Grilling burgers… mmmm… Just the thought of a nice juicy burger brings salivation to most people. Very few things as simple as a burger recipe have so much variation in their making.
Burgers range from McDonalds all the way to fancy schmancy burgers you pay $20 for at a restaurant (don’t ever do this, that’s ridiculous).
General Excellent Burger Principles
Before we get into the recipe, I need to go into the obligatory strategies and burger making habits that make great burgers. See: Do’s and Don’ts of Grilling Burgers.
Use the right meat – Surprisingly, I see people pick up 90%, 93%, and 85% lean ground from the grocery store for burgers. This never makes a great burger… you want a bit of fat in here to give it the flavor and juice. Target between 75% and 85%, ideal is 80%.
Don’t over-massage your meat – A lot of burger recipes (this one included) call for mixing spices into the meat. Work it in, but don’t over work it. Believe it or not, it’s the variability that gives it the great texture! Working it too much causes a mushy texture burger when cooked.
Don’t squish on the grill – There is nothing that upsets me more than people who take their spatula and smash the burger into the grill, squeezing out all the juices into the grates/charcoal below. I guess these people like dry burgers? I dunno, just stop. If your goal is to prevent them from puffing up, try this instead.
Don’t keep flipping – We want to get a nice Maillard Reaction on our burgers. This takes time and heat, but flipping too early takes that side and faces it away from the heat. Then the other side gets warm, but never there, only to flip it to start it all over again…ugh. Flip once, twice max.
The Prep
Tucker Burgers are wicked easy!
Prep the onion & garlic – Start by dicing up the white onion and garlic. Some people like larger chunks of onion, others don’t. I recommend starting with small onion pieces.
Mix in a large bowl – Mix the meat, onion, garlic, and spices/Wsauce in a large bowl. Remember, don’t over work the meat!
Separate into patties – I recommend breaking your meat into 3 burgers/pound and formed slightly larger than the bun it’s going in. It’s not too big where it takes too long to cook and is too large of a portion for most, but it’s not too small where people feel they get more bun than burger.
Let sit for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors meld prior to throwing on the grill.
The Cook
Whether you are cooking these on charcoal, gas, or even on the stove; you want it on high heat.
Place your burgers on the heat, and cover. Set timer for 5 minutes. Flip. Set timer for 5 minutes.
Using a reliable digital thermometer, check the inside temperature of the burger. If done per this recipe, you should have a medium burger. If you want to cook it longer, flip it for one more minute and check temperature again. Let rest off to the side for 5 minutes.
Additions:
If you want cheese, place a slice of cheese on top for the last 2 minutes of the cook.
For perfectly charred buns, place both sides face down on hot grill for 30 seconds.
Layer it up!
My burger preference is red onion, lettuce, tomato, and pepper jack cheese sandwiched between potato brioche buns with stone ground mustard. On days I feel emboldened, I’ll throw some thick cut bacon on there.
You could also try topping it with my Jalapeno + Onion Slaw. Holy moly…
Happy Q’ing!
Seasoned Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef (Less than 85% lean. 80% Ideal)
- ¼ cup White Onion Minced
- 2 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 tsp Kitchen Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Pepper
- 1½ tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese
- Potato Brioche Buns
- Lettuce/Tomato/Red Onion/etc
Instructions
- Breakup the ground beef in a large bowl and add all the ingredients. Mix well, but do not overwork the beef.
- Separate the beef into burger patties. Estimate 3 burgers per pound. Flatten burger to be a little larger than the bun it is going in.
- On a high heat grill, cook 5 minutes per side and then let rest for 5 minutes.Add cheese the last 2 minutes of cook.
- Place bun insides on grill towards heat. 30 seconds. Top with your favorite accouterments.
