The Ideal Burger
The warm summer months are the perfect time to get outside and grill, but mastering the grill can be a tough task. If you want to wow at your next Springfield, IL, barbecue with a delicious burger, we’ve got some BBQ tips that will take you to the top.
The Big Stuff
If you want to make the perfect burger, you need to start with the right quality ingredients. You should use good ground beef that’s about 80 percent lean. You don’t want something too lean or your burgers won’t be as tender or have as much flavor. However, too fatty and you’ll end up with more of a greasy burger.
Once you’ve got your beef picked out, it’s time to season it. First, make a deep depression in the center of each patty with your thumb. As is the case with a lot of things in the culinary world, all you really need to bring out the delicious flavor of a grilled burger is salt and pepper. While you want to be careful not to overdo it, make sure you’re generous with the seasoning so the burgers are flavorful.
Heat
One big thing you want to consider when you’re trying to make the perfect burger is the heat at which you cook it. When it comes to grilling, you want to cook your burgers at a relatively high temperature. Not so hot that you burn the outside before you cook the inside, but hot enough that you get a nice golden brown char on the outside of the burger.
Cook Time
Making a perfect burger also means cooking it for the right amount of time. If you overcook your burgers, they’ll be too dry and crumbly. You should start by doing about 3 minutes on the first side of your burger, then flip it over. If the first side is as done as you want it, repeat the process for the second side but add a minute or so. If you’re adding cheese, wait until you only have a minute or so of cook time left.
Mastering the grill is an art and a science, but you can do it with the right BBQ tips and a little bit of effort. Experiment with different techniques, seasonings, heat sources and more to figure out what works best for you and what keeps the guests coming back to your cookouts.
