I love a burger, it does not matter to me if it is with hamburger, buffalo, or turkey, I can and will eat them all. Over the years I have made many versions of them. Some stuffed with cheese, some topped with cheese, and even a few with no cheese at all.
Personally, I love them from the grill, but you can't grill year round in most of the country. So I do make them on my stove top in a cast iron pan as well. Some of my memories as a child is my Dad at the grill making us burgers and well hot dogs, the smells of the grill still bring me back to hot summer days in Florida. A simple burger with a piece of cheese and a pickle is still my favorite way to eat it. And over the years I have come up with strange, unusual and even crazy combinations. They don't always work, but I still love them.
But, I ramble on, and you came here for a recipe not my story on my love of the meat patty. So here it is, my new and improved recipe for the humble hamburger. This recipe will make 4 to 6 patties.
What you will need:
1.5 lbs of 80/20 hamburger meat
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Smoked Paprika
2 tsp Soy sauce
2 tablespoons of Mayo
The first thing to do is make sure the meat is "room temp" so let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes or so to cool off from the fridge. Then place the meat and dried ingredients in a large bowl and mix. I use my hands it is easier, but, you can use a large fork to mix it. When using dried ingredients a little goes a long way so just a pinch or two of it will do. Then add the soy sauce and mayo and mix.
Next, I make the patties, I grab a hand full of meat and roll it into a ball and place on a plate. Do not press them flat yet! This is important to let them rest and get happy mixing all the flavors. After you have your patties ready, take them over the grill. The grill should be hot and clean, I like a medium high heat on one side and low on the other, this allows you to get the grill marks and a nice char on them then move them off to the side to cook to the temp you want.
At this time I add a little oil not much to the first side of the patty and flatten it a little, then I press my thumb in the middle to make a small indention. Placing this side down on the grill till they are all cooking. I cook mine about 4-5 minutes on each side. Now, here is the thing DO NOT MOVE THEM AROUND! Once they are on the gill leave them alone, if you keep flipping them they will become drier. Once you do this then place them on the lower heat side of the grill and cook for another 5 minutes. This will get them to a medium temp if you want them cooked more add a few minutes. You can also add cheese at this time to melt it on the burger.
You are almost ready to eat the burger, you need to let them rest. A good rule of thumb is to rest the meat for half the time you cooked it before you cut or eat it. While the meat is resting you can finish up any of the sides you like with your burger and maybe even make yourself a drink.
Tonight I decided to go CRAZY and cut up avocado and cooked off some bacon to add to my burger. I also made a smoky mayo for a topping. But please use what you like, get creative and use what you have. Tonight I needed to use some of the zucchini I had in the kitchen before it went bad so I seasoned and rolled them in breadcrumbs. Cooked them so a few minutes and made "fries".
What you need to remember is a burger is something to make your own, take your time, use what you have and enjoy a night on the patio.
Food, Fun, and Best Eats!
Personally, I love them from the grill, but you can't grill year round in most of the country. So I do make them on my stove top in a cast iron pan as well. Some of my memories as a child is my Dad at the grill making us burgers and well hot dogs, the smells of the grill still bring me back to hot summer days in Florida. A simple burger with a piece of cheese and a pickle is still my favorite way to eat it. And over the years I have come up with strange, unusual and even crazy combinations. They don't always work, but I still love them.
But, I ramble on, and you came here for a recipe not my story on my love of the meat patty. So here it is, my new and improved recipe for the humble hamburger. This recipe will make 4 to 6 patties.
What you will need:
1.5 lbs of 80/20 hamburger meat
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Smoked Paprika
2 tsp Soy sauce
2 tablespoons of Mayo
The first thing to do is make sure the meat is "room temp" so let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes or so to cool off from the fridge. Then place the meat and dried ingredients in a large bowl and mix. I use my hands it is easier, but, you can use a large fork to mix it. When using dried ingredients a little goes a long way so just a pinch or two of it will do. Then add the soy sauce and mayo and mix.
Next, I make the patties, I grab a hand full of meat and roll it into a ball and place on a plate. Do not press them flat yet! This is important to let them rest and get happy mixing all the flavors. After you have your patties ready, take them over the grill. The grill should be hot and clean, I like a medium high heat on one side and low on the other, this allows you to get the grill marks and a nice char on them then move them off to the side to cook to the temp you want.
At this time I add a little oil not much to the first side of the patty and flatten it a little, then I press my thumb in the middle to make a small indention. Placing this side down on the grill till they are all cooking. I cook mine about 4-5 minutes on each side. Now, here is the thing DO NOT MOVE THEM AROUND! Once they are on the gill leave them alone, if you keep flipping them they will become drier. Once you do this then place them on the lower heat side of the grill and cook for another 5 minutes. This will get them to a medium temp if you want them cooked more add a few minutes. You can also add cheese at this time to melt it on the burger.
You are almost ready to eat the burger, you need to let them rest. A good rule of thumb is to rest the meat for half the time you cooked it before you cut or eat it. While the meat is resting you can finish up any of the sides you like with your burger and maybe even make yourself a drink.
Tonight I decided to go CRAZY and cut up avocado and cooked off some bacon to add to my burger. I also made a smoky mayo for a topping. But please use what you like, get creative and use what you have. Tonight I needed to use some of the zucchini I had in the kitchen before it went bad so I seasoned and rolled them in breadcrumbs. Cooked them so a few minutes and made "fries".
What you need to remember is a burger is something to make your own, take your time, use what you have and enjoy a night on the patio.
Food, Fun, and Best Eats!
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