Step Up Your Burger Game

While a burger tends to follow in the footsteps of pizza – as in, even if it’s not that great, it’s still pretty great – culinary academy students everywhere like to try their hand at the task. After all, there are so many ways to customize a burger, you can always figure out a recipe you’ll like. However, one could say there’s an art to the perfect burger. Here are some things to take into consideration when attempting the ideal go-to burger recipe:

Thick, juicy burgers are best on the grill.Thick, juicy burgers are best on the grill.

Don’t go too lean
But don’t go too fatty, either! The New York Times cooking section suggests the best ratio of meat to fat for a burger that’s juicy, yet firm, is 80 percent meat to 20 percent fat. If there is more fat ground into the beef, you’ll likely find that the burger is too loose, falling apart in your hands as you try to eat it. It’s also important to make sure the ground beef isn’t ground too fine, so the burger has an airy feel to it.

Cooking the burger
Whether you cook your burgers on a cast iron pan or on the grill probably depends on the time of year. Nobody wants to stand outside and wait for burgers to cook on the grill in the middle of the winter! However, each method of cooking makes a different type of burger. Cooking on a flat surface, like your cast iron pan, is the ultimate way to make a flat, diner-style burger with crispy edges. A grill, however, is most effective if you’re trying to make a big juicy bar-style burger. If you find that your burgers plump up on the grill, don’t press down on them with the spatula – this will cause your burgers to lose juice and flavor. Instead, press the middle down on your patty before you even begin cooking it. Also, wait until your burger begins to form a crust before you try to flip it, so it doesn’t fall apart.

How about the buns?
You don’t want to spend all of this time perfecting your patty, and neglecting the bun. Put finishing touches on your burgers by buttering the bun while and leaving it to toast on the griddle while the cheese melts on your patty.

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