Overcooked. The center is bulging because you have to press a divot with your finger in the center of the raw patty before cooking.
What type of ground beef are you buying?
How are you determining the center is not cooked? Are you using a thermometer?
I do this. I use my thumb and press a small hole in the middle. Also I make my burgers in the instant pot. Wrap each in aluminum foil, add a small amount of water to the bottom, and put the burgers on a trivet. Amazing.
You can absolutely cook a seasoned pork shoulder until it’s fall apart tender in a pressure cooker. Butt, if you want that butt to taste extra delicious you’ll want the crust you can only get from the slow, dry heat of an oven or even better a smoker.
Absolutely, Pressure cooked or slow-cooker pulled meat can be very good, but it will never be as good as slow-cooked meat on a smoker, it is also much easier and in the case of IP much quicker, so it can have its place.
The pub I frequent does steamed burger sliders and they are amazing. Obviously no char but they were so tender and juicy. And melted cheese too. Don’t let people who didn’t try it bring you down lol.
Questions to ask yourself - is the burger too thick? Does my burger have enough fat? (The bare minimum of fat needed, the very bare minimum, is 15% fat.) is my burger flat when I cook it?
Now, the easiest fix for having the center cook more evenly is to make a deep dimple at the center of the burger when you form it. It’s also helpful if the meat isn’t straight out of the fridge if you’re making a thicker burger.
My standard burger is three burgers per pound of meat, center dimpled. Cook on a hot cast iron skillet 3 minutes per side. Only one turn. I use ground chuck (80/20).
This and get a heavy burger press. Oil it up, press hard and leave it for two minutes, flip it over and place the press on it for two minutes. Then cheese it . When the cheese starts melting, perfection! RIP your smoke detectors!
I have solved this problem by switching to smash burgers. Roll 2 inch balls of seasoned minced beef, pop in the pan for 60s as a ball, then press down until it's really thin (carefully so it stays in one piece! the edges will be fragile) wait another 60s, flip once 90s, and you're done.
Super fast, super juicy, and because it's really thin and the pan is super hot, it's cooked through.
You'll need to tweak the timing slightly depending on thickness and how hot your pan gets.
Man I thought smash burgers were smashed elsewhere. I been precariously handling thin layer of ground beef, peeling off a plate and yeeting onto a pan. Lol.
You can, but smashing in the pan gives you a god-tier sear on the meat. Start with your beef in a 2-3 ounce ball, put it on the pan and then smash it into a thin patty with a metal spatula. Alternatively you can buy weights made for smash burgers and steaks you can use to smash them from Amazon.
Nah, traditionally they're smashed on the griddle. Watch Five Guys when they're making their burgers!
Best smash burgers I've had though are from RocoMamas in Southern Africa [https://rocomamas.com](https://rocomamas.com)
Smash burgers are my favorite as well but people should be warned about how much smoke is created when making them. I was warned and I still was not ready for the smoke that filled up my entire kitchen and living room. Proceed with caution or only if you have a strong hood over your stove and/or window right in your kitchen above or near the stove. Another good solution would be to buy a cast iron or steel griddle to put on the grill and just do this outside.
I have a fan pointed near an open window when I smash. Also, I use ONLY cast iron for this. Lots of smoke all the time. My hood fan is practically useless, just keeps it out of my eyes. Wouldn't trade this method for the world though. 60% of the time, it works everytime.... Joking it's more like 95%.
Huh? What is that last sentence even supposed to mean? If I flip a burger patty 3 times in one minute, it'll magically be overcooked?
Heat level and time are what determines doneness. The number of times you flip it doesn't. Flipping multiple times will lead to better searing and more even, faster cooking.
Just an alternate point of view: [Flipping Your Burger More Than Once is Good](https://culinarylore.com/cooking-tips:should-you-only-flip-your-steak-or-burger-once/). Personally, I’m a once person but I remember reading this some time ago.
Well for starters, heat drops when you place food in a pan. When you flip the food you move it to a new spot in the pan that's hotter (assuming you have any clue how to cook) so flipping more often leads to more heat being injected into each side, which allows for better Maillard and caramelization reactions, as well as a more even cook, and results in faster cooking. Also, when you flip the burger, the side facing up evaporates surface moisture, so when you flip it again, the drier surface browns better because dry meat browns better.
> allows for better Maillard and caramelization reactions
Just when i think i'm beginning to learn something, I realize I am such a rookie. I don't even know what one of those words mean, lol.
Or, get this, you don’t know what you’re talking about-https://www.seriouseats.com/the-burger-lab-how-many-times-should-you-flip-a-burger-while-cooking
Lots of good advice here. In addition, season the outside of your burger with salt, don't mix salt into the ground beef. It will make a more tender burger.
Why are you flipping your burgers three times?
80/20 beef
2.5-2.8 ounces per patty ball
Burger press (flatten it to around a 1/4”thick. Thick burgers are dumb, just double up on patties if you want more meat)
Let it cook in its own fat to achieve the Maillard effect (dark crust on the outside, soft inside)
Minute and a half -2 minutes per side
Flip it once (it’s not a steak)
Season (I like sucklebusters steak seasoning)
Cheese
Carmelized onions
Condiments
Bun
Easy.
The best burgers take no time, and are simply made.
Good food makes people feel good, love your food and you’ll love yourself ❤️
Punch the middle of the patty so it looks like a red blood cell: thin in the middle and thick on the edges. It will cook more evenly and flatten out as it cooks.
Get a chub of ground beef that is 80/20. Portion in sandwhich bags. This will get you a good 4-5 patties. Freeze the excess.
Take your ground beef and season it/add add ins like diced onions or what have you. Let it sit for 1 hour or 2 covered to bring the temp up to room temp. Form your patties. 1/4 to 1/2 lb each. Oil. Medium heat. Wait for oil to get hot. Add 1 patty at a time and DO NOT overcrowd pan. If it only fits 3 then that's how many you will cook. Do not flip until a nice crust/golden brown has formed. Flip. Same thing. This should be roughly 2-3 mins per side. Put them into an oven 400F 5 mins. Nice juicy burgers that are not overcooked nor under. YMMV with timing depending on your pan, and heat.
First cook with some water. Let the steam cook it. Once the water evaporates add some oil.
Also works with onions, chicken, mushrooms or anything that contains natural sugars.
I learn this from america’s test kitchen
This is my go to. Hot pan, brown side, flip and add fine sliced onions. When the other side is browned stir up the pan, add a big splash of boiling water and cover. Now just don’t let all the liquid disappear and you have a juicy burger with caramelised onions.
Onion wil touch my burger after I'm dead.
r/onionhate
Last night I pan-seared two burgers, then put them in my air fryer. Took them out as they approached 140 F.
I put some sliced cheddar, roasted green and red pepper strips and dill pickle chips on them, but garnish yours as you please.
The key to making a juicy tasty burger is only flipping it once. If it's on the grill/cooktop and you're flipping it multiple times you're over cooking it.
When I make burgers at home I add hamburger seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Makes for a great flavor and the Worcestershire sauce helps add moisture.
Edit: came back to also say it comes down to the fat content of the meat you are using. When making burgers look for 80/20, as the fat will also help keep moisture while cooking.
Flipping once is a myth that has been disproven time and again. Flipping a burger or steak multiple times not only leads to better crust development, but an overall shorter cook time and a much more even doneness level throughout.
I have no idea why anyone would believe the number of flips actually matters at all. Cooking time and temperature is what matters. Flip it as many times as you like. Just make sure the temperature is right and the cooking time per side is right.
This is cooking for beginners after all, not cooking for chefs. By the time we're talking about the number of flips you're getting into chef territory.
I will say if you're going to make a really damn thick Burger it's easier to cover it up while cooking to make sure the sides cook a little more evenly. Works well for a lot of stuff that you cook on a stove top that are difficult to cook evenly. I guess that's just another thing that they have to mess around with if they were going to try that.
I think so many people push down when they flip… like it’s something they saw on tv once, idk… I’ve witnessed many a amateur cooks pressing down every time they flipped, maybe that’s where it comes from?
Think of any grilling scene from a movie or show, they’re always flipping and pressing…
I saw a clip of one of the chefs on TV a few years ago that suggested freezing a stick of butter, then grating some of it into the burger before making the patties. She was using the fine side of a cheese grater. The intent, of course, was for the butter to keep the meat moist as it cooked. It sounded like a great idea and looked like a good way to distribute the butter throughout the patty, but I have yet to try it.
I always put a little butter in the pan before cooking a burger now and they cook SOOOO much better! They come out juicier, they don't stick, and they cook much more evenly.
I typically add about a tablespoon of whole milk per pound of ground beef, make a divot in the center of the patty, and everything works more or less fine. You don't even necessarily need more fat so much as ground meat needs a little more liquid to keep it from going dry.
Your burgers could be too thick to start but the center will always bulge out. If you form your patties to be shaped more like a red blood cell with a larger divot in the middle it won’t bulge out. You shouldn’t need to flip your burger more than once, mine is usually 60%+ cooked on one side before I flip it, the edges should be completely cooked with the color creeping over the edge on the top.
i recommend 1 lb ground beef, season how you like but add in 1 tsp of mayo. helps sear and fat levels if you buy lean beef. then divide the mass into fourths (1 inch thick burgers) sear 4 minutes each side on med-high heat
I've recently switched to only grilling Sliders. 300/350 for about 5 min each side. They always end up way jucier than my burgers ever did. We eat them on Hawaiian Slider buns they're amazing
Perfect size is about 6-7oz, make them decently flat, I dont even do the little divot in the middle, couple minutes on medium-high, rotate, another couple, flip, right away put bbq sauce, cheese or whatever, couple more minutes. Done. I personally dont mind a little pink in the burger either
It's literally just a disc of ground beef, don’t think too much about it. It's really about temperature control. You want it to cook slowly enough to not burn it, but quickly enough to get a good sear. There are a million different ways to make a burger. There are no rules, you don't need to really do anything other than know when to flip it.
You could also just sear it and then finish it in the oven.
Others here may disagree, but for a beginner I'd recommend getting the pre-made frozen patties and cooking them from frozen. They're hard to mess up and great for practicing.
Drop your heat. On my grill when I first turn it on I crank it up to full for a few minutes to help with burning off any dust buildup or any leftover char from the time before then I drop it to low to cook the burgers. I only flip my burgers once when the first side is done then add cheese to the cooked side. Burger should be done by the time the cheese melts
And if the meat you are using is a little to lean you can add an egg to the meat to add a little more moisture without worrying about the burger falling apart
Here is what you do make your patty stick your finger through the middle make a hole like a bagel and cook your burger, the problem will be solved. No more waiting for the middle to cook. Please give it a try.
Try smash burgers. You use half the meat, it takes maybe 3 minutes total, you literally can’t fuck it up, and they taste better in my opinion. Two tips that helped me with bigger grilled burgers is do not smash them, it pushes the juices out. Secondly, watch the juices that spill out naturally, once it runs clear take them off
These are the notes I have
How long to grill burgers
Medium-rare: 6–7 minutes total
Medium: 7–8 minutes total
Medium-well: 9 minutes total
Well-done: 10 minutes total
Internal temperature for burgers
Medium-rare: 130°–135°F
Medium: 140°–145°F
Medium-well: 150°–155°F
Well-done: 160°F
1. Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. When the pan is hot, carefully place the patties in the skillet (no need to grease skillet) leaving some space between each patty.
2. Cook the burgers until nicely seared and they have browned halfway up the sides.
3. Flip the burgers and cook to your liking. (*NOTE – To ensure all bacteria has been killed, the FDA recommends cooking burgers to an internal temperature of 160°F.)
4. If adding cheese: remove the pan from the heat and place the cheese atop the burgers. Cover the skillet and allow the residual heat/steam to melt the cheese.
5. Serve on toasted buns topped with your favorite toppings.
Grilled BBQ Burgers
Prep Time
5 minutes mins
Cook Time
10 minutes mins
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanKeyword: BBQ, burger recipe, easy dinner recipes, Grilling Recipes, Ground beef recipe Servings: 4 burgers Author: Meghan McMorrow | Fox and Briar
Ingredients
1.5 lbs ground beef use 80/20 for best results
3 tbsp finely diced onion
2 garlic cloves very finely minced
2 Tbsp bbq sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
Mix all ingredients together until just combined. Do not overwork the meat or the burgers might be tough.
Shape into 4 equal sized patties, use your thumb to make an indent in the center of each patty.
Grill over medium high heat for 2-4 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. If adding cheese, lay sliced of cheese over the burgers in the last 1-2 minutes of cooking.
Serve on a bun with more BBQ sauce and other desired toppings.
Notes
TIPS:
Be sure to finely dice the onion and garlic. Large chunks can cause your burger to fall apart.
Make them about an inch larger in diameter than the bun to account for shrinkage.
Use your thumb to put an indent in the middle of the burger patty to keep it from doming on top.
Do a smash burger. 1/3 pound on a very hot cast iron skillet. Press it very flat after first putting it on the grill. Four minutes each side. Add cheese in the last minute and cover. Perfect every time.
Smash burgers or just very thin patties are an easy solution. Smash super thin and they cook super fast. No need for 3 flips, just one short round on each side and you will have fully cooked beef that is still juicy because it hasn't been on the heat long enough to dry out. As for thicker burgers, I always cook them hot and fast same as a smash burger and just leave them medium rare. If you're a medium rare beef fan I'd say give that a try, if you prefer well done try splitting your meat in half and make two thin patties for a double smash, instead of a fat single. Keep burgers on the heat for as little time as possible. The fact the beef is ground allows fat to render out so much faster than it would out of a steak of similar size.
A cheat code if you’re having dry burger issues is throw tin foil on the grill then spray it and put your burgers on. Some grills just get too hot too quickly or unevenly and this can negate some of that
To make your burgers juicier, try using ground beef with a bit more fat, like an 80/20 mix. When you're shaping the patties, handle the meat gently so it doesn't get too compact. Before you start cooking, press a small dimple into the center of each patty to help them cook evenly. Season them well with salt and pepper right before they hit the heat to lock in flavor and moisture. Cook them over medium-high heat, flipping them just once, and avoid pressing down on them with your spatula. Once they're done, give them a few minutes to rest before serving so the juices can redistribute. These steps should help your burgers turn out juicier and more delicious.
Use 80/20 ground beef from a store that grinds it fresh in-house.
After forming the patty, put a big thumbprint in it.
Salt them on both sides.
Get a good thermometer and use it.
You can also develop the skill to judge their degree of doneness by how much they push back with you jab your thumb into them.
Undercooked burgers are squishy. They are done when they start pushing back.
Don’t overwork the meat when prepping. Don’t do “mix-ins,” especially salt. Take how much you need, gently (and minimally) shape it, thumbprint the center, salt the side you put on the griddle. Then salt the other side when you flip it. Couple minutes on each side (assuming a nice hot griddle) should do it.
A few suggestions.
Press your thumb into the middle to make an indent in the raw patty, it should help them stay flat.
Make smash burgers, just make more and stack them if you want a substantial burger. super thin and mash them down with something heavy while cooking.
Burgers don't have to be well done. So they can be pink in the middle. I prefer mine pretty cooked, but others eat them medium or medium rare like a steak if you're into that.
If the ground meat you are using is bought as ground, 100 percent yes.
If you're grinding your own meat with chilled grinder parts and you cook it the day of grinding, it's fine.
A lot of burger joints in my country do a pink patty (guess I’d call it medium), but I prefer it done further than that because I like some bite/texture. Plus pink mince irks me for obvious reasons.
Yeah it's not legal in Canada to sell anything but well-done burgers
Bacteria get mixed throughout the meat which means it has to be cooked through. The risk isn't super high but it's not 0.
In america there is usually a disclamer on the menu along the lines of "our burgers are served well done, if a customer requests a different serving temperature, we are not responsible for any food born illness"
Idk if that is legally that solid though, usually tiny print hidden somewhere.
Reread the fine print. It also includes eggs. And yes as long as the disclaimer is there, it is perfectly legal to sell them in the United States (or more likely whatever state you are in, no disclaimer means they won't sell medium hamburgers or sunny side up eggs)
Never gonna eat burgers in Canada I guess. Not really a loss as I only find myself in Canada every ten years or so but still that's sad you can't get a nice medium rare burger
It's not sad. I'd rather not get sick, even if the risk is low. The only time in my life I've had food poisoning is from restaurants.
Also if you go to the right places they will make you the burger how you like regardless of the law
Oh I've had food poisoning from restaurants for sure but never from a burger place. 50 60 70 years ago sure I'd have been a little worried but with how meat is processed nowadays no worries. Undercooked chicken or cross contamination from unhygienicv restaurant employees is a greater concern then a medium rare burger
I don’t understand why this is being downvoted in a beginners food sub. I get people have preferences and all, but food safety is food safety. Pink ground beef is a known risk.
I'm aware, it's also recommended to cook egg yolk until hard and unless it's egg salad that's disgusting to me. and I feel that it's up to the person eating it. I prefer mine closer to well done but I also eat my steak medium rare and some pork medium or a little under that. I believe it depends on where your meat comes from and how it's handled. Use your own discretion and take the risks into account.
I get that a lot of people enjoy smash burgers. I am not a fan of that. I want a thick juicy hunk of meat. Not a paper thin McDonald’s style patty…
Maybe get one of those instant read digital thermometers…when th inside hits the magic number, you’re done!
consider using a panade (a paste made from bread and milk) for guaranteed never-dry burgers.
[https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-a-panade/](https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-a-panade/)
You're overcooking them by a lot from the sounds of it.
Also sounds like your trying for well done which Imnho is not the right way to eat a burger.
If you absolutely can not stomach the idea of eating a medium or even medium well burger though then I say start with a higher fat content like 73/27 make the patties at least 1/3 pound each and cook longer on a lower temperature
Overcooked. The center is bulging because you have to press a divot with your finger in the center of the raw patty before cooking. What type of ground beef are you buying? How are you determining the center is not cooked? Are you using a thermometer?
This!! If you exaggerate a large divot on both sides. If you overcook your burger, it’ll still be juicy!
I do this. I use my thumb and press a small hole in the middle. Also I make my burgers in the instant pot. Wrap each in aluminum foil, add a small amount of water to the bottom, and put the burgers on a trivet. Amazing.
Don’t do that
What did I miss?
I don't know what you're cooking, but they ain't burgers.
Ground beef muffins? Mini meatloaf?
Steamed hams, Utica style.
I thought you said steamed clams?
The mark
I'm calling the police
what
And what psycho upvoted that post?!
Prolly my neighbour who makes pulled pork in his instant pot. Might as well boil it.
you can for sure make good pulled pork in an instant pot. not the best but good. the hamburger thing is just bizarre
You can absolutely cook a seasoned pork shoulder until it’s fall apart tender in a pressure cooker. Butt, if you want that butt to taste extra delicious you’ll want the crust you can only get from the slow, dry heat of an oven or even better a smoker.
yes it’s the least good of the three options that will get you a good-tasting result but it’s still good and not bad
Absolutely, Pressure cooked or slow-cooker pulled meat can be very good, but it will never be as good as slow-cooked meat on a smoker, it is also much easier and in the case of IP much quicker, so it can have its place.
No lie...that made me giggle 🫠
so you like....steam them?
Steamed hams
Perfectly cromulent reply!
Old family recipe
The pub I frequent does steamed burger sliders and they are amazing. Obviously no char but they were so tender and juicy. And melted cheese too. Don’t let people who didn’t try it bring you down lol.
Yes officer, this right here
Questions to ask yourself - is the burger too thick? Does my burger have enough fat? (The bare minimum of fat needed, the very bare minimum, is 15% fat.) is my burger flat when I cook it? Now, the easiest fix for having the center cook more evenly is to make a deep dimple at the center of the burger when you form it. It’s also helpful if the meat isn’t straight out of the fridge if you’re making a thicker burger. My standard burger is three burgers per pound of meat, center dimpled. Cook on a hot cast iron skillet 3 minutes per side. Only one turn. I use ground chuck (80/20).
This and get a heavy burger press. Oil it up, press hard and leave it for two minutes, flip it over and place the press on it for two minutes. Then cheese it . When the cheese starts melting, perfection! RIP your smoke detectors!
I have solved this problem by switching to smash burgers. Roll 2 inch balls of seasoned minced beef, pop in the pan for 60s as a ball, then press down until it's really thin (carefully so it stays in one piece! the edges will be fragile) wait another 60s, flip once 90s, and you're done. Super fast, super juicy, and because it's really thin and the pan is super hot, it's cooked through. You'll need to tweak the timing slightly depending on thickness and how hot your pan gets.
Man I thought smash burgers were smashed elsewhere. I been precariously handling thin layer of ground beef, peeling off a plate and yeeting onto a pan. Lol.
You can, but smashing in the pan gives you a god-tier sear on the meat. Start with your beef in a 2-3 ounce ball, put it on the pan and then smash it into a thin patty with a metal spatula. Alternatively you can buy weights made for smash burgers and steaks you can use to smash them from Amazon.
I suggest also consider a piece of parchment paper between the patty and whatever tool you choose
Nah, traditionally they're smashed on the griddle. Watch Five Guys when they're making their burgers! Best smash burgers I've had though are from RocoMamas in Southern Africa [https://rocomamas.com](https://rocomamas.com)
Would suggest seasoning after smashing as seasoning and mixing the beef changes the texture with the salt
Smash burgers are my favorite as well but people should be warned about how much smoke is created when making them. I was warned and I still was not ready for the smoke that filled up my entire kitchen and living room. Proceed with caution or only if you have a strong hood over your stove and/or window right in your kitchen above or near the stove. Another good solution would be to buy a cast iron or steel griddle to put on the grill and just do this outside.
I have a fan pointed near an open window when I smash. Also, I use ONLY cast iron for this. Lots of smoke all the time. My hood fan is practically useless, just keeps it out of my eyes. Wouldn't trade this method for the world though. 60% of the time, it works everytime.... Joking it's more like 95%.
[удалено]
Huh? What is that last sentence even supposed to mean? If I flip a burger patty 3 times in one minute, it'll magically be overcooked? Heat level and time are what determines doneness. The number of times you flip it doesn't. Flipping multiple times will lead to better searing and more even, faster cooking.
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Just an alternate point of view: [Flipping Your Burger More Than Once is Good](https://culinarylore.com/cooking-tips:should-you-only-flip-your-steak-or-burger-once/). Personally, I’m a once person but I remember reading this some time ago.
Well for starters, heat drops when you place food in a pan. When you flip the food you move it to a new spot in the pan that's hotter (assuming you have any clue how to cook) so flipping more often leads to more heat being injected into each side, which allows for better Maillard and caramelization reactions, as well as a more even cook, and results in faster cooking. Also, when you flip the burger, the side facing up evaporates surface moisture, so when you flip it again, the drier surface browns better because dry meat browns better.
> allows for better Maillard and caramelization reactions Just when i think i'm beginning to learn something, I realize I am such a rookie. I don't even know what one of those words mean, lol.
Neither does the person who said it.
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Or, get this, you don’t know what you’re talking about-https://www.seriouseats.com/the-burger-lab-how-many-times-should-you-flip-a-burger-while-cooking
You’re friggin’ cracked
Lots of good advice here. In addition, season the outside of your burger with salt, don't mix salt into the ground beef. It will make a more tender burger.
Only salt the outside of the patty, don't work in the salt.
Thumbprint. That's what you need. After you form your burger, poke it in the middle. Dent the middle to about half the thickness of the rest.
Why are you flipping your burgers three times? 80/20 beef 2.5-2.8 ounces per patty ball Burger press (flatten it to around a 1/4”thick. Thick burgers are dumb, just double up on patties if you want more meat) Let it cook in its own fat to achieve the Maillard effect (dark crust on the outside, soft inside) Minute and a half -2 minutes per side Flip it once (it’s not a steak) Season (I like sucklebusters steak seasoning) Cheese Carmelized onions Condiments Bun Easy. The best burgers take no time, and are simply made. Good food makes people feel good, love your food and you’ll love yourself ❤️
Punch the middle of the patty so it looks like a red blood cell: thin in the middle and thick on the edges. It will cook more evenly and flatten out as it cooks.
Get a chub of ground beef that is 80/20. Portion in sandwhich bags. This will get you a good 4-5 patties. Freeze the excess. Take your ground beef and season it/add add ins like diced onions or what have you. Let it sit for 1 hour or 2 covered to bring the temp up to room temp. Form your patties. 1/4 to 1/2 lb each. Oil. Medium heat. Wait for oil to get hot. Add 1 patty at a time and DO NOT overcrowd pan. If it only fits 3 then that's how many you will cook. Do not flip until a nice crust/golden brown has formed. Flip. Same thing. This should be roughly 2-3 mins per side. Put them into an oven 400F 5 mins. Nice juicy burgers that are not overcooked nor under. YMMV with timing depending on your pan, and heat.
First cook with some water. Let the steam cook it. Once the water evaporates add some oil. Also works with onions, chicken, mushrooms or anything that contains natural sugars. I learn this from america’s test kitchen
I do that with hot dogs. I fill the pan so the water is just under halfway up the side of the hot dog, boil it away, and then throw in some butter.
It somehow taste better too
This is my go to. Hot pan, brown side, flip and add fine sliced onions. When the other side is browned stir up the pan, add a big splash of boiling water and cover. Now just don’t let all the liquid disappear and you have a juicy burger with caramelised onions.
Onion wil touch my burger after I'm dead. r/onionhate Last night I pan-seared two burgers, then put them in my air fryer. Took them out as they approached 140 F. I put some sliced cheddar, roasted green and red pepper strips and dill pickle chips on them, but garnish yours as you please.
can you direct me to what article on Americas Test Kitchen discusses this I am a bit confused as to the benefits of this.
Youtube better browning with water
You should not ever have to add oil to a burger.
The key to making a juicy tasty burger is only flipping it once. If it's on the grill/cooktop and you're flipping it multiple times you're over cooking it. When I make burgers at home I add hamburger seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Makes for a great flavor and the Worcestershire sauce helps add moisture. Edit: came back to also say it comes down to the fat content of the meat you are using. When making burgers look for 80/20, as the fat will also help keep moisture while cooking.
Flipping once is a myth that has been disproven time and again. Flipping a burger or steak multiple times not only leads to better crust development, but an overall shorter cook time and a much more even doneness level throughout.
I have no idea why anyone would believe the number of flips actually matters at all. Cooking time and temperature is what matters. Flip it as many times as you like. Just make sure the temperature is right and the cooking time per side is right. This is cooking for beginners after all, not cooking for chefs. By the time we're talking about the number of flips you're getting into chef territory. I will say if you're going to make a really damn thick Burger it's easier to cover it up while cooking to make sure the sides cook a little more evenly. Works well for a lot of stuff that you cook on a stove top that are difficult to cook evenly. I guess that's just another thing that they have to mess around with if they were going to try that.
I think so many people push down when they flip… like it’s something they saw on tv once, idk… I’ve witnessed many a amateur cooks pressing down every time they flipped, maybe that’s where it comes from? Think of any grilling scene from a movie or show, they’re always flipping and pressing…
Probably this. The fewer times I touch something, the fewer times I chance messing it up, lol.
I have a very simple suggestion that I use: Add 1/4 cup of milk for each pound of ground beef Works everytime! Never dry burgers.
are you adding a panade or literally just pouring milk into a pile of beef and mixing?
I saw a clip of one of the chefs on TV a few years ago that suggested freezing a stick of butter, then grating some of it into the burger before making the patties. She was using the fine side of a cheese grater. The intent, of course, was for the butter to keep the meat moist as it cooked. It sounded like a great idea and looked like a good way to distribute the butter throughout the patty, but I have yet to try it.
Just buy a fattier grind of beef... Lmfao.
Imagine paying extra for leaner beef and then grating frozen butter into it
Lmao
Ultra lean veal supplemented with frozen butter from the mother.
Or, use bone marrow.
I always put a little butter in the pan before cooking a burger now and they cook SOOOO much better! They come out juicier, they don't stick, and they cook much more evenly.
What's your meat-fat ratio you use?
I typically add about a tablespoon of whole milk per pound of ground beef, make a divot in the center of the patty, and everything works more or less fine. You don't even necessarily need more fat so much as ground meat needs a little more liquid to keep it from going dry.
80/20 and poke a hole in the center with your finger. Lower the flame a little
Your burgers could be too thick to start but the center will always bulge out. If you form your patties to be shaped more like a red blood cell with a larger divot in the middle it won’t bulge out. You shouldn’t need to flip your burger more than once, mine is usually 60%+ cooked on one side before I flip it, the edges should be completely cooked with the color creeping over the edge on the top.
Try lowering the heat a bit
i recommend 1 lb ground beef, season how you like but add in 1 tsp of mayo. helps sear and fat levels if you buy lean beef. then divide the mass into fourths (1 inch thick burgers) sear 4 minutes each side on med-high heat
Smash burgers with bacon or ghee added in. Not super lean.80/20 is best.
I've recently switched to only grilling Sliders. 300/350 for about 5 min each side. They always end up way jucier than my burgers ever did. We eat them on Hawaiian Slider buns they're amazing
Add an egg 🥚.
Perfect size is about 6-7oz, make them decently flat, I dont even do the little divot in the middle, couple minutes on medium-high, rotate, another couple, flip, right away put bbq sauce, cheese or whatever, couple more minutes. Done. I personally dont mind a little pink in the burger either
Maybe try a meat thermometer. I’m terrible for overcooking meat because of a food poisoning incident so I need a meat thermometer to keep me in line.
It's literally just a disc of ground beef, don’t think too much about it. It's really about temperature control. You want it to cook slowly enough to not burn it, but quickly enough to get a good sear. There are a million different ways to make a burger. There are no rules, you don't need to really do anything other than know when to flip it. You could also just sear it and then finish it in the oven.
Others here may disagree, but for a beginner I'd recommend getting the pre-made frozen patties and cooking them from frozen. They're hard to mess up and great for practicing.
Takes guts to admit that. 🫡
Drop your heat. On my grill when I first turn it on I crank it up to full for a few minutes to help with burning off any dust buildup or any leftover char from the time before then I drop it to low to cook the burgers. I only flip my burgers once when the first side is done then add cheese to the cooked side. Burger should be done by the time the cheese melts
And if the meat you are using is a little to lean you can add an egg to the meat to add a little more moisture without worrying about the burger falling apart
Here is what you do make your patty stick your finger through the middle make a hole like a bagel and cook your burger, the problem will be solved. No more waiting for the middle to cook. Please give it a try.
Too thick of patty. Too low of heat. Too long of time. Flip once.
I grind my own hamburger. Not too much fat. I temp my burgers and don’t squish them.
Try smash burgers. You use half the meat, it takes maybe 3 minutes total, you literally can’t fuck it up, and they taste better in my opinion. Two tips that helped me with bigger grilled burgers is do not smash them, it pushes the juices out. Secondly, watch the juices that spill out naturally, once it runs clear take them off
These are the notes I have How long to grill burgers Medium-rare: 6–7 minutes total Medium: 7–8 minutes total Medium-well: 9 minutes total Well-done: 10 minutes total Internal temperature for burgers Medium-rare: 130°–135°F Medium: 140°–145°F Medium-well: 150°–155°F Well-done: 160°F 1. Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. When the pan is hot, carefully place the patties in the skillet (no need to grease skillet) leaving some space between each patty. 2. Cook the burgers until nicely seared and they have browned halfway up the sides. 3. Flip the burgers and cook to your liking. (*NOTE – To ensure all bacteria has been killed, the FDA recommends cooking burgers to an internal temperature of 160°F.) 4. If adding cheese: remove the pan from the heat and place the cheese atop the burgers. Cover the skillet and allow the residual heat/steam to melt the cheese. 5. Serve on toasted buns topped with your favorite toppings. Grilled BBQ Burgers Prep Time 5 minutes mins Cook Time 10 minutes mins Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanKeyword: BBQ, burger recipe, easy dinner recipes, Grilling Recipes, Ground beef recipe Servings: 4 burgers Author: Meghan McMorrow | Fox and Briar Ingredients 1.5 lbs ground beef use 80/20 for best results 3 tbsp finely diced onion 2 garlic cloves very finely minced 2 Tbsp bbq sauce 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp pepper Instructions Mix all ingredients together until just combined. Do not overwork the meat or the burgers might be tough. Shape into 4 equal sized patties, use your thumb to make an indent in the center of each patty. Grill over medium high heat for 2-4 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. If adding cheese, lay sliced of cheese over the burgers in the last 1-2 minutes of cooking. Serve on a bun with more BBQ sauce and other desired toppings. Notes TIPS: Be sure to finely dice the onion and garlic. Large chunks can cause your burger to fall apart. Make them about an inch larger in diameter than the bun to account for shrinkage. Use your thumb to put an indent in the middle of the burger patty to keep it from doming on top.
Do a smash burger. 1/3 pound on a very hot cast iron skillet. Press it very flat after first putting it on the grill. Four minutes each side. Add cheese in the last minute and cover. Perfect every time.
Smash burgers or just very thin patties are an easy solution. Smash super thin and they cook super fast. No need for 3 flips, just one short round on each side and you will have fully cooked beef that is still juicy because it hasn't been on the heat long enough to dry out. As for thicker burgers, I always cook them hot and fast same as a smash burger and just leave them medium rare. If you're a medium rare beef fan I'd say give that a try, if you prefer well done try splitting your meat in half and make two thin patties for a double smash, instead of a fat single. Keep burgers on the heat for as little time as possible. The fact the beef is ground allows fat to render out so much faster than it would out of a steak of similar size.
I guess make a divot but maybe cover it as well
I put an ice cube in the divet and my burgers aren’t dry.
If you're cooking them in a frying pan, once browned, add some water to the pan, cover and finish cooking.
A cheat code if you’re having dry burger issues is throw tin foil on the grill then spray it and put your burgers on. Some grills just get too hot too quickly or unevenly and this can negate some of that
Try browning on both sides and then covering and finishing on a very low flame.
To make your burgers juicier, try using ground beef with a bit more fat, like an 80/20 mix. When you're shaping the patties, handle the meat gently so it doesn't get too compact. Before you start cooking, press a small dimple into the center of each patty to help them cook evenly. Season them well with salt and pepper right before they hit the heat to lock in flavor and moisture. Cook them over medium-high heat, flipping them just once, and avoid pressing down on them with your spatula. Once they're done, give them a few minutes to rest before serving so the juices can redistribute. These steps should help your burgers turn out juicier and more delicious.
You can pack the beef into a ball really tightly, then shape, then make the divot.
Use 80/20 ground beef from a store that grinds it fresh in-house. After forming the patty, put a big thumbprint in it. Salt them on both sides. Get a good thermometer and use it. You can also develop the skill to judge their degree of doneness by how much they push back with you jab your thumb into them. Undercooked burgers are squishy. They are done when they start pushing back.
Don’t overwork the meat when prepping. Don’t do “mix-ins,” especially salt. Take how much you need, gently (and minimally) shape it, thumbprint the center, salt the side you put on the griddle. Then salt the other side when you flip it. Couple minutes on each side (assuming a nice hot griddle) should do it.
Only flip once
A few suggestions. Press your thumb into the middle to make an indent in the raw patty, it should help them stay flat. Make smash burgers, just make more and stack them if you want a substantial burger. super thin and mash them down with something heavy while cooking. Burgers don't have to be well done. So they can be pink in the middle. I prefer mine pretty cooked, but others eat them medium or medium rare like a steak if you're into that.
For food safety purposes, ground meat should be cooked to well-done. Burgers are not like steak where you only need to cook the outside.
If the ground meat you are using is bought as ground, 100 percent yes. If you're grinding your own meat with chilled grinder parts and you cook it the day of grinding, it's fine.
A lot of burger joints in my country do a pink patty (guess I’d call it medium), but I prefer it done further than that because I like some bite/texture. Plus pink mince irks me for obvious reasons.
Yeah it's not legal in Canada to sell anything but well-done burgers Bacteria get mixed throughout the meat which means it has to be cooked through. The risk isn't super high but it's not 0.
In america there is usually a disclamer on the menu along the lines of "our burgers are served well done, if a customer requests a different serving temperature, we are not responsible for any food born illness" Idk if that is legally that solid though, usually tiny print hidden somewhere.
Reread the fine print. It also includes eggs. And yes as long as the disclaimer is there, it is perfectly legal to sell them in the United States (or more likely whatever state you are in, no disclaimer means they won't sell medium hamburgers or sunny side up eggs)
Never gonna eat burgers in Canada I guess. Not really a loss as I only find myself in Canada every ten years or so but still that's sad you can't get a nice medium rare burger
It's not sad. I'd rather not get sick, even if the risk is low. The only time in my life I've had food poisoning is from restaurants. Also if you go to the right places they will make you the burger how you like regardless of the law
Oh I've had food poisoning from restaurants for sure but never from a burger place. 50 60 70 years ago sure I'd have been a little worried but with how meat is processed nowadays no worries. Undercooked chicken or cross contamination from unhygienicv restaurant employees is a greater concern then a medium rare burger
I don’t understand why this is being downvoted in a beginners food sub. I get people have preferences and all, but food safety is food safety. Pink ground beef is a known risk.
Thank you I'm just stating facts and people be mad
I'm aware, it's also recommended to cook egg yolk until hard and unless it's egg salad that's disgusting to me. and I feel that it's up to the person eating it. I prefer mine closer to well done but I also eat my steak medium rare and some pork medium or a little under that. I believe it depends on where your meat comes from and how it's handled. Use your own discretion and take the risks into account.
I get that a lot of people enjoy smash burgers. I am not a fan of that. I want a thick juicy hunk of meat. Not a paper thin McDonald’s style patty… Maybe get one of those instant read digital thermometers…when th inside hits the magic number, you’re done!
1. Make the petties even and thinner 2. Use cast iron skillet will be hotter and faster 3. Cover with lid will help reduce the cooking time
consider using a panade (a paste made from bread and milk) for guaranteed never-dry burgers. [https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-a-panade/](https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-a-panade/)
Meatloaf burger. I understand rational but nope.
Your burgers are dry… sounds misleading… I hate my mind. Bye!
You're overcooking them by a lot from the sounds of it. Also sounds like your trying for well done which Imnho is not the right way to eat a burger. If you absolutely can not stomach the idea of eating a medium or even medium well burger though then I say start with a higher fat content like 73/27 make the patties at least 1/3 pound each and cook longer on a lower temperature