Sunday's Food Tip: Grilling the Perfect Burger

Is there anyone in the USA who is NOT grilling at least one meal this 4th of July weekend? Probably. But cooking outdoors is one popular way friends and family get together to celebrate this national holiday, and hamburgers are one of the most popular foods they grill.



If you’ll be firing up the grill this weekend, try these tips to create the perfect burger:

For the juiciest burger start with the best meat. A good choice is ground chuck because it is usually about 80% to 85% percent meat and 15% to 20% fat. If you use ground meat that is too lean the burgers will be dry.

Make flat, uniform patties out of the meat that are no thicker than 3/4 inch. Big bulky burgers won’t cook evenly. Plus, you’ll have the urge to squish them down with a spatula as they cook and this will squeeze out the juices that give them their "perfect burger" flavor.

Don’t overmix as you prepare the patties. This will toughen the meat.

Season the ground beef with a little salt and freshly ground pepper as you prepare the patties.

And here’s a tip I saw Ina Garten do once on her popular cooking show, BAREFOOT CONTESSA. As you’re preparing the patties, tuck a pat of butter into the center of each one. As the patties cook, the butter will melt giving the burgers a little added juiciness.

Now, oil the grill grid before using. Grill the burgers over hot coals (or a hot fire from a gas grill) for about 5 to 7 minutes per side if you like your burgers "medium." Grill them a little less for "rare" burgers and a little longer (about 8 to 9 minutes per side) for "well done" burgers. Your grill might take longer or less time, depending on the intensity of the heat, so make a thin cut in a couple of the patties after grilling them for a few minutes to be sure you aren’t overcooking them.

Caution: Remember to put cooked burgers on a clean plate – and not the one you used for the raw burgers - so you don't contaminate the cooked meat.

Happy Grilling!