make unforgettable beef burgers

TIPS FROM THOSE WHO KNOW BURGERS BEST - LOCAL CHEFS

There is nothing quite like gathering with friends and family around a sizzling grill because nothing brings people together more than the delicious flavor of beef. The star of these get-togethers is often a juicy, perfectly cooked beef burger. Here are some amazing and simple tips from local chefs on how you can impress your guests with unforgettable beef burgers.

The Right beef for burgers

All beef at the store is safe, wholesome and provides that great beefy flavor. However, many chefs emphasize the importance of selecting the right type of ground beef for making hamburgers. “Elevate the experience and flavor with a good ground chuck,” Johnson County Culinary College chef and instructor Chef Edward Adel says. “In my eyes, the perfect ratio is an 80/20. It provides enough fat for flavor and keeps the burger from falling apart.”

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There may be different varieties of 80/20 at the store, so Chef Paul Schutt, executive chef, outreach and education for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, recommends grillers focus on a coarse grind of the meat because it provides excellent flavor and texture when grilling.

how to form the perfect burger patty

Forming a patty that has the perfect texture is a subtle art, and uniformity and technique are critical. When seasoning and working the beef into a patty, do not overwork the beef. According to Troy Hertel, owner of Wichita's Fizz Burgers, “The more you handle the beef, the tougher it will get, so be gentle.”

To help keep things uniform, Chef Edward recommends a burger press. “It gives you a really uniform system without weighing each patty out…which means your cooking times will be consistent.” The consistency helps prevent your guests from having some burgers that are overcooked and dry while others are underdone.

Even if you do not have a burger press, you can still take a few simple steps to make consistently sized burgers. “I like to split a pound of ground beef into four equal sized balls and press them into patties,” says Kristel Collins, Chief Operating Officer of Team Sport Burger in Wichita. “This way, I get four equal-sized quarter-pound patties.”

Also ensure your patties are slightly larger than the diameter of your hamburger buns. Doing so will help ensure when your burgers naturally shrink to cooking that they match the size of the bun. Additionally, pressing an indentation on the middle of the patty will prevent any swelling or puffing in the middle.

how to season and cook a great hamburger

Great tasting burgers are quite simple. “Let the beef flavor shine”, Chef Edward Adel says. “I stick with just salt and pepper and highlight the natural flavor of the meat. You can bring in many other flavors through side dishes.”

For a good balance Chef Schutt recommends a blend with three parts of salt to one part pepper and to season the burger on both sides prior to cooking.

Cooking the perfect burger only requires a few simple techniques and avoiding one all-too-common pitfall. When it comes to grilling outside, Chef Eddy prefers a charcoal grill. “I try to avoid the easy light charcoal briquettes with the lighter fluid. It can leave a weird taste to your burger. I also add my own wood chips, preferably hickory or pecan because they give a lot of flavor.”

However, sometimes in the Midwest weather can foil your outdoor cookout plans. While rain may dampen your outside gathering it doesn’t have to ruin a great meal. In fact, cooking up your burgers inside on a griddle or cast iron can provide amazing results.

“A griddle is paramount,'' Chef Michael Corvino, owner of Corvino Supper Club, says. “It gives character to the outside of the patty with a crispiness in the fat as it renders out rather than losing the fat through the grill as it cooks.”

If you do not have a griddle, Chef Schutt suggests a well-seasoned cast iron skillet is amazing for creating a good crust on a smash burger.

Whether you cook over a grill, griddle or pan, it is important to know when to flip that burger once and only once. When your burgers are sticking to the grill or pan, it is a sign it is too early to flip them over. Wait until the burgers naturally release from the grill and avoid pressing down on burgers. Pressing down on burgers will dry them out and you will lose plenty of flavor in the process.

Always cook your hamburgers to a safe and savory 160°F, and for the best experience let them rest for a few minutes before eating.

how to cook a hamburger with kids — "A great burger comes down to the people you share it with."

fresh toppings for burgers

Elevate your burger from great to gourmet with the right toppings. Give your guests a personalized experience by setting up a burger bar with various toppings and sauces. This adds a fun flair to your get-together, and it also allows everyone to customize their burgers with various toppings they like and to experiment with different variations.

In terms of which toppings, choose the best and the freshest ingredients you can find, says chef Dagan Lynn, Executive Chef at National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “Get in touch with your inner chef and come up with something stellar.”

Chef Corvino says to stick with in-season, ripe tomatoes and when it comes to lettuce, use crisp and refreshing lettuce varieties like iceberg or a sturdier butter lettuce. Since sauces are a great part of any burger bar, he also recommends aioli, onion or sour pickles.

When asked what a great burger comes down to, Troy Hertel of Fizz Burgers believes it “comes down to the ones you share it with. Cooking for family and friends makes memories to look back on.”

In the end, that is what grilling season is about. It’s a season to draw close to friends and family through great conversations and delicious beef, because beef brings us together.

Oklahoma Onion Burger

Fire up the griddle to prepare these authentic Oklahoma smashburgers. Thinly sliced sweet onion is cooked with the burger to enhance the flavor of this cult classic

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