Burgers 101

A couple of months ago we hosted a game of flashlight tag at the farm. Yes, I said flashlight tag, and it's still just as fun as when we were kids. Except, I'm a lot slower now. It was a really fun time and a really good excuse for me to make cook out food.

I had recently learned everything I'd want to know about hamburgers in the book Tips Cooks Love: Over 500 Tips, Techniques, and Shortcuts That Will Make You a Better Cook! and was excited to put my new knowledge into practice.

A lot of people use ground round beef, as that is what is most commonly packaged in grocery stories. Everyone differs in their preference of cut, but it seems that ground chuck is most preferred by cooks. It has a fat content of 20%, which makes very juicy burgers. To be honest, I usually use ground turkey when I'm cooking for my husband and I and beef for everyone else. Ground turkey just feels lighter and healthier, though it's not for everyone.

When I make burgers I usually add paprika, Worcestershire sauce, garlic or onion powder, and salt and pepper to the meat. For turkey burgers, it's also a good idea to add in bread crumbs and some olive oil to give moisture and hold the burgers together well. You can make a 2 inch burger as your tester to see if you need to increase your sauce or spices. When mixing together the meat and ingredients and when making the patties, make sure you don't over work the meat. Too much heat from your hands can remove the fat from the beef that gives it it's juiciness. After you make your patty, it's good to make a little dent in the center with your thumb to help the burger to cook fairly flat instead of puffing up into a ball. Also, try to to resist pushing the burgers down to make them cook quicker on the grill- this will squeeze out all those yummy juices.

Tomorrow we'll talk fries :]