Hamburger specialists on the board?

V

vicki-in-tucson

Well-known member
My favorite place for hamburgers doesn't use any seasoning and claim their secret is the "grind" they order special from the butcher. Does anyone have any ideas as to what the ideal ratio or grind is? I'm not trying to duplicate their burgers but mine aren't even tasty, so any hints are appreciated.

Vicki

 
Vicki, more inside, and COL

The link is for the Sutter Home Build-A-Better-Burger contest, with hints for making flavorful burgers, and take a peek at the recipes if you want ideas for flavor-added burgers (I get lots of ideas from their contest).

I can't help with traditional beef burgers, except to say up the amount of fat in your burger for more flavor, I generally make mine from ground turkey and get additional flavor from adding finely minced (in the food processor, really quick) roasted red bell peppers or mushrooms, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs to mix into mine... they're so flavorful and moist noone seems to realize they're made with turkey... but they're not a 'classic' burger if that's what you're seeking. Hopefully there'll be a beef burger expert who can help out but, in the meantime, check out that website...

R.

http://buildabetterburger.sutterhome.com/guidelines.html

 
Rec: Hollywood Cheeseburgers. I'm not a specialist, but this is my favorite beef burger.

My Notes:

I make these burgers using Edam cheese and
cooked white mushrooms (use your favorites). These have been a big hit at barbeques and I just love the tarragon in these! I also use tarragon in scrambled eggs and omelets.

Make sure you use granulated garlic. This recipe works best if you use a quarter pound hamburger press.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

From: Weber's Recipe of the Week

Hollywood Cheeseburgers with Mushrooms and Brie

Here's what happens when a mild-mannered
cheeseburger decides to get dressed up and party wildly with his swanky, celebrity friends. Oh, what a night!

Direct/Medium


For the burgers:

1 ounce dried mushrooms, such
as shiitake
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (80%
lean)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin
olive oil
1 tablespoon dried tarragon

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce
2 ounces brie cheese, rind
removed


4 leaves of green/red lettuce
4 hamburger rolls
Mustard
Ketchup


To prepare the burgers: In a medium bowl,
soak the mushrooms in boiling
hot water until soft, about 45 minutes.
Drain the mushroom and squeeze
out the excess water. Finely chop the
mushrooms and place them in a
medium bowl. Add all the remaining burger
ingredients, except the
cheese, and mix well with your fingers
until evenly distributed. Shape
the meat into four equal-sized balls.
Divide the cheese into four
equal-sized pieces. With your forefinger,
make a dimple in the center of
each ball of meat and insert a piece of
cheese. Close the meat over the
cheese. Gently press the meat into patties
of equal size and thickness
(about 3/4 inch thick).
Grill the patties over Direct Medium heat
until fully cooked, but not so
long that the cheese starts to seep out of
the patties, 8 to 10 minutes,
turning once halfway through grilling time.
During the last 30 seconds,
grill the buns over Direct Medium heat
until lightly toasted.
Serve the burgers hot on toasted buns with
lettuce. Provide mustard and
ketchup as condiments.

Makes 4 servings

more recipes

 
I use ground beef with 20% fat and add these things to my burgers

I prefer to put stuff in my burger mix. I also know that the quality of the bun makes a huge difference in the final product. I usually make my own buns because what I can find here is not that great- but I have been known to take refrigerated breadstick dough, coil and pat to make bun halves, bake four halves together to make two buns with great success. Pillsbury does it again.

Here is what I put in my burger mix- things that don't overpower the meat but enhance it. I like serloin to start with. Sometimes I grind it myself, adding beef fat and bacon to the grind.

low sodium soy sauce
chopped onion
chopped garlic
cracked pepper

If I am making a big batch of them I will put in an egg. Never any "fill" like bread crumbs.

 
Geez Cathy, maybe you could win a million bucks from Pillsbury with your creative

use of their Bread Sticks!!

 
Dawn, it binds the mixture but you have to be careful that

you don't add too much egg to make it sloppy. Think of a fried egg and how it "hardens" as it cooks- same idea in the burger mixture- it holds it together so the burger doesn't fall apart on the grill.

 
We love burger's and here's one of our favorites. Rec:Sante Fe Burger>>>

There is a very famous little Inter coastal waterway grill restaurant in Hollywood Fl. called "Le Tub". Decor? Toilets and toilet seats everywhere. We used to go on our boat and stop for the burger. Now after becoming famous the wait for the burger is 40 minutes to over an hour. They say they use only ground sirloin, no salt or pepper. And they HATE it that they have become so famous! Like Cathy, I also use 20% fat.
Anyway, we love these Sante Fe burgers.
Wish you could see the picture. They are so moist and tasty.

Sante Fe Burger
Recipe By : Womens Day

Serving Size : 4

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 cup Mexican blend of 4 cheeses -- divided
1/2 cup Thick & Chunky salsa
1/4 cup crushed tortilla chips
1/4 cup green onions -- thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

In medium bowl, combine ground meat, cheese, salsa, tortilla chips, green onions, cumin, chili powder and garlic salt; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2" patties and grill. Place on grilled hamburger guns and top with remaining cheese and salsa. Serve with lettuce and tomato.

Note: I use Old El Paso Thick & Chunky Salsa

 
I like 85/15, but don't grind it myself. Favorite additions are...

ketchup and mustard, right there into the raw mixture before cooking, usually some bread crumbs to lighten it up a little, and just salt and pepper. That's it. They usually come out very juicy and flavorful.

 
Cathy, I think even I...the most inept baker possible...could make buns this>>>

way and I'm keen on giving it a try. I love the onion buns and wonder how I could do that? They are little pieces of onion, caramelized and on the tops and bottom. Would I caramelize them first and add them part way into the baking time? Or put them on at the start? Wouldn't they burn? TIA for any advice and thanks for such a neat idea.

 
Far from a hambuerger specialist - but I prefer a higher-fat burger for the flavor, so use 80/20, &

add quite a bit of Montreal Seasoning to the meat. This makes a nicely seasoned burger.

Another fav burger is to add finely minced onion to the meat - it adds a nice zing.

I'm usually too lazy to do this - hence the Montreal Seasoning.

 
This made a fabulous burger - bacon fat enriched! REC: The Ultimate Burger

The Ultimate Burger

8 strips bacon
1-2 slices white sandwich bread, crust removed and discarded, remaining bread cut into 1/2inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 large garlic cloves, very finely minced
Vegetable oil for grill rack

1) Fry bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels. Spoon 3 T. bacon fat into heatproof bowl and place in fridge while preparing other ingredients.
2) Place bread in small bowl, add milk, and let mixture sit until saturated, about 5 minutes. Using fork, mash bread and milk until it forms smooth paste. Break up beef into small pieces in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then add garlic, bread paste, and reserved bacon fat. Using for or hands, lightly knead together so that ingredients are well incorporated and mixture forms cohesive mass. Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Using hands, toss each portion of meat back and forth to form loose ball, then gently flatten each ball into ¾ inch-thick patty.
3) Oil cooking grate and grill burger over very hot fire, without pressing down on them, until well seared on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve, topped with bacon, if desired.

Serves 4

Source: Cook’s Country, June/July 2005

 
By the way, the burgers from Omaha Steaks are really good >>>

especially if you get them on sale!

I think an important thing to note is that your burger should really be thin, so that it cooks quickly and through completely (unless you really trust our beef!!!), and Never Never Never press down on them while they are cooking. it squishs all the juices out - can't tell you how many times I see people do this - it's some sort of bad instict!!

If the rain stops, we're grilling burgers on Memorial Day weekend...

 
This is also how my H makes them. Friends have named them after him, they are so good. He also adds

some BBQ sauce to the meat.

But I just noticed you have no egg in yours. How do they stay together?

Anyway, it's the bacon that is key.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top