Perfectly Plump & Juicy Burgers – Quick Tip Friday

Grilling season is here and with summer holidays and entertaining upon us, good grilled food is paramount.

In all my years and countless outdoor cookouts, I’ve bitten into many overcooked and dried-out burgers that I dub hockey pucks.  Nothing a whole lotta ketchup and mustard can’t mask, but what’s the point of eating a hamburger if you can’t taste the beef?

I have the guidelines to ensure you grill the perfectly plump and juicy burger, and you don’t have to be an accomplished chef to achieve.  The answer is with your thumb.

Enter today’s Quick Tip Friday!

Burgers can swell in the middle as they cook, making the tops rounded and causing the patty to cook unevenly, and juices to run off the sides.

To avoid this, press a little indentation in the middle of the patty with your thumb before placing it on the grill.   By doing this, even when the burger puffs up, even thickness will be maintained.  Also, do not press on the burger while it’s on the grill, as this will release all of the delicious juices that are essential for the perfect burger.

To ensure you achieve the desired cooked meat temperature, follow this tip for rare, medium rare, etc.  

And, one more quick tip for the road:  Don’t forget to always clean your grill after you are done cooking.  With the grill still hot, brush the grates to keep unwanted bacteria away.

No grill brush?  No problem!  Wad up a sheet of aluminum foil into a ball.  Hold the foil ball with a pair of tongs and rub along the grates to clean off leftover food.

Enjoy today’s Quick Tip Friday!  Happy Grilling!