MSN Lifestyle features tips for how to make a perfect burger, including a guide to different ground meats and recommendations for condiments beyond basic ketchup.
Editor's note: Several weeks ago, I got an email from Kenji Alt, a food writer for Cook's Illustrated magazine: "Have you seen Heston Blumenthal's burger recipe in his new book?" The recipe, it turns out, was quite involved, requiring you to make your own buns, create custom cheese slices, and grind the burgers in a most ingenious way. Kenji wanted to try the recipe and write about it for A Hamburger Today. Here are the results. Grab a coffee and start readin'! —Adam
England's Heston Blumenthal follows in the footsteps of Spain's legendary Ferran Adrià, in that he attempts to create a cuisine that places a high value on innovation and stimulation of the senses beyond taste. So what happens when one of the most highfalutin' chefs in the world tries to tackle the hamburger, one of the most well-loved yet humble foods in the world?
The Fat Duck, Blumenthal's restaurant one hour west of London, employs molecular gastronomy to produce such dishes as Nitro-Green Tea (a sphere of tea frozen into a capsule tableside in a vat of liquid nitrogen), or drinks that are hot when you sip from one side, cold when you sip from the other.
Interesting, to say the least, but what's it have to do with hamburgers?
Nick Solares, the guy who publishes Beef Aficionado, is on the same wavelength as I am: "Of all of the infinite varieties of hamburger I think that sliders are my favorite. There is just something about the little bombers that perfectly captures the happy confluence of beef, bun and cheese. The slider is reduction of the burger to its ideal form...."
I couldn't have said it better myself. Those words open a blog post in which Nick goes about trying to duplicate the sliders from White Manna in Hackensack, New Jersey, arguably one of the finest producers of these tiny, oniony hamburgers. Nick's recipe and technique can be found here.
Before I founded AHT and really started exploring Burgerworld, I was like most home cooks when it comes to this most delicious and iconic American dish.
Yes, I bought the ground chuck in the grocery store, thinking it was perfectly adequate for grilling or throwing into the cast-iron skillet.
Follow along, step-by-step, in mind-numbing detail. If that's your bag. After the jump.
The takeaway: Since I've not had a true Jucy Lucy from Matt's Bar, I can't say for sure, but making this burger at home is almost more trouble than it's worth. I mean, does it matter if the cheese is on the inside as opposed to above and below the patty? (I think a slice on the top and bottom is awesome.) Furthermore, I always end up overcooking this thing in the interest of getting a good molten core. This is the second time I've made a round of Juicy Looseys, and I always end up cooking them beyond medium-rare. The Flickr pix of the Matt's Bar Jucy Lucys look much better than mine, so perhaps this is a burger best left to the pros.
Also: I've found that my initial adaptation of John T. Edge's recipe worked better for me. In his book, the recipe uses an intact slice of American cheese. In my version, which is based on George "Hamburger America" Motz's observations during a visit to Matt's Bar, I fold the cheese in half twice to make a compact little stack that's easier to sandwich between the dual patties.
The above photo comes to us from AHT reader Marc B., who says, "I ran across your site today and enjoyed it greatly. Also thought you might enjoy taking a look at this burger I put together a while back. I call it the shrimp cocktail burger."
Thanks, Marc! That's INSANE. Talk about surf and turf. How 'bout the recipe?
Happy Cinco de Mayo, Hamburguesa Hombres and Hombrettes! Here's a recipe for a South of the Border–inspired burger, as adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Grilling Cookbook. [Note: What makes this Cinc-nifico is the "Mexican Ketchup." Other than that, it's just the AHT Basic Grilled Burger Recipe. We didn't test the ketchup, so take it with a grain of sal, muchachos. — The Management]
CINCO DE MAYO HAMBURGUESAS Makes 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck
1 teaspoon table salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
4 buns*
8 slices American cheese
"Mexican Ketchup" (recipe follows)
Instructions 1. Prepare the grill: Light about 6 pounds charcoal. Preferably hardwood charcoal ignited in a starter chimney. Let coals burn until they're completely covered with a thin coating of light-gray ash, about 30 minutes. Spread coals evenly over grill bottom, place rack on grill, and heat until medium-hot (hand can be held 5 inches above grill surface for no more than 3 or 4 seconds).
2. While coals are firing, break up meat with hands in a medium bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper over meat, and mix lightly with hands to distribute seasonings. Divide beef into 4 six-ounce portions. Gently toss one portion back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Lightly flatten into patty 3/4-inch thick and about 4 1/2-inches in diameter. Gently press center of patty down until about 1/2-inch thick, creating a slight depression in each patty; repeat with remaining portions of meat.
3. Grill patties, uncovered, without pressing down on them, until well-seared on first side, about 2 1/2 minutes. Flip burgers with a metal spatula (not tongs or a fork), and continue grilling—about 2 minutes for rare, 2 1/2 minutes for medium-rare, or 3 minutes for medium. If making cheeseburgers, add 2 cheese slices to each patty about a minute after flipping. Also about a minute before removing burgers, place buns on grill, face open, to toast.
4. Place burgers on bun bottom, divide "Mexican Ketchup" evenly among burgers, and apply top bun.
5. Mmm. MUY DELICIOSO!
MEXICAN KETCHUP Ingredients
1 cup chopped green onions
1/4 to 1/2 cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 fresh jalapeño chile pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup ketchup (preferably Heinz)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions 1. Place all ingredients except ketchup, vinegar, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor, and process until combined.
2. Add ketchup, vinegar, and olive oil. Process until smooth.
There you have it. Why American cheese on a Mexican-inspired burger? Can't we all get along? It's the best cheese for burgers, dammit! Oh, and what's that indentation for in Step 2 of the burger recipe? I learned this trick from coworkers. The burger usually gets crisper and thinner at the ends due to fat loss during cooking. Making the ends thicker, therefore, leads to a more evenly shaped and evenly cooked patty.
After the Super Bowl, we claimed we'd make a Roethlis-Burger if the Steelers won. Well, they won and we decided to follow through on our end of the bargain. Since we're so late, we decided to video the whole thing. It's not the exact recipe as the original from Peppi's, but we came as close as we could without seeing one in person.
The video is right here and the recipe is after the jump. Enjoy.
Update (3/22/06 3pm): AHT reader Aoife wonders in the comments why we were pressing down on the burger when that's something you typically don't do. That reminded us that we originally planned to show you this story and video about Peppi's Roethlis-burger, where the chef/owner is also seen chopping up and pressing on the burger. We talked about it at some point in the video, but it ended up on the cutting room floor. As this is the first AHT video, we have some learning to do. Hopefully they'll get better as time goes on.
Posted by Matt Jacobs, January 26, 2006 at 12:42 PM
We at A Hamburger Today realize that not all of you are near a hamburger epicenter. Your options are fast food or crappy chain diners and we're not okay with that. So, we've come to offer you respite in the form of hamburger cook books. Even if you are close to dozens of good burger joints, sometimes you just want to make your own burger.
Of all the books I checked out, this one had the best reviews and seemed to be no-nonesense. In addition to the 100 recipes, GBBB also offers some burger basics. Publishers Weekly says, "Offerings range from Barbecue Cheese Burgers and Pecan Pesto Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Fennel to is-this-really-a-burger? offerings like Salmon Burgers in Grape Leaves." I like carmelized anything. The book was writen by Jane Murphy and Liz Yeh Singh. (Something worth noting from the get-go, pretty much all of these burger cook books do more than just beef, which is expected when you're offering up 100 recipes.)
As mentioned in our Poor Man's Town Burger post, I received this book as a Chanukah present this year. So, it's the only one I can personally vouch for. There's a good mix of straight-forward, wacky and celebrity recipes, which I like. What's really important, and often overlooked, is the quantity of pictures. About 1/3 of the recipes have photos. I'm most excited about making the Beer Burger Smeared with Fresh Goat Cheese.
This book is writen as a companion to the annual Build a Better Burger competition. It included the 44 recipes that have won awards since the competition began in 1990. The book didn't have too many reviews, but of all the books listed here it was the best-selling.
To be honest, I'm not that into fancy-schmancy burgers. This means you're unlikely to see too many foie-gras and caviar-topped burgers on AHT anytime soon. When you need your fix, you can turn to Paul Gayler's book. There are plenty of options here and all of the photos look divine. Some interesting recipes are a tandoori lamb burger and a peking duck wrap, which doesn't really sound like a burger but does use ground meat. This would be a good gift for your stuck-up friend who refuses to touch anything with ground beef.
Let's face it — we all have some vegetarian friends. I don't get it, you don't get it, but it is what it is. If you've finally come to terms that your friend isn't going to change, this book could serve as a nice peace offering. According to author Louise Hagler, "these burgers are healthful, easy to prepare and delicious." I'll trust you on that one. Some sample recipes are Sunflower-Brown Rice Burgers, Grilled Almond Tofu Burgers, Southern Barbecue Seitan Burgers and Portoblello Burgers.
For most Americans, this weekend signifies the beginning of bbq season. For nutjobs like myself, bbq season never ends. To help celebrate, we'd like to help you learn to grill up the perfect burger. To do that, we've enlisted the help of Epicurious' burger school. Grillmasters Steven Raichlen, host of Barbecue University on PBS, and Chris Schlesinger, coauthor of The Thrill of the Grill and How To Cook Meat, are ready to walk us through the process.
Above all, you should avoid store-bought meat and get the freshly ground stuff from a local butcher. Our friends at Epicurious explain that it will cut back on any excess bacteria, allowing you to safely cook your burgers medium-rare, but I also think your local butcher will likely have better quality meat, which should always be your top concern. Here are a just a few of the points the burger experts have for us:
Any tips on forming the patties?
"Cold meat and cold, wet hands," says Raichlen. "Chill your hands under cold running water, then work as gently and quickly as possible so as not to bruise or heat the meat." Handling the meat delicately prevents the burgers from getting too dense and firm, and keeping it cold prevents the fat from melting, which would also make the burgers tougher. Both Schlesinger and Raichlen favor thick patties — at least one inch thick — so they can develop a seared crust on the outside while still staying pink on the inside.
What's the best way to cook burgers?
Start with a clean, oiled, hot grill. "First sear them over high heat to develop a crust, then move them to a cooler part of the grill to cook," says Schlesinger. "And be sure not to press down on them while cooking — this will only squeeze out the juices and dry them out." Neither he nor Raichlen recommends barbecue or steak sauces, which just cover up the flavor of a perfect burger. "I take a less-is-more approach," says Raichlen.
Here's to some good grilling! Also, if anyone out there has a fabulous recipe or an essential grilling technique, be sure to leave a comment or send us an email.
If, no matter what you do, you always end up cooking your burgers to the hockey-puck point, some high-tech help might be just what you need to make flame cookin' the delicious and relaxing endeavor it should be.
With the Grill Alert Talking Remote Thermometer, you just stick a stainless steel probe into your sizzling meat and wait for the remote thermometer - carried on an included belt clip - to announce that your entree is almost ready or, a few minutes later, that your entree is ready.
We at a Hamburger Today have never had much problem grilling our burgers to desired doneness. In fact, we just recently kicked off grilling season with perfectly flame-kissed sandwiches. Click here to see our results and get our very basic grilled-burger recipe.
The Great Big Burger Book: 100 New and Classic Recipes for Mouthwatering Burgers Every Day Every Way
Burgers: 50 Recipes Celebrating an American Classic
Build A Better Burger: Celebrating Sutter Home's Annual Search for America's Best Burgers
The Gourmet Burger
Meatless Burgers: Over 50 Quick & Easy Recipes for America's Favorite Food 
For most Americans, this weekend signifies the beginning of bbq season. For nutjobs like myself, bbq season never ends. To help celebrate, we'd like to help you learn to grill up the perfect burger. To do that, we've enlisted the help of Epicurious' 
If, no matter what you do, you always end up cooking your burgers to the hockey-puck point, some high-tech help might be just what you need to make flame cookin' the delicious and relaxing endeavor it should be.
