Pit Master Pat Martin’s secret to perfecting the grilled burger is intentionality. Neither Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint owner nor you should haphazardly season ground beef or add burger toppings. Despite their simple form, burgers require a bit of skill and art (no one wants an overcooked burger patty that cannot fit on the bun). According to the experts, here’s how to grill a burger perfectly:
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Choose Your Ground Beef
Don’t grill burgers with too much fat. 80/20 or 85/15 ground chuck is excellent on the grill and less likely to flare up. A 75/25 blend of beef is best if you plan to cook your burgers on a cast iron skillet on your grill (you can smash them flat, but it also gives you a uniform cooking surface). You’ll lose a lot of juices, and a smashed burger can dry up quickly.
Shape Your Patties
Shape your patties once you have your ground beef. The burger will swell, and you’ll lose control. There’s no fun in half-pounders. Make the burger patties the size of a baseball or about six ounces. Flatten it later. You can use patty rings for uniform size and shape. A lot depends on the cooking. Before and after flipping the burgers, you can add a seasoning blend.
Then salt the patties and place them in the fridge to keep them cool until grilling time by making an indentation in the middle of them. This will help prevent them from swelling up.
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Grilling Your Burger
Ensure your grill grate is clean, oiled, and well-seasoned to prevent burgers from sticking and create those beautiful grill marks. For accurate readings, insert a thermometer horizontally into the patty, and cook to 160 degrees F.
Grills can achieve the perfect char and sear burgers, but they can also dry them out. MasterChef judge Graham Elliot suggests hiding an ice cube in the patty’s center! The cube melts as the burger grills, keeping the meat moist.