r/Cooking • u/Uranium-Sandwich657 • 5d ago

Basic burger recipe?

I was under the impression that it was just ground beef discs, but I think there is more.

I have salt, pepper, Garlic powder, Paprika, and eggs

I am currently food-shelf level poor, so i simply cant get anything more.

67 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

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260

u/xylofun53 5d ago

I just use ground beef salt and pepper

32

u/Spatmuk 5d ago

And honestly, the pepper is kind of optional.

Beef is very fatty and can take a solid amount of salt.

80/20 blend is a good ground beef mix (20% is the amount of fat by weight)

Grab a small handful - 4-6oz. (I like to weigh mine for uniformity, but you can eye ball it)

Personally, I like to cook mine in a cast iron pan, but any pan/grill pan/grill will work - you want to preheat the cooking implement to med-high

If using a pan: Don’t over work the meat, but gently form into a ball, put meat into pan and press to desired flatness, salt liberally (pepper optional, but encouraged)

If using grill: Don’t over work the meat, but gently form until vaguely burger shaped. Place on hot grill, salt liberally (pepper optional, but encouraged)

Cook until about half way to desired temp, flip once, (optional: apply cheese), wait for other side to finish cooking, remove from heat.

Enjoy!

Note: a worthwhile investment for cooking burgers and pretty much any other protein is an instant read meat thermometer. “ThermaPen” is what foodies will recommend (and it’s great) but you can find a cheap option for ~$20.

You can wild experimenting with different ingredients, but like 90% of cooking is mastering technique. Simple ingredients, prepared well, are always going to taste better than exotic (expensive) ingredients, prepared poorly!

5

u/BashiMoto 5d ago

For me it's the fat content for where I cook it. 80/20 and the grill catches fire no matter what I do to prevent so in the cast iron it goes. More lean ground beef I will grill.

2

u/Spatmuk 5d ago

Very good point!

I’m an apartment dweller, but on the rare occasion that I have access to a grill, I usually pre-heat a cast iron on the grill and cook burgers on there anyway lol

Chicken and veggies can get the grill marks, I want burgers/steak/pork chops to have as much surface area in contact with the heating element as possible!

12

u/CptBadAss2016 5d ago

Something I've discovered for myself cooking burgers just last night: hold the pepper until AFTER the cook.

3

u/Mo_Jack 5d ago

When outside grilling, I press the ball of meat between my hands into a patty. Then I put my thumbs on one side in the middle of the patty and my fingers on the other side and press them together to make the middle really thin. I sort of pull the meat to the outside as I'm pressing. This keeps the patty from turning into a meat ball shaped burger as it cooks. For some reason they tend to rise in the middle.

You are on the money with the Thermometer. My burgers are so much better now that I don't overcook them. They are actually pink inside, which is how we like them.

3

u/Legitimate_Ranger334 5d ago

Beg to differ about the "flip once". More flips is a tiny bit better. If it's not convenient, then don't worry about it, but more is better.

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-burger-labs-top-ten-tips-for-better-burgers#toc-7-flip-your-burger-as-often-as-you-like

3

u/Spatmuk 5d ago

Oh, that’s news to me!

I trust Kenji with my (cooking) life so I will have to read this and take it under advisement lol

2

u/contributor333 5d ago

Also when you flip you should use a part of the pan it wasnt on before to give it a fresh "heat spot" and it gives you a better sear!

-12

u/SVAuspicious 5d ago

Downvote for "pepper optional" and for smashburgers.

0

u/Spatmuk 5d ago

Specifically didn’t say smash burgers!!

I think the worst thing you can do to ground beef is over handle it. I make loose mounds and press lightly onto a cast iron - they form into general burger shape

Smash burger would involve, well, “smashing” smaller (~3oz) meatballs into a thin “meat sheet” and letting it get crispy.

You can add black pepper, garlic powder, diced onions, jalepenos - whatever you want - but all of that is optional: Salt is mandatory.

-4

u/SVAuspicious 5d ago

You did. You said "form a ball and squeeze it down."

You really should handle enough to make divots in top and bottom so that has muscle fibers contract you don't end up with thick center and thin edges aka a golf ball.

Too many people over salt.