The Quest For The Perfect Hamburger

You ain't whistling Dixie. Grass fed beef is a great story, but one in which flavor is left out.

Also need a flat top or a good cast iron pan for the burger. Grills just don't cut it.

I tend to agree. Grilled vs skillet burgers have very different flavors. I like both but griddle burgers are better. One of things I forgot to do last night was finish the patties with some butter.
 
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This is last weekend at my Brother's house. I was vacationing in Fla. They had sirloin roast BOGO at the local Winn Dixie. We got two and ground them with his kitchen aid. Soaked them in my What's this here sauce and put them on the Egg. First shot the bacon just went on, the next was the pepperjack cheese. The steam from the onions were flavoring the burgers, along with the lump coal and oak chips. The burgers and beer made me take a nap.
 
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This is last weekend at my Brother's house. I was vacationing in Fla. They had sirloin roast BOGO at the local Winn Dixie. We got two and ground them with his kitchen aid. Soaked them in my What's this here sauce and put them on the Egg. First shot the bacon just went on, the next was the pepperjack cheese. The steam from the onions were flavoring the burgers, along with the lump coal and oak chips. The burgers and beer made me take a nap.

It'd be a good idea to mix some raw bacon with 80/20 chuck. Those burgers look great...good Lord :bowdown:

How was the sirloin?
 
Best burgers I've had were when I was growing up in the 70's. My dad cooked on charcoal, and we had fresh homegrown lettuce and tomatoes for the burgers. Dinner was often followed with my Mom's homemade apple pie. Boy, did I put in some work in that garden with the rotor-tiller.
 
I'm going to have to get and try some Chow Chow. That looks interesting, as well as the hot/spicy version.

What really makes a good burger for me is a layer of Hatch Green Chile just under the cheese.
My local supermarket, Wegman's, trucks a load up from Hatch, New Mexico each Fall, and flame roasts them fresh on site.
When I get them home I slide off the charred skin and put them in baggies, 1 or 2 to the bag, and freeze them.
I then use them throughout the year as needed for burgers, grilled cheese, in omelets, and even take a piece to my local eatery and add it to their burgers when I'm too lazy to grill my own.

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Love Hatch green chiles and hamburgers.

I tried dicing and mixing them into the patties, then seared on the Weber - can't beat that charcoal flavor mixing with that green chile goodness
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Though I will say that a layer of chile (diced or whole piece) is better.
 
Found this KILLER beef at Safeway out west. Other stores Vons/Albertson's have the same brand but the meat not packaged in the square plastic bag like in the link is worthless. Used to just dump it outta the pack and seer on both sides eat plain no bun no nothing no teriyaki mayo really.
https://www.naturiffic.com/blog/american-kobe-cheeseburger
I've decided to chase my burgers with raw onion slices. Not bothering with sauteed unless it's cube steak.
I so thought I was gettin' it at Albertson's but it turned out to be burger patties and of course they suck for $7.50. Back to the Open Nature.
 
Well the first post was at 4:52. It is now about 10:55.
Looks like Zeego took a little nap after his feast :)

Anyone into unusual condiments besides the usual ketchup btw?
I sometimes like a bit of Russian dressing on mine.
Kikkoman teriyaki mixed with mayo. Also horrendous with steak and fried chicken.
 
Kikkoman teriyaki mixed with mayo. Also horrendous with steak and fried chicken.
Well, everything gets mixed with mayo these days to make some secret sauce.
I actually like Mickey D's Big Mac and Arby's horsey sauces (well, not mixed together, though :idea:)
so Kikkoman teriyaki mixed with mayo, why not?
 
Zeego, I like your style. I am a carmelized onion convert. Personally, I also believe the bun has to be toasted. I like to use habernero jack cheese on my burger.

I'm on a carmalzed onion/kraut/brown mustard with a grilled bratwurst kick. The sweetness of the caramelized onions with the tart kraut is delicious.
 
Well, everything gets mixed with mayo these days to make some secret sauce.
I actually like Mickey D's Big Mac and Arby's horsey sauces (well, not mixed together, though :idea:)
so Kikkoman teriyaki mixed with mayo, why not?
Just glug some teriyaki in the next dregs of your mayo, it pours right out. Nobody will do it-crazy!
 
It may be my technique but I've yet to make one on a BBQ that tasted as good as one done on an iron griddle. About 3 minutes per side and let rest makes a perfect juicy medium with just pink center. We ditched using classic hamburger buns too. Just about every market nearby has good brioche buns and they taste much better.
 
Has anyone ever put a little Worcestershire Sauce into the beef before cooking?
 
my recipe is 50/50 ground beef and pork - then i add a bit of kosher salt, pepper, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

also this could be heresy, but if you put the burger cheese-side down onto the bun, the cheese prevents the burger grease from gooifying the bun.
 
also this could be heresy, but if you put the burger cheese-side down onto the bun, the cheese prevents the burger grease from gooifying the bun.
I've put my burger cheese-down on the bun, only to have it slide out. :D Then again, I used to load them up with cheese. I usually don't use cheese on mine though. I toast the hamburger buns on the grill while the burgers are cooking, off to the side.

For kicks lately, I've put the cheese inside the turkey burgers as well as the ground beef burgers. Pretty simple. Two thin patties instead of one thick patty. Lay the cheese on one, and cover it with the other, sealing all around.

It may be my technique but I've yet to make one on a BBQ that tasted as good as one done on an iron griddle. About 3 minutes per side and let rest makes a perfect juicy medium with just pink center. We ditched using classic hamburger buns too. Just about every market nearby has good brioche buns and they taste much better.
I do ours either three or four minutes per side, depending on how thick I make them. Beef patties are usually six minutes total, but the turkey takes longer due to having low fat. The way I set up the coals, I get them at about the same heat each time, so I can pretty much guess by thickness how long to cook something.
 
1/3 ground beef, 1/3 ground brisket, 1/3 ground short ribs after that it's up to you as to what your toppings may be but my favorite is swiss cheese, over mushrooms with bearnaise sauce on top. If the butcher won't grind the brisket you can substitute sirlion. I'll admit don't expect to get 1lb. of this mixture, it won't be worth it for the butcher, go for 5 lbs. I have also ground my own at home but I prefer the butcher route.

The toppings are a personal preference kinda of like pizza. A great crust and sauce and then the rest is up to you.
 
Well, everything gets mixed with mayo these days to make some secret sauce.
I actually like Mickey D's Big Mac and Arby's horsey sauces (well, not mixed together, though :idea:)
so Kikkoman teriyaki mixed with mayo, why not?

Try some Thousand Island Dressing as substitute for Mickey'D's dressing.

Has anyone ever put a little Worcestershire Sauce into the beef before cooking?

Add just a little lemon juice too. It "lightens" the beef.

(That means you can eat more!) :D
 
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