchup are water-based and would only contribute to a soggier bottom bun.

Yeah, I understand the reasoning behind it but since I HATE mayo its meaningless to me.

+1 on mayo sucks.

One I really like goes way back. Two thin patties, a slice of ham and a slice of cheese. Put the ham and cheese on one of the patties, place the second patty on top and seal the edges well. Grill over a campfire.

I also love the really thin almost carmalized burgers cooked on a flat top.

Here's some heresy for you... I use the 93/7 meat for burgers and they are excellent; surely not as good as the 80/20 mix, but still moist and tasty. My keys:

Use fresh meat... Supermarket meat is OK, but frozen and thawed is not.

The most important part: Don't overwork the meat! I form the meat into a loose ball with my hands (maybe 1/3-1/2# per). I then place the ball on a wax-paper covered cutting board, and place another wax-paper covered cutting board on top and press down evenly. If I feel like it, I place something of the right thickness on either side of the meat to get the burger thickness exactly right (I'm lazy, though, so I typically do it by eye/feel).

Second most-important part (and most important if you are grilling steaks): Salt and pepper the burgers about 15-20 minutes before grilling. If you do it while they're on the grill, it's too late. This gives time for the salt to draw out some moisture, which will then dissolve the salt and be reabsorbed into the meat. There will be a bit more salt on the outside, which is great, because you want the outside to cook more anyway. This also helps with the charring.

Then, when cooking, use as hot a flame as possible. Heat the grill, clean it, and oil it (flames are a bonus). Get the grill as hot as possible and put the burgers on. About 90-120 seconds later, rotate them 90 degrees or so to get the criss-cross grill marks. About 90-120 seconds later, flip, reduce flame appropriately, and grill for a few minutes. Rotate 90 degrees, and grill another few until it's done to your preference. Oh, and NEVER under any circumstance press down on the burger while it is on the grill!!!

After that, take them off the grill and let them rest, lightly covered with Al foil, about 5-10 minutes before serving. In that time, toast the buns on the grill.

Definitely agree about cooking burgers more through than a steak.

Also been making homemade mayo for sandwiches and tuna salad lately. Don't think I can go back to store bought now.

When I do this, I go with caramelized onions, mustard, good cheese and lettuce on a toasted bun. During the summer, a tomato. It makes it all good. And I do the same thing with both my burgers or my hotdogs/brats.

Medium is perfect for burgers - I like my steak med-rare to rare. Dimple is standard and 1/3 lb is best weight. Salt and pepper only. (I have to try that 15 minute before thing)

Toppings vary but I agree two is best. One for me must be a 1/4" thick slice of sweet onion as large as the patty. If I have good tomatoes, I use them. If not, bread & butter pickle slices patted dry. Mayo (Hellmans only) on the bottom toasted bun, onion next, burger then other slices next. Top toasted bun with either some catsup, mustard, BBQ sauce or nothing depending on my mood at the time.

I agree with the other poster regarding cheese (hamburgers out - always) (grilled at home - never)

BTW, I recently replaced my old gas grill with a new Char-Broil M500 Quantum 3-Burner Infrared Gas Grill. It is far and away better than anything I have grilled on except real charcoal. 700 degrees at the meat surface and no flareups.

Did one tonight with 1 fresh jalepeño (~1/3 cup when chopped) and about two tablespoons of worcestershire sauce. Less kick than when I do a tablespoon of red pepper flakes, but more flavorful. It might be my "go to" burger with a little bit of tweaking.

80/20 fresh ground beef . Some Italian bread crumbs couple of eggs diced onion salt and pepper little worcestershire sauce fresh garlic and a splash of milk . Mix the beef and other dry ingredients in a large bowl then add your eggs then the milk. let the mixture rest for an hour then patty them up into 1/3 pound burgers grill .. Even well done these burgers will be extremely juicy and moist.

springer said:

80/20 fresh ground beef . Some Italian bread crumbs couple of eggs diced onion salt and pepper little worcestershire sauce fresh garlic and a splash of milk . Mix the beef and other dry ingredients in a large bowl then add your eggs then the milk. let the mixture rest for an hour then patty them up into 1/3 pound burgers grill .. Even well done these burgers will be extremely juicy and moist.

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Sounds more like meatloaf to me...

springer said:

80/20 fresh ground beef . Some Italian bread crumbs couple of eggs diced onion salt and pepper little worcestershire sauce fresh garlic and a splash of milk . Mix the beef and other dry ingredients in a large bowl then add your eggs then the milk. let the mixture rest for an hour then patty them up into 1/3 pound burgers grill .. Even well done these burgers will be extremely juicy and moist.

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jpc said:

Sounds more like meatloaf to me...

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While it sounds good, if it has more than meat, and salt and pepper, I agree it's meatloaf

niquejim said:

While it sounds good, if it has more than meat, and salt and pepper, I agree it's meatloaf

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I disagree...I think a burger can have anything you want in or on it. The same way it can be on different types of buns, with different types of cheese, different types of condiments and even different types of meat (i.e. turkey, veal, veggie crap).

"A hamburger (or burger) is a sandwich consisting of a cooked ground meat patty, usually beef, placed in a sliced bun or between pieces of bread or toast."

"Some cooks prepare their patties with binders, such as eggs or bread crumbs, and seasonings, such as, parsley, onions, soy sauce, Thousand Island dressing, onion soup mix, or Worcestershire sauce."

Hamburger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SOB said:

I disagree...I think a burger can have anything you want in or on it. The same way it can be on different types of buns, with different types of cheese, different types of condiments and even different types of meat (i.e. turkey, veal, veggie crap).

"A hamburger (or burger) is a sandwich consisting of a cooked ground meat patty, usually beef, placed in a sliced bun or between pieces of bread or toast."

"Some cooks prepare their patties with binders, such as eggs or bread crumbs, and seasonings, such as, parsley, onions, soy sauce, Thousand Island dressing, onion soup mix, or Worcestershire sauce."

Hamburger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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There are a few things that I'm a purist on and burgers would be one of them. Quality beef, salt, pepper, done. As far as condiments are concerned, go crazy, the burger itself is just those three items. But that's just me.

One loophole I would provide is that if the beef's not the best, and I'm sure all of us have had to deal with that from time to time for whatever reason, feel free to doctor it up. I look at steak much the same way. Good steak needs just salt and pepper. If, however, I'm at my BIL's and he just picked up the jumbo pack of strip steaks from Wal-Mart I'll be a good guest and eat what I'm provided, drowned in A-1.