The Very Best Burgers
The hamburger might be an easy weeknight staple, but it can also be a gourmet creation worth serving to company—if prepared right. The best hamburgers begin with top-quality meat. Grinding it yourself is preferable to buying packaged meat because you have a lot more control over the cut and quality of the meat you use. Chuck, with at least 15 percent fat, produces a juicier, more flavorful burger than a leaner cut like sirloin. Start with a top-quality chuck roast from the butcher’s counter. Doing your own grinding also allows you to determine the coarseness of the meat. The technique below was developed after much experimenting. Dividing the meat in half and grinding it two ways, one a bit coarse to keep the mixture juicy and not too dense, and one finer to help bind everything together, results in the very best burger. It’s more work than opening a package and tossing patties into a pan, but the effort pays off in a big way. You can add whatever seasonings you like to the meat, but don’t skimp on salt and pepper—a generous sprinkling of each is imperative. Handle the ground meat as little and as gently as possible—form it into patties with your hands, taking care not to press or condense the meat too much—since overworked meat will yield a tough burger. Make a slight indentation in the center of each patty; this will prevent a “ballooning” effect as it cooks, and help you resist the temptation to press it down with a spatula, condensing the patty and forcing delicious juices to be lost. Also, keep in mind that the meat will shrink while cooking. To ensure that your hamburger will be the same size as the bun, form the patties a half-inch larger in diameter than the size of the bun. Finally, because ground meat cooks relatively quickly, chilling the burger before cooking (especially on the grill, as in the variation below), will make it easy to achieve a burger with a rare, juicy center, if that’s what you’re aiming for. Chilling is also more convenient for entertaining, since the patties can be formed ahead of time and refrigerated and covered until needed.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Grind meat Chill the metal parts of a meat grinder or grinder attachment in the freezer for at least 1 hour prior to use. Cut chuck roast into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes, removing and discarding any sinew or silver skin. Chill meat in freezer 15 minutes, covered with plastic wrap. Fit grinder with the largest die. Grind meat, making sure to work in small batches so as not to overwork the grinder. Remove and wash grinder attachment. Transfer half of ground meat mixture to a bowl; chill in the refrigerator. Fit grinder with the smallest die. On medium speed, pass remaining half of meat through grinder. Add to bowl and freeze 15 minutes. Using your hands, gently combine the two portions of meat.
Step 2
Form burgers and chill Handling as little as possible, form meat into six equal patties, about 4 1/2 inches in diameter and 1 1/4 inches thick; make a slight indention in the center of each. Chill, covered, 15 to 30 minutes. Season both sides of each burger generously with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Cook burgers Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add enough oil to coat bottom of skillet and heat until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the skillet (the patties should be at least 2 inches apart), arrange burgers in skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce temperature to medium-low and flip burgers. Cook for an additional 2 1/2 minutes for medium-rare, 4 minutes for medium, and 6 minutes for medium-well.
Step 4
Serve Transfer to a platter and let rest for 3 minutes; cover to keep warm. Meanwhile wipe out pan with paper towels. Melt half the butter in pan, then add half the buns, cut sides down, and cook until lightly toasted. Repeat with remaining butter and buns. Serve burgers in buns, with suggested accompaniments on the side.
Variation
Step 5
To grill burgers, heat grill to medium (see page 162 for Grill Temperature Guidelines). Form burgers as above, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Grill over direct heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Alternatively, heat broiler and cook burgers about 4 inches from the heat source for the same amount of time.
Meat-grinding Tips
Step 6
Cut meat before grinding into small pieces to help keep the grinder from overworking or becoming clogged.
Step 7
Make sure all grinding equipment is thoroughly clean and well chilled at all times.
