- May - 23 - 09
- Author: MickySlick
- No Comments
So it’s that time of year again, this weekend marks the unofficial start of the summer season, and along with that comes plenty of weekends filled with patio, terrace, backyard and rooftop BBQ’s. If you’re throwing down this weekend, or anytime this summer, here is a few pointers on one of the staples of outdoor cooking, the hamburger.
Bring on the Beef
There is no substitute for a beef burger. Reach for ground sirloin as opposed to chuck or round. If your supermarket or butcher shop has Angus sirloin, even better. I know turkey burgers are more healthy but, unless you’re grilling out three days a week, the beef is not going to kill you. As far as veggie burgers go, you might as well just stay inside.
Marinate, Marinate, Marinate
As good as beef is, it can only get better with a little customization. Try adding some of the following ingredients:
*Worcestershire Sauce
*onion powder
*garlic powder
*black pepper
*cayenne pepper (use sparingly)
*chopped bell peppers and onions
*dehydrated onion soup mix (my favorite)
Just throw all the beef into a mixing bowl and add whatever you like. Then indulge in some juvenile fun and mix it up with your hands. I won’t bother breaking down measurements, burgers are forgiving and hard to overflavor (with the exception of cayenne pepper, be careful with that one). This can be a trial and error process, but after a few tries you’ll be bragging about your own secret special burger recipe. If you can, do this the night before you grill, it will give the flavors more time to soak in. Just make the patties once you’re done mixing and throw them in the freezer.
The Freezer?
Yes, the freezer. Frozen burgers taste better. This may be sound like sacrilege so allow me to explain. If you take ground beef that has never been frozen, make patties, and throw it right on the grill, you may be cheating yourself out of the best part of the hamburger, the juices. That’s because the beef will be warm and loose (say whaaat?!) and as soon as the flame hits it, the juices will just start flowing out. Your fire will smell great, but the finished product will turn out a little dryer and blander than it should. Now if you freeze the patties at least a few hours ahead of cookttime, then take them right out of the freezer and throw them on, the beef will immediately start to cook before it has a chance to soften up. Most of the juices will remain locked in making for a very tasty, juicy and succulent hamburger. It will take a little longer to cook, and those who like an extra extra well done burger may have to settle with an outside that is a little crispy, but they must not be that interested in flavor anyway.
Another reason for freezing is form. Not your tax form but the general cohesion of the meat. Unfrozen burgers are delicate and have a tendency to fall apart if the chef is not too careful in his turning and flipping. If you are cooking for a lot of people, this small problem can compound on itself and make for a frustrating culinary experience. Now if the patties are frozen you can toss em, flip em, and slap em on a bun with one hand tied behind your back. It’s just easier.
Even boxed burgers from the deep freezer aren’t bad, especially if you have a really large group. The only problem with those is you don’t have a chance to marinate them, so keep some spices next to the grill when dealing with our boxed buddies.
Size Matters
But in the business of burgers, bigger is not necessarily better. For one, big burgers take longer to cook. They can also result in a burnt outside and raw inside (especially if you were wise enough to use frozen patties). But the most important reason for smaller patties lies in the intricate dynamics of feeding the masses. A lot of women, and even a few men, have appetites that tend to be on the small size. So if you’re backyard blowout is well attended by vixens and girly-men, then they will be pleasantly satisfied with the smaller size of the patties, and you, the chef, will not be disgusted by all the half-eaten masterpieces being thrown away. Now for all the guys with big appetites, they will be given the opportunity to brag about how many burgers they ate. For weeks you’ll hear statements like:
“Hey man, I had a great time at the cookout, the burgers were off the hook, I ate about three or four of those bad boys.”
So you see, by making the hamburgers smaller, you can feed more people, waste less food, please the ladies, make your friends proud of themselves, and increase your own popularity.
Just follow these tips and scenes similar to the one above are sure to duplicate themselves at your next cookout, I guarantee it!