Made my own burgers at last!

[Leviakhan]

Yep....finally did it...got myself a quarter pounder burger press from Lakeland, it does the job (but I do prefer a thinner burger) and made my burgers myself.

The willing guinea pigs loved them, and also ranted about how lovely they were on facebook as well...which was nice!

However the charcoal nearly went out after the first batch, now I am grilling with the lid of my Weber on but with all vents open....but i'm sure I read somewhere that is the way to do it?

Anyone got any grilling tips when it comes to burgers?

Oh and next time i'm using pre-cooked crispy bacon cuting into small square, mozarella cheese and beef mince for the next batch.

My first batch of burgers fresh out the press

First batch of burgers by Leviakhan, on Flickr

And just before they were going to be flipped

First batch of burgers by Leviakhan, on Flickr

[markd]

I'm no expert but my lot love home made burgers so I make them fairly frequently, if you want thinner burgers just put less mix into your press just cause it's a quarter pound press doesn't mean that's the amount you need to put into it, if you weigh your burger balls, before you press them you'll get a more consistent/uniform end product.
I sometimes press out a thin burger put a slice of cheese on it then press another one on top, instant cheese 'in' burgers kids love em.
Seasoning is important or they can taste quite bland, you need to experiment with various herbs spices etc to get the flavour you prefer, might get some not so great results but it's part of the experience bit like sausage making some strange sounding mixes actually taste pretty good.
I often add a small amount of pork into the mix to give it a higher fat content helps on the bbq to keep them moist, also try to make them in advance and then pop them in the fridge to chill them I've found this helps to keep their form and hold them together, as for the cooking indirect heat is better, if the burgers are right over the coals they will cook quickly and if your not right on top of them they can burn and dry out.
Buying pre-minced beef, pork, venison is more convenient but you can end up with small bits of bone or gristle so if I've got time I mince my own, small hand held mincer is all you need.
Have fun, happy munching.

Mark.

[Vic.]

super job Dave, yours look a lot tidier than mine did. I made some on thursday, bashed mine with a heavy saucepan to make them round and separated them with tinfoil.....will have to buy some of those greaseproof circles.

mine worked out at 50p/burger.....that's a good price I thought.

[All Weather Griller]

Looking good Vic. Top tip from me: Don't squeeze them on the grill (You know press down with the flipper so the fat comes out).. ever!

[adm]

Good stuff! Nice looking burgers.

My burger tips are (all are purely based on my preferences alone):

1) Grind your own beef - so you know what cuts are in the mix
I use 50% chuck (braising steak), 25% sirloin, 25% brisket. This isn't the cheapest way to do it, but it makes a great burger. Yes, it's a pain, but the results speak for themselves. The chuck gives good base flavour with enough fat to avoid the burger drying out, the sirloin gives a nice rich creamy taste and the brisket adds a little sharpness to counterbalance it. Experiment and find what you like best though.

2) Grind your own beef - so you can get the texture exactly how you like it
I like to cube the meat into approx 1" pieces, stick it in the freezer to firm up for a while, then give it a single pass through a coarse plate on the mincer. Your mileage may vary

3) Don't season or add any filler to the burger itself
At least not when you're making it - with the possible exception of chilli. Salt and pepper should be added just before cooking. A good burger needs nothing else in the burger itself. Anything else you want can be added with the bun and fixings.

4) Cook really hot, for a short time only - direct heat as hot as you can go.
Perversely, I find the best way to cook burgers is on a flat skillet type surface - preferably stainless steel (stainless plate on top of a hot charcoal grill works well). But it needs to be really, really hot - and if you have a flat cooking surface, then you DO need to press down on the burger with a fish slice or similar. This will maximise the contact area and give you the maximum amount of that lovely Maillard reaction caramelisation.

If you are grilling over charcoal on a regular wire grill - then as the previous poster says, DO NOT press down on the burger. But do cook direct (some things shouldn't be cooked indirectly) and cook as hot for a burger as you would for a steak.

I like 2 mins maximum on each side, flip 'em then get 'em off. Maillard on the outside, pink in the middle. They should be dripping juice....

5) Good buns really make the difference.
Split 'em, brush lightly with melted butter or olive oil and toast them on the grill for 30 secs or so to get some texture.

Oh god, I wish you hadn't posted about burgers.....Ive been chasing the perfect burger for years and now I'mm hungry just thinking about it..

[Chris__M]

3) Don't season or add any filler to the burger itself
At least not when you're making it - with the possible exception of chilli. Salt and pepper should be added just before cooking. A good burger needs nothing else in the burger itself. Anything else you want can be added with the bun and fixings.

I have to say I disagree, although each to his own. I believe burgers made with a proportion of breadcrumb or rusk hold themselves in shape on the grill better and have a lot more flavour than 100% beef.

Having made my burgers, I then make an indentation in the middle of each one - this prevents the burgers from doming while cooking, and again helps them keep their shape.

[adm]

I used to add some breadcrumb - and chopped onion, herbs and also an egg sometimes too........but my ongoing years of experimentation have proven that for my tastes nothing beats 100% beef. Good beef.

[LM600]

Simple recipe for burgers...

500g 80/20 mince
2 Buns
Salady topping stuff...this includes bacon
2 hands
2 pieces greaseproof paper

Q
Charcoal
Mesquite

Half the mince into 250g balls

Flatten into patties

Wrap in greaseproof

Put in fridge

Light Q

Sling burgers on

Flip and throw on mesquite

Lid on

Lid off and assemble

[Swindon_Ed]

Simple recipe for burgers...

500g 80/20 mince
2 Buns
Salady topping stuff...this includes bacon
2 hands
2 pieces greaseproof paper

Q
Charcoal
Mesquite

Half the mince into 250g balls

Flatten into patties

Wrap in greaseproof

Put in fridge

Light Q

Sling burgers on

Flip and throw on mesquite

Lid on

Lid off and assemble

I think one very important stage has been missed here.

After throwing the burgers on the grill, open a beer and relax

[nickdel]

I'm with Chris on this. Also, I prefer to season and add other flavourings to my burgers as I mix. This way the flavour of the meat is enhanced and developed throughout the burger and to me, leadsto a better flavour.
I grill mine on my ProQ without the water tray but keep the burgers some way above the coals so as they don't cook too quickly and with the lid on.
My lot love 'em!!!