Secrets for making Incredible Hamburgers

The first thing I did after my son handed me the package of ground beef he had purchased, was send him back to the store.

The meat he had bought was Grade A Lean ground chuck, sounds impressive, was very expensive and was one of the most common mistakes people make when choosing hamburger meat.

I sent him back with strick instructions to buy the cheapest ground beef he could find with the highest fat content available. Then I asked him why? and he immediatly replied "the flavors in the fat" and smacked himself on the forehead.

My kids grew up hearing me say that, over and over again, because it's true!

So if you're looking for low-fat healthy hamburger recipes, then you are definately in the wrong place. The truth is that there really is no such thing as a healthy hamburger, so if you're on a diet go eat a celery stick and stay far away from hamburgers all together!

The first and most important secret to making really fantastic hamburgers that everyone will just rave about, is that the meat matters!

The higher the fat content is in the ground beef you use, the better the flavor. So if you want a hockey puck burger use lean meat, if you want an okay burger use mid-grade ground beef, but if you want a really fabulous burger use the cheapest, fattiest ground beef you can find!

Spices can be tricky, and let me just say it now, when it comes to spices brand names really do matter!

I use mostly "McCormick" spices, with the exception of a few specialty spices from "Spice Islands" their spicey curry powder is incredible.

A word here about "Seasoned Salt", all seasoned salts are not the same, and seasoned salt makes the difference between an okay burger and a delicious burger. Using the most popular seasoned salt is the biggest mistake I see people make, I won't name the brand, but you know what I'm talking about. It was in your mother's kitchen and grandma's kitchen, and if it's in your kitchen, then just go ahead and throw it away now!

I only use McCormicks "Season-All" seasoned salt, and I use it a lot! It's one of those little secrets I leave out of recipes when someone asks for the recipe. That way their version is never quite as good as my version, and it's all because they're still using Grandma's seasoned salt.

So now that we've established what brand of spices to use, lets talk about which spices and how much. I never actually measure anything anymore, but my son made me measure so he could get his burgers just right. So thanks to him we now have a formula for the perfectly seasoned burger.

Before you even form that first perfect patty, you need to season your meat. The difference between a good burger and a fabulous burger has a lot to do with seasoning.

I like to mix all my seasoning thoroughly into the ground beef in a big bowl and then let it sit covered for at least a half an hour before I even form the patties. This serves 2 purposes, first: it gives the meat time to absorb the spices, second: it brings your meat closer to room temperature, which makes it cook better.

So here is the formula:
for every pound of ground beef mix in,
1/2 tsp Season-All seasoned salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp worchestershire sauce
& last but not least: 1/2 tsp granulated Garlic powder
Not garlic salt, not powdery garlic powder make sure it's the right stuff

Optional:
1 Tbls grated onion

I personally always use the onion. Grated onion is like juicy onion pulp and mixes in really nice. Just peel a small onion and slide it up and down a chesse grater or grate it in your food processor. I personally don't mess with food processor, it's just too much fuss and muss.

After you've let the meat sit awhile form your patties and you're almost ready to go.

After your patties are formed sprinkle them with a little more garlic powder, black pepper and season-all, or if you want a super fantastic burger sprinkle them generously with McCormick's Montreal Steak seasoning, yum-yum

Also to really make special burgers, instead of worchestershire sauce, instead mix in a Tbls of Masterpiece Steakhouse Marinade sauce or Lawrey's Steak and chop marinade. MMmmmm Mmmmm good!

Okay, so now you're almost ready to cook these bad boys, but there are 2 more secrets to go before you start and always remember the real secret to being a great cook is patience!

This is an easy step, but essential to elevate your burgers from flat to fabulous!

Toasted buns just plain taste better. There are a few different ways to toast your buns, just don't use the toaster! No really, toast your buns in the frying pan that you plan to cook your burgers in.

You can dry toast them just by placing them in the pan while it heats up, or for extra flavor spread butter on them first then grill them like grilled cheese sandwiches in the pan. Sprinkle a little garlic powder on the butter for really spectacular toasted buns.

Toasting your buns in the pan you plan to cook your burgers in serves two purposes. First, it makes them delicious and second it makes sure your pan is ready for the final step and last secret to making incredible hamburgers.

This is the second most important secret to making fantastic hamburgers. Even if you forget to season the meat and are too lazy to toast the buns, as long as you use good meat and cook it on the highest heat possible, you'll still end up with a really good burger.

Make sure your pan is super hot before you even put the patties in it. That's why toasting the buns in the same pan is a good idea, it gives the pan time to really heat up.

Once your pan is nice and hot, place the burgers in it seasoned side down and leave it alone. Okay you can sprinkle a little more seasoning on the unseasoned side while the first side cooks, but thats it.

DO NOT SQUISH THE BURGER DOWN WITH THE SPATULA!!!
All that does is squish out all of the beef's natural juices and flavor, if you really like dry flavorless hockey puck burgers then knock yourself out, but if that's the case just go to Mcdonalds and leave the cooking to people who have taste buds.

DO NOT MOVE BURGERS AROUND WITH THE SPATULA!
the whole purpose of cooking the burger on high heat is to sear in the juices and flavor while letting the high heat create a yummy crust on the outside of the burger,

ONLY FLIP THE BURGER ONCE!
You will know it's time to flip when the burger juices start to puddle on top, then flip and let the second side sear. At this point you can add a slice of your favorite cheese and cover so the cheese melts. How long you cook the second side all depends on personal preference. For a rarer burger only cook for a couple of minutes. You can tell doneness by gently pressing your spatula in the center of the patty without breaking the crust.

The squishier the burger, the rarer it is. When the patties are cooked just right put them on buns, add your favorite condiments and enjoy. Remember that hamburgers keep cooking even out of the pan until someone takes a bite, so dont let your burgers sit around or keep them warm in the oven. The best burger is right out of the pan!

In the mood for something a little different tonight? Try one of these fun changes. Using the above seasoning recipe, omit the worchestershire sauce and try one of these ideas in it's place.

Dijon Burger: 1-2 tsp Dijon mustard

BBQ Burger: 1 Tbsp BBQ sauce & 1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Honey-Mustard Burger : 1 tsp spicy mustard & 1 tsp honey

Teriyaki Burger: 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar & 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Tex-Mex Burger: 1 Tbls chunky salsa

Taco Burger: 1 tsp Taco Seasoning & 1 Tbsp chunky salsa

Pesto Burger: 1-2 tsp pesto sauce

Pizza Burger: 1 tsp Italian herbs & 1 tbsp pizza sauce

Well, you get the idea. That's the beauty of burgers, is that you can change the flavor easily with a dash of this or a tsp of that. Whatever your favorite flavors are, try adding whatever seasonings you like best.

My hubby's favorite is something he calls a "BAM-burger" because my name is Bambi and because the burger is spicy. Here's the recipe I use for his burgers.

BAM-Burgers

Add these ingredients for every pound of ground beef. mix well.

1/2 tsp. Season-all, black pepper & garlic powder
1 Tbsp grated onion
1 Tbsp Masterpiece Steakhouse marinade
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1-2 fresh habaneros finely diced

After forming the patties I then coat both sides generously with McCormicks Montreal Steak seasoning and press it down on the meat so it really sticks before frying very hot and fast, because he likes his burgers rare.

So now that you know all the secrets to making incredible burgers, it's time to get wild and have some real fun!

You can stuff burgers with just about anything to really spice them up and impress you burger lovin' crowd. Just remember to first make two very thin patties, then always stuff burgers with very thinly sliced items so they cook through.

Always pre-fry things like bacon or other meats before stuffing them in a burger, biting into a burger stuffed with raw bacon would just be really gross!

Here are some fun burger stuffing suggestions.

Blue cheese and mushrooms

swiss and mushrooms

spinache and feta

Bacon and cheddar

Green peppers and pineapple bits with teriyaki burger seasonings, yum

Jalapeno's and smoked cheddar

Just have fun, and you can create fantastic stuffed burgers from whatever your favorite combo is. Try whatever your favorite pizza toppings are or just go with the old classics of tomato or onion slices and cheese.

Happy eating!