Everyone knows the feeling- that moment when the perfect hamburger comes sizzling off of the grill. All the juices are sealed safely within a perfectly round, perfectly tasty piece of hamburger, and then, when the moment comes to take that first juicy bite, your lips sink to the buns and the sensation of deliciousness sweeps across your palate like a river of sweet, gentle perfection. So often, that moment is a fleeting one, lost quickly as your hunger fades. Fortunately, however, if you remember your recipe and the exact way in which you grilled the burger, you may indeed come close once more.
Thankfully, a few simple tips for grilling that may or may not have come into play could easily make that perfect, elusive cheeseburger or hamburger a reality. Originally, the hamburger was a sandwich partaken of by Mongol tribesmen in the army of Genghis Khan. The Hamburger was an easy to carry meal for the army, and as the Mongols wound their way across Europe, the hamburger was adopted by the conquered villages. Actually cooking the meat, of course, came later, as Mongols ate their hamburgers raw. (Not rare, raw.)
Start with some good quality, fresh 80/20 ground beef. Before you start forming the patties, put any seasonings you wish on the ground beef. Salt and Pepper are staples, and some people will add butter, Worcestershire sauce, or even hot sauce as seasonings. It is your perfect cheeseburger, so make it your own! Don’t overwork the meat when you form the patties, as this will squeeze out the fats that make the hamburger juicy and tasty. Just give it enough to form the patties so that they won’t fall apart on the grill, and then set them aside. One little secret that you may wish to try is to use a few tablespoons of corn meal in your beef. It’ll hold the juices in more easily and bind the burgers together.
This also works well if you use different types of meat in your burgers such as lamb, sausage, etc.
When you’re ready to grill, get your grill nice and hot, then gently place the hamburgers on the grate. The prevailing advice is to leave the burger on that side long enough for the burger to no longer stick to the grate. Too soon, and your burger will fall apart. Too late, and you’ll find yourself chewing on a piece of charcoal. Give the burger one turn, and then wait until that side doesn’t stick either, then remove your burger from the grill and leave it sit for a minute while you take the other burgers off the grill. Now, you can make your creation a cheeseburger by adding any cheese you wish. Cheddar, American, Provolone, Swiss, whatever your heart desires. You’ve just created your perfect cheeseburger, so top it off as you wish, with onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes (fresh only, please!) and then take a bite. Good stuff isn’t it?
