Labor Day always kind of catches me off guard. Never able to believe the long days of summer are coming to a close, I scramble to squeeze in as many of the summer staples as I can before it officially gives way into fall. Burgers always find there way into my Labor Day BBQ celebrations, and through a few glaringly bad batches, I’ve figured out a fool-proof way to ensure perfect burgers every time.
Basically, you want to keep it pretty simple and let the beef speak for itself. If you buy good beef (which you should) it’s already got a lot of delicious meaty flavor going on. All you have to do is highlight these flavors, and not cook the hell out of the it on the grill. Below I’ve detailed my foolproof burger recipe, as well as some burger do’s and don’ts to make sure you’re proud of what you put out for your friends and family this Labor Day.
The Perfect Burger
{Courtesy of Chef Bobby Flay- who just opened a restaurant focused exclusively on burgers, and definitely knows a thing or two about making them}
Ingredients: {makes 4 burgers- double the recipe accordingly}
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80 percent lean) or ground turkey (90 percent lean)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A few dashes Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon steak seasoning (like McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak-optional)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 slices cheddar cheese (optional)
- 4 hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired
Directions:
- In a large bowl, combine the meat, Worcestershire sauce, and steak sauce, mixing lightly with your hands until just combined, making sure not to over work the meat.
- Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.
- Get your grill really hot, and brush both sides of your burgers with the canola oil.
- Sear the burgers on one side and cook for 3 minutes, the flip and cook for another 4 minutes for medium rare (add another minute for medium, and 2 more minutes for medium well)
- Remove the burgers onto a platter, and tent loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
- If topping with cheese, put it on top of the burgers before you tent them with the foil, the residual heat will melt it.
- While the burgers rest, toast the burger buns on the grill, and serve.
Perfect Burger Do’s & Don’ts
- When you're mixing your beef and seasonings, don’t work the meat more then you have to. If you squeeze and massage the crap out of it, your burgers will gave a texture more like a ground beef hot dog and less like the meaty, juicy burger you’re shooting for.
- Make sure the grill is hot enough before you start cooking the burgers, otherwise you won’t get a good sear on the outside.
- Don’t press down on the burgers as you cook them- this just squeezes out all the juices that make the burger flavorful and juicy.
- Do buy the best beef you can afford- grass-fed, humanely raised organic beef raised without antibiotics and hormones tastes better, and is way better for both you and the environment then the hormone-loaded alternative.
- Do make sure you buy the right percentage of fat to lean beef- too much fat and your burgers will catch flame and smoke up like crazy, too little fat and your burgers will turn out dry and crumbly.
Bonus Burger Toppings & Mix-Ins
- California Burger: Top with cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, red onion, and salsa
- Asian Burger: Top with hoisin sauce, sriracha, and chopped scallions
- BBQ Burger: Top with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and BBQ sauce
- Tropical Burger: Top with a diced mix of pineapple, jalapenos, fresh lime juice & salt
- Blue Cheese Burger: When mixing your meat, add ¼ cup good blue cheese to the mix
- Southern Burger: Serve on a split buttermilk biscuit with BBQ sauce and mayo
- Italian Burger: Top with grilled eggplant, Parmesan cheese, and marinara sauce
- Indian Burger: Top with spicy curry mayo and mango slices
- Breakfast Burger: Top with a fried egg, crispy bacon, and ketchup
*Photo Credit: http://www.eumom.ie/blog/
