Need help grilling burgers!

[Vinpadalino]

For some reason I got the hang of grilling steaks, but when it comes to burgers I stink. They usually come out like meatballs. Burnt on the outside and rare in the inside. My wife usually makes them up with chop meat and there the size of a car door. It hard to tell if there done. Some please help.

[Green Mountain]

You need one of these. Take a meat ball about a little bigger than a 1/4 lb. Press it into this little gizmo. This keeps the juices in the burger and keeps it from srinking.

As far as cooking; cook them slower with less heat than a steak. Burgers can't take big massive flames. Poke your thigh with your pointer finger and then poke the burger. When they are about the same firmness the burger will be medium.




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[coolwhip]

Turn your heat down.

[Vinpadalino]

So I cant keep the grill on high all the time lol.

[Cast Iron]

i understand not wanting a "meatball" shaped burger, but why would you not want it rare?

[gary_g]

They usually come out .... burnt on the outside and rare in the inside.

Make that medium on the inside and you've done a great job.

[coldschool]

Mix lipton onion soup mix with 1lb of ground meat. Make 4 patties per pound. Even heat where you have to pull your hand away in about 4 seconds (with charcoal) Cook 6 minutes per side. Get napkins.
If you are using gas, I don't have a clue.

[dbaker]

I use Strickland propane and propane accessories for my burgers. I recommend using some Famous Dave's seasoning for steaks and burgers. The Lipton thing works good as well.

Slow heat and cover the lid. About a beer per side and good to go!

[specgrade]

When my wife sold Tupperware I got a patty press and it came with patty storing dishes. Perfect hamburgers everytime!

I put a sheet of foil over the grate and cook them that way the juices won't cause flare ups. Low and slow. A beer per side sounds like a plan!!

[Vinpadalino]

Thanks guys the burgers came out better, but still need practice. I love blue cheese burgers. Throw some blue cheese on, and let it melt.

[subcooler-65]

Thanks guys the burgers came out better, but still need practice. I love blue cheese burgers. Throw some blue cheese on, and let it melt.

If you like cheese on your burger, try some Boursin garlic & Herb cheese.

[Linden Swanson]

I've had lots of compliments on my recipe. I sell these at large Art and Wine festivals.

I blend my own hamburger: Half london broil, half ground chuck. I buy it on sale and have the butcher grind it for me. I grind 4 or 5 slices of bacon per pound of ground meat and add to the mixture. Ground chuck alone with bacon added is pretty good too. London broil is great flavor but, too lean by itself.

Form patties about 1" thick, 4" round. It's normally about 1/2 a pound per patty. Make the patty slightly concave on top and bottom. Grill about 12 minutes for both sides. If the burger is sticking to the grill, it's not ready to turn yet. Don't be afraid to flip burgers several times in the 12 minutes. Don't press down or squeeze the burger as your grilling.

Buy good onion, or cheese, buns....it's worth it.

[EBear]

Try this great idea...MIX VERY WELL 2 pounds of ground chuck with a tube of HOT pork sausage...chill and make patties...cook on the grill at low temp to avoid flame ups....if you have a good grill this shouldn't be any problem. If your grill isn't up to par then precook the patties in the oven then press out the excess fat...pop them back on the grill to finish.

On the grill, your success depends on the quality of the grill.

GOOD LUCK !!!!!!

[maintenanceguy]

A couple of years ago, while trying to learn how to cook a decent pork chop, I started using a thermometer for cooking meat. It works great. no worries about under cooking and not overdone. I learned that a few degrees makes a huge difference.

I use a thermometer every time now. Pork chops, steaks, burgers, chicken. Get a good thermometer made for the food service industry with a really thin stem. They penetrate easily and take a reading fast.

I like my burgers 155º inside - exactly. Just barely pink inside but not getting tough yet.

[tipsrfine]

It's best to sear the meat on both sides to keep the juices in & then park them to a cooler side of the grill to finish cooking the inside. Also, there is an old Italian trick. You make a smooth paste out of milk & white bread (no crust) & mix it in with the meat. Its called a panade? Somehow it binds the juices in the meat. I've done it and it works.
To make the burgers stop turning into meatballs you have to press the middle of the burger in to about half the size as the outer ring. When it swells up the burger is evened out.

[gary_g]

Also, there is an old Italian trick. You make a smooth paste out of milk & white bread (no crust) & mix it in with the meat. Its called a panade? Somehow it binds the juices in the meat. I've done it and it works.

You can also use grated cheese. I use that when I make meatballs.

[Vinpadalino]

The burgers are getting a lot better, but still need practice. I like the thermometer idea. Might have to pick one up.

[stoneman]

Try this great idea...MIX VERY WELL 2 pounds of ground chuck with a tube of HOT pork sausage...chill and make patties...cook on the grill at low temp to avoid flame ups....if you have a good grill this shouldn't be any problem. If your grill isn't up to par then precook the patties in the oven then press out the excess fat...pop them back on the grill to finish.

On the grill, your success depends on the quality of the grill.

GOOD LUCK !!!!!!

This is very good, especially if using deer burger and sausage. Hard to beat. My wife uses some type of bread mixture as well when making patties for the grill.

[tipsrfine]

What NOT to try. Lava burgers. I used that bread & milk panade for the meat & then formed the patties around a chunk of pepperjack cheese. The cheese did not mix with the meat-thanks to the panade-, but it melted into liquid and the first person to take a bite out of the burger had this molten eruption of scalding hot pepperjack cheese ALL over their hands. I still like the concept-just have to work the kinks out.