8 Steps to Grilling the Best Burgers
Follow these easy steps and you’ll be grilling the perfect burger in no time!
- Don’t skimp on the fat. I know, I know, the horror, but you actually want/need fat in your burgers. The fat adds to the overall flavor of the meat. Try to stick to 85%, but you can go grass fed and even double ground the meat for a finer texture.
- Prep those patties and let ‘em chill. Make your patties with enough time ahead for them to be chilled for a few hours. This will help them stay intact on the grill. Protip, if you’re mixing the meat by hand, run your hands under cold water first to help keep the fat in the burgers form melting.
- Stick a thumb it. Press your thumb down in the middle of the patties. This isn’t just for fun. That small divot you make will keep the burgers from plumping up and they’ll stay flat.
- Brush ‘em. Brush both sides of each patty lightly with olive oil to keep them from sticking to the grill.
- Put the Spatula Down. We’re all guilty of it…pressing down on our meat. Possibly the worst action you can take against a grilling hamburger is to press on it and drain it of all its natural juices. Those not only make taste good, but also keep them moist.
- Only Turn Once. Resist the urge to show off your burger flipping tricks and let them lie. Ideally, you’ll add them to a hot grill and cook them for 3 minutes on each. That’s it, only flip them once.
- Check the temperature. The internal temperature of your burger should be 160. The beast way to determine this is with a meat thermometer. Don’t forget the meat will continue to cook once removed from the grill.
- Let Them Rest. Once you remove them from the grill, let them rest on a platter for 5 minutes. This will allow them to stay juicy and intact.