Hamburgers are versatile and they can be made using different ingredients. The main component of the hamburger is the patty or the filling. There is also a bun to hold the patty together, although this is optional. Many different types of meat can be used to make the burger and you can make vegetable burgers.
While the process of making hamburgers can seem quite straightforward, there are great burgers and not so great burgers, don't you all agree? The preparation requires skill but it is even more important to get great ingredients.
The patty is the heart of every burger and how it is prepared will determine the taste and quality of the burger. When most people think of hamburger patty, they are thinking of beef. While this may be the most common meat used, it is not the only one. You can also use pork, ground lamb, sausage and ground turkey. When you are preparing a beef burger, you have to make sure that you use the right meat. Lean ground beef of good quality will retain moisture during the grilling. It should not be too lean, as this type will end up being too dry after the little fat has drained off. On the other hand, if it has too much fat, the patty will end up shrinking during the grilling leaving you with a small size patty.
The best meat to make the hamburger is a coarse grind. Meat that is finely ground is hard to work with and can become mushy. It is also likely to fall apart during the grilling. A coarse grind will hold together well as it cooks. It is also important to avoid using large pieces of vegetable like onions or garlic. Instead of chopping them, mince them so that they can be worked into the meat well.
When you are making a turkey burger, you may need to add breadcrumbs to the ground turkey. This is because the meat is soft and may be difficult to work with. The breadcrumbs absorb the extra moisture making the patties easy to work with. Adding breadcrumbs is also important if you want to add steak sauce to the meat. If you want to make a great burger, you can mix two or more types of meat. Mixing beef with lamb or sausage can result in a great tasting burger. When making the patty it is important to avoid handling the meat too much, as this will cause it to get soft and mushy.
After making the patties, you have to make sure that you follow instructions for grilling. Make sure the grill is very hot before you start and place the patties quickly on the hot surface. They should stick on the cooking grate immediately you put them in, but do not attempt to turn them just then. Turning the burger too early will cause it to fall apart. Flip the burger the moment it gets loose or separates from the grate and when the second side has also separated flip them again and reduce the heat. Continue grilling for two or three minutes until there is no pink left and remove from the heat.
There you go - a great hamburger for you to sink your teeth into!
