Grilling season is upon those of us with real seasons. So grind some meat, fire up the grill, and make a serious impression in your burgers with your thumb. It keeps them from bulging in the middle, and keeps your worst spatula instincts in check.
Image via BeneBeneBeneBene.
Pan-media celebrity Bobby Flay has been a bit of a burger kick lately, and he tells the Zagat ratings site one of the most important tricks to making them. Making a serious indent in uniform-shaped, 3/4-inch-or-less thick patties does two things, Flay says:
One it prevents flying saucer-shaped burgers – you know the ones I am talking about: all puffed up and bulging in the center. What's the thing you want to do when you see one of those? Press it down with a spatula as it cooks. And what happens when you do that? All the juices run out and you end up with a compacted, dry hockey puck. So, two, making the indentation in the patties helps keep your reflexes in check and ensures juicy, moist burgers. As the meat cooks and expands, the depression magically disappears, leaving you with beautifully shaped and cooked burgers."
Hit the full article for Flay's extended take on how to form and cook burgers, and tell us your own shaping suggestions in the comments.
Chef Secrets: Bobby Flay On Making The Perfect Burger [Zagat via The Kitchn]