Hints on Grilling the Perfect Hamburger
The hamburger is one of those all-season American foods that defines the cookout. On the Fourth of July, approximately 80% of all Americans host or attend a cookout where grilled burgers are served. Although the hamburger is a fairly basic food, there are secrets and hints that you can utilize to ensure your burgers are the hit of the cookout. This article is about how to make a fine burger mixture and how long you grill hamburgers.
The length of time you grill a hamburger depends upon a few variables, including the thickness of the burger and the temperature at which you’re cooking them. If you’re concerned about food-borne illness, then you’ll want the center of the hamburger to reach a temperature of 155 degrees. It’s at that temperature that all disease creating bacteria is killed. That would make your burger medium well.
If you like your burger medium (140- 145 degrees), medium rare (130- 135 degrees) or rare (120- 125 degrees), then you’re taking a chance in contracting food poisoning. However, the higher the internal temperature of the meat, the less chance you have of getting sick. It’s recommended that you use a digital meat thermometer to monitor the doneness of your burgers.
If you’re grilling a hamburger that’s 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, allow anywhere from 10 to 16 minutes cooking time. Cook burgers on medium heat. As you cook the burger be sure to turn it approximately every four minutes. By the way, if you turn a hamburger too soon, before the outside is cooked, it’ll stick to the grill and you’ll lose a chunk of it. If you’re making a cheeseburger, top with cheese as soon as the meat is cooked. Serve on a toasted burger bun, Kaiser roll or onion roll with appropriate condiments and fixings.
Savory Beef Burgers
These take a little more work than just buying some ground beef and forming them into patties. But they are worth it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground beef (85% lean)
1/2 white onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg lightly beaten
A pinch of salt
1/4 beef stock cube dissolved in 1/4 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together until they are thoroughly blended. Form into four equal balls and them press into patties. Cook on the grill over medium heat for 10- 16 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.
Mediterranean Burgers
These hamburgers feature the flavors of feta cheese, olives, basil and oregano. If you want an even more authentic taste, then substitute ground lamb for the ground beef.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground beef (85% lean)
1/8 cup black olives, finely chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese, finely crumbled
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg lightly beaten
1/4 beef stock cube dissolved in a quarter cup water
DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together until they are thoroughly blended. Form into four equal balls and them press into patties. Cook on the grill over medium heat for 10- 16 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.
Potato, Cheese ‘n Mushroom Stuffed Burgers
This burger is a meal unto itself. If you’re hungry, a few of these will fill you up.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large potato, peeled and shredded
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
2 eggs
2 packages (1 ounce each) dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup canola oil
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the grill to high. Combine potato, cheese, and mushrooms in a medium bowl. Mix until thoroughly blended. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, eggs and onion soup mix until evenly mixed. Form into 6 balls and then press into large burger patties. Form a pocket in each burger and stuff with potato, cheese and mushroom mixture. Seal burgers. Just prior to cooking, brush burgers lightly with canola oil. Place on grill and cook burgers on high heat for five minutes on each side or until well done. Serve immediately.
The original question was a simple one—“how long do you grill hamburgers?” And quite honestly, it’s not rocket science. Along with considering taste, you’ll want to make sure that your hamburgers are grilled long enough to kill any bacteria that could lead to food-borne illness. Additionally, prior to grilling check to see that your grill grates are clean. Old hamburger residue clinging to these grates can create an extremely unhealthy situation if you cook your ground beef on them. Enjoy your grilling experience to the fullest with tasty, savory, healthy burgers.