5 Tips for Cooking the Perfect Burger for National Hamburger Day
It's National Hamburger Day and Memorial Day Weekend all at once, so you might as well just leave the grill on.
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to summer. The kids are finally done with another school year. The weather is warming up and lots of folks looking to enjoy some down time for a couple of days. Oh yea, the Memorial Day weekend starting with National Hamburger Day - how much better can it get?
I admit I love several of these "fake" holidays that we celebrate every year. National Pizza Day, National Taco Day and National Hamburger Day are just a couple of my favorites, and it's not like I need a special day to enjoy these foods but I do celebrate accordingly.
So let's talk about hamburgers for a minute. Did you know that, according to Savor Tonight, hamburgers got their name from a cut of steak called the Hamburg and was named after Hamburg, Germany? And that during WWII our own government tried to rename hamburgers to "liberty sandwiches?" (I for one am glad that didn't stick, but I do like the idea of "Freedom Fries"! lol)
That same article also says that we Americans eat 13 billion hamburgers a year, which if you were to lay them side-by-side would wrap around the world 32 times. That's a lot of hamburgers, and I'm sure everybody likes their burger a certain way. Some like their patties well done, some like them medium, and some even like them plant based, but we won't go there. Instead, let's look at how chefs and experts say you can accomplish making the perfect burger according to an article on Huff Post.
First, it's about the meat-to-fat ratio. Go for the 80-20 ratio. They say that's the perfect ratio to maintain the balance between moisture and flavor.
Second, make the patty size something comparable to the surface you're cooking on. For instance, on a griddle you should go for four ounces of bee. The grill works great with six to eight ounces. If you're cooking them in a pan, like my granny use to do, you should go for a seven ounce patty.
Third, chill your meat and be careful not to overwork it. I did that once (or twice) and it was not only embarrassing, but very disappointing. It's been recommended that a ball of meat the size of a pool ball is best, then gently flatten it.
Fourth, never season the beef before you make the patties, always after. Salt or seasonings can dry up the meat, and you need that moisture when you cook.
Fifth and finally, only flip the burger once on the grill and only when it's ready. This is the mistake I make all the time, I flip that burger probably four times for whatever reason and usually I'm flipping it too soon. A good indicator is when you see the edges of the patty just starting to shrink in a little bit. That's when it's time to flip it.
Try these things out over the weekend and let me know how it turns out. Oh, and what time it'll be ready. I'll see you at your place, and I'll bring the adult beverages.
Happy National Hamburger Day!