How do you make your burger patties?

POTAWIE

POTAWIE

I know everyone makes their burgers differently, and there's a million recipes but I'd like to concentrate just on the beef patty for now and see how everyone does things? I've been working on improving my patties for a while now but here's a few basic questions for everyone:
1. Do you use beef chuck, other cuts, or just regular pre-ground?
2. Do you buy Angus or other higher quality, or just grocery store meat
3. Do you make burgers thick or thin and do you poke a hole or press in the centre
4. What sort of veggies and/or herbs & spices do you usually add
5. Do you add eggs, breadcrumbs or binders?
6. Do you add sauces or mops when BBQing
7. Do you cook them on a George Forman grill or Dutch oven:)
When I really get into burgers, I like to get local higher quality beef chuck and grind it myself shortly before bbq'ing. I usually like a big burger but not overly thick and pressed-in in the center for even heat distibution.
Some of the best burgers I've eaten were made of just good beef and a bit of salt, but when I make them myself I usually like to add some chiles, spices and fresh herbs and usually an egg and some breadcrumbs.

So what's your secret to the perfect beef patty?
 
I grind chuck add a little season salt, onion powder and pepper and press into a lid that I saved, the thickness I like, a little over 1/4lb I dont fuss with it or press to hard, much like rolling a ball and flatten I found too much fondling gets its to hard (hows that for a sig) -- I cook them over charcoal weather permitting or in a CI pan. Fancier burgers I just change the cheeses or sauces in the building process -- I also like to create two thin patties and put cheese in the middle on one pattie and put the other on top like a meat ravioli-
 
I usually use very lean meat 93/7, either ground beef or ground sirloin. I usually use a George Foreman grill, but recently have received the NuWave oven that I want to try out. I usually throw on some steak rub seasoning and black pepper, when I can peppers or onions. I always cook the burgers well-done. I can't stand any pink in my burgers. I usually get pre-pattied burgers, so the thickness depends on where I got the burgers that week. But, in my opinion, no burgers beat a thick bbq'ed burger on a grill.
 
I buy my burgers pre-formed and frozen in a plastic bag at Wal-Mart, then season them and allow them to stand till they're thawed.

I put more thought, I guess, into the TYPE of burger I'm going to make;

Mushroom swiss
Bacon cheese
Black and bleu
California avacado

I know...that's cheating! ;)
 
where i work we use 80 something i firget the grade, and we cook on a flat top the burgers cook soo soo soo much faster with a pinky hole right in the middle bout half way through, at home i do the charcoal i like just the meat salt pepper, some seasoning i feel everytime i make a burger thye are never the same always experimenting. i dont think i would poke at home just incase some juices were lost tell you the truth yes i would alot easier to tell at what temperature it is and this way you can get a good char without the inside being raw. i always coat in bbq almiost always. any burger is good to me. except a premade frozen lean turkey burger ughh. 8oz always
 
1. Preground 7% fat Serloin.
2. I go to either WHole Foods or my local butcher.
3. I make them thick and do not poke holes in it. 3 minutes on both sides over a hot fire with the lid of the BBQ closed does the trick nicely.
4. I always mix in copious amounts of Black Pepper Corn (freshly cracked).
5. Nope.
6. If I add sauce I usually mix it into the meat when I'm making the burger. I do not use mops as the wood and string chucks throw off the texture.
7. Sometimes on the forman, but usually on the BBQ.
 
POTAWIE said:
I like the two thin burger idea too but haven't really gotten around to trying it. Maybe next time
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Its tempting to over stuff just need to rememeber the burger will shrink and the cheese should melt -I have seen a recipe for and inside-out (or is that outside-in ?) bacon cheeseburger before that I've got to try
 
LUCKYDOG said:
Its tempting to over stuff just need to rememeber the burger will shrink and the cheese should melt -I have seen a recipe for and inside-out (or is that outside-in ?) bacon cheeseburger before that I've got to try
Click to expand...

If you're going to do the inside out burger it's best to use a less melty cheese like brie. Anything melty finds a hole in the side and oozes out. Talk about flame ups on a grill :eek:
 
If sealed well and burgers arent to thick it doesnt cook long enough to squirt just need some time for it cool a bit before eating otherwise one bite and everything is on your plate in one gooey mess
 
Blister said:
If you're going to do the inside out burger it's best to use a less melty cheese like brie. Anything melty finds a hole in the side and oozes out. Talk about flame ups on a grill :eek:
Click to expand...

That, and it'd be like eating a Hot-Pocket that'd been nuked for 10 minutes on high when the rest of the cheese rushed out onto your face...:mouthonfire:
 
I'm tempted to try some high temperature cheese used for sausage making, either between two burgers, or just mixed in with the meat. I've done this before with regular cheeses but you really don't want to overcook at all, and you don't want a greasy cheese.
 
I buy Laura's Lean beef 90/10 no hormone or chemical beef.

I recently did the Alton Brown method with great success.

Roll out the burger in a sheet pan really thin (between two pieces of foil)
Season with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper all over.

Fold the burger in half (seasoned side touching seasoned side) and roll thin again.

Use a cookie cutter to cut into smallish square burgers.

Cook on a griddle on high.

I topped them with bacon, mayo, and cabot creamery's habanero cheddar.

**For a second when I saw the title, I thought for sure it was Hot sauce pro/PMD asking how to shape a patty out of beef!;)**

Lovely!!!

On the grill, bacon blue cheese peppercorn burgers are my goto, with a grilled jalapeno or hab diced on top.

The bun is just as important.

Krogers has "sheet buns" cheap and on the small size. Perfect!
 
LUCKYDOG said:
If sealed well and burgers arent to thick it doesnt cook long enough to squirt just need some time for it cool a bit before eating otherwise one bite and everything is on your plate in one gooey mess
Click to expand...

I was making mine about 3/4" thick and couldn't get them to seal to the point where the grease wouldn't find a way out. I think the main problem was that the burgers shrank as they swelled up in the middle. Whatever it was I found that Brie was just much simpler to work with. It's not nearly as greasy and has a fairly high melting point.

Whatever you choose, it does make for a good burger. I like to use a little Thousand Island dressing on them when I'm cooking them up too. Adds a bit of zing
 
I guess I should answer the questions:

1. extra lean pre-ground
2. just grocery store meat
3. I usually make them about 3/4" thick because that's the most the patty maker I have will allow and I can't seem to get it right when I make thin patties.
4. Lots! I found a recipe for spicy meatloaf that I use for hamburgers. Turns out pretty good.
5. Egg (hamburgers only) and crumbled crackers
6. Sometimes I use a bit of Thousand Island Dressing to give it a bit of sweet tang in addition to fresh ground black pepper and a touch of salt
7. Sometimes on the George Forman grill, but prefer to grill them. I only use propane because I prefer to taste the meat and not the heat!

-------------------

My basic hamburger/meatloaf recipe

Ingredients:
------------
2 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tsp oregano
1/2 cup fine cracker crumbs
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 small onion (grated)
2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 
80/20 only here! (Chuck)
Hand-formed patties. Push your thumb into the center to create a small crater. This is because the edges shrink more than the center. This is a trick to get a nice even shaped patty, and not that buldge in the center with tapered edges. Sometimes season, sometimes don't. Always cook on the grill. Make a lot of curry burgers.
 
I'm not a big fan of putting cheese in my burger but, when I do, I try to use something mild like mozzarella or provolone. I also like to dice onions and garlic and chilis and combine them with whatever ground beef that I'm using. The taste of the natually sautéed veggies in the finished burger is to die for!

I also like to use a dash of soy sauce and some oyster sauce to give the meat an Asian flare along with the usual seasonings.
 
The choice of meat for my burgers depends on what type of burgers I'm making. For burgers where I get non traditional , and add a lot ingredients so it's a exotic burger I don't get overly picky. I get good Black Angus 80/20 pre ground and packaged at the store. I figure all the spices cover up the flavor of the beef to a big part.

For these I mix in what I want then press my own patties. I guess they are about 3/4" thick. Never checked. I grill them and depending on what I'm making I use a little wood to add a "mild" some flavor. No holes , no dents just a simple pattie.

For a more traditional burger. That could still have bacon , mushrooms , or peppers and cheese toping things off. I MAY get some better beef ground up for me. But not that often. I still use the 80/20 most the time. Because I use my grill I feel I feel a higher fat content works better.

My wife is they only one to use the "George" . It works for her and I don't have to trust her with charcoal , lighter fluid , or matches . It's the KISS rule and works great for her. Again , no holes or dents.

Peace,
P. Dreadie
 
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