What tips can you offer for grilling "real" hamburgers on a gas grill?

Question

For some reason I can never grill the perfect burger if I make them with fresh/handmade ground beef patties. I have no problem with frozen patties, steak, or chicken -- but for some reason fresh ground beef patties are a challenge.

I usually end up over cooking them, or they break-up and fall between the slats.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Use "Regular" ground beef, not lean or extra lean.
Handle the meat as little as possible while forming the patties.
Season patties with salt and pepper after they are formed.
Let stand until they reach room temperature (about 30 minutes).
Cook on high heat until medium (slightly pink middle) or medium well (barely brown middle, still juicy), turning only once.
Do not press down on the burgers or handle in any way other than turning them once while they are on the grill.

Bert

Answer 2

If you ARE using lean beef--good for you! However, you will need to add some olive oil to the meat when forming the patties.

Since it's a monounsaturated oil, it should not be a problem for dieters or for folks who want to eat heart healthy. It has a low smoking point so don't use high heat to grill the meat.

Be sure that the patties are not to thin--that will cause them to break apart when you try to turn them. Try to make them at least 1/2 inch or more.

Remember that lean burgers don't shrink like the fattier ones. The best binder that has a neutral flavor is egg whites. By not using the yolks, you won't get a "meatloaf" texture to your burgers and it allows you to season the burgers the way you want.

Don't just spray your grill with PAM, spray both sides of the burger as well, it helps keep in moisture. Try to turn the burger as few times as possible and press it in the center with your finger to check for doneness. Soft means rare, semi firm means medium and firm means well done.

The meat will continue to cook for a few moments when it comes off of the grill--so cook it slightly underdone. If using the leaner beef, it is important to know that it will cook faster than regular beef.

Answer 3

Well, I was gonna suggest you throw away the grill. :) But, guess that won't help you much.

First,. don't use very lean hamburger. It doesn't mold well, so it doesn't stick together well.

Make your burgers up the approx. size you want them before you put 'em on the grill. DO NOT push down on the patties once they're on the grill. It pushes the juices out making the burgers dry, and it also will make 'em fall apart!

You might take a cooking oil spray and spray the grill just before you put the burgers on. It will help in preventing sticking.

Finally, (Bet you thought I'd never get done!) use medium heat, and let the burgers cook at least 3-4 minutes per side before you try to flip them.

Hope this helps you.

Pete

PS: Sprinkle a little garlic powder on them for a little flavor zip.

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http://www.thekingofbarbecue.com/bbqbooks.htm

Answer 4

To keep them from falling apart make sure you are using some form of "binder", it can be anything from steak sauce to eggs. It helps "glue" the meat together, and the steak sauce adds great flavor. You can try adding your favorite barbecue sauce. When forming patties, roll into a large size meatball then flatten with the palm of your hand. Go for a 80/20 split on the meat, 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat or leaner. Don't press the burgers with a spatula, it'll sqeeze out all the juices and cause your burger to fall apart. Let it sit until you see the perimeter take on a brown color, then flip.

Answer 5

1. Don't use anything leaner than ground chuck.
2. Make sure your burgers are cold.
3. Make sure your grill is hot, clean, and oiled.
4. If they are thick, cook for 4 minutes per side, if thin, then 2 minutes per side is good, DO NOT press down on them, I know you can resist the urge!
5. If you want cheese, add at the end, turn off the grill and close the cover for 30 to 60 seconds to melt the cheese.

Answer 6

Take a paper towel dipped in oil, and coat the grate, to keep them from sticking. Let the hamburgers sit out at room temperature for awhile. That will help them cook better throughout. And when you put them on, make sure the grill is very hot. Let them cook long enough on the first side before you go messing with them. They'll stay together longer.

When they're almost done, take them off, and cover them with foil. This will cook them even more. Get a digital probe thermometer, and check the temperature in the middle before you serve them. It should be 145 degrees F.

Answer 7

First use some Ground chuck because it has more fat content. Fat content means they'll bind together better.

I roll them into a ball and schmush them into a 1 1/2 inch thick patty. Then I grill it for 5-6 minutes a side on high heat. (I use a charcoal grill though). That should help! Good luck!

Answer 8

Grilled

Answer 9

Practice makes perfect, never forget that. I make sure they're fairly evenly made, that is not too big in the middle, not lopsided. I have my pre-heated grill on medium-high heat. Cook them for a few minutes then give them a quarter turn for good grill marks. Don't flip them until you start to see some juice come to the surface of the uncooked side. Once flipped, cook them for about half the time you had them on the first side, turning them a quarter about halfway. If you're adding cheese, put it on with a minute or two to go. Hints: never press down on the burgers, you'll lose juice, always try and cook them with the lid closed, it'll help them cook quicker and evenly. Good luck.

Answer 10

Sounds like you may be using ground beef that is much too lean... Too lean since the beef breaks apart.

Also, overcooked, then your heat is too high and you're getting flare-ups.

Use a hamburger with about 10% fat and usually homemade burgers are thicker try to limit the flare-ups by using the cover (to cut off the oxygen) and turning down the heat a little.