The hamburger is a popular dish and in summer you often like to enjoy the whole preparation process on the grill. If prepared well, it is a delicacy that is much talked about and discussed at get-togethers. Everyone has their "guaranteed" tip and trick to prepare the best burger. We've rounded up the chefs' secrets and tips for preparing the best burgers:
Choosing the right meat
Fat is welcome in meat in reasonable quantities. The best hamburger needs meat with sufficient fat content, ideally 80% beef and 20% fat. Fat adds juiciness and flavor. So you can add, for example, finely chopped pork bacon to the beef. The combination of meat and bacon adds a bit of smokiness to the burger and enhances the flavour of the meat.
It is important to use freshly ground meat. This will ensure a better texture and taste.
Gentle handling of the meat
Do not overwork the meat unnecessarily. Handle the meat as little as possible, or only enough to bind it together. Overworking the meat leads to tough and dry burgers. Shape meat patties gently. Try to make the centre of the patty slightly thinner than the edges. This will help the patty to cook through evenly. It is ideal to use a hamburger press for shaping. It allows you to handle the meat as little as possible and simply form the patty to the desired thickness.
Burger press, Berndorf Sandrik
Correct seasoning
Simplicity is not only beauty, but also taste. Salt and black pepper are often enough to season a burger properly. However, these two ingredients should only be added just before grilling so that the meat does not fall apart. If you feel like experimenting you can add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce or a fine amount of garlic.
Perfect grilling
The grill should be properly heated to a high temperature. This will ensure that the meat will have a beautiful crust while remaining juicy (it won't dry out). Turn the burger only once, when the brown crust has formed on the underside. Turning too often can lead to loss of juices. Grilling in the Big Green Egg (BGE) is incredibly easy. The range of foods you can prepare in this grill is very large. In addition to juicy burgers, you can also enjoy roast duck, ribs or pies thanks to the BGE. You can also find out more about grills and grilling in our blog The grill replaces the kitchen.
Choosing the right roast
Soft and subtly sweet, a thick bun is ideal because it won't sink under heavy ingredients and still remains delicious. Don't cut the bun evenly in half, but leave the bottom layer of the bun thicker. Lightly toast the bread on a grill or griddle to give it a slightly crispy surface to prevent sogging from the juices.
The hamburger is served on Bonna porcelain, Ore Mar model
Delivering a cheesy flavour
Add a slice of cheese to the hamburger a minute before the end of grilling and cover with a lid to melt it perfectly. Cheddar is a classic for burgers, but you can experiment with blue mould cheese, Swiss Emmental or creamy brie, for example.
Fresh and quality ingredients
Make your own sauce with mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and a little seasoning. Use fresh ingredients. Tomatoes, lettuce, onions and cucumbers should be fresh and tasty. Caramelised onions add a touch of perfection to the burger.
Berndorf Profi-line vegetable knife and Berndorf cutting board
Resting the burger before serving is important
Let the burger rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. This distributes the juices evenly and keeps the meat juicy.
During these 2-3 minutes when the burger patties are resting, they are not yet in the bun. Ideally, the meat should rest on its own, just on a plate or griddle, away from direct heat. You can use foil to cover, but you must cover properly with a so-called loose cover, so that excess warm air can escape. The loose covering will also help to keep the juices in the meat without softening the surface of the patty or losing its crispy crust.
This short resting time will allow the juices that have concentrated in the centre of the meat during grilling to be evenly distributed throughout the patty. This results in a juicier and tastier burger. If you were to put the patty into the bun immediately after grilling, some of the juices could be absorbed into the bun, causing the bun to soggy and the burger to be less juicy.
So, let the meat rest first and only then put it in the bun and add the other ingredients.
Wooden cutting board, Berndorf
Once you feel like a true burger master, you can start experimenting and add caramelized onions, a fried egg, browned bacon or pickled jalapeños to your burger for extra flavor. It's nice if you involve your guests in cooking together. Allow them to choose their own ingredients and create the perfect burger just for them.
A good burger is also made and enjoyed with good kitchen helpers. You can buy these at www.berndorf.sk. Of course, we know that the hamburger is eaten with your hands, but if by chance someone isn't comfortable with that method, you can offer them steak cutlery.
We wish you a good taste.
