is a hamburger press really worth it

smokesniffer · May 2014

Hope you all had a Happy Mothers Day with family.

Is a hamburger press worth having.in our arsenal?? Wondering if it helps when doing a larger batch of burgers, having them all the same size and thickness. Would this make is more consistent in that the thickness would be uniform? Had family over today and then invited some others last minute, which they said no they wouldn't be able to come, then last minute they called back and said they would come. So had to pull out frozen burgers, and thaw them fast. Long story short, there burgers were hand made and were different thicknesses.There were a couple of burgers that were a bit more rare than what I would have like to serve. I felt bad that there were a couple undercooked, and don't want anyone to get sick. So does the press work to help with that type of scenario?? What is the best way to handle this?

Have a great week you y'all.

RRP · May 2014

Yes they work for sake of uniformity - but are you open to another idea? I buy these large 10# tubes of 80/20 ground chuck from SAMS. Throw it in the freezer for a couple hours, mark off my desired thickness and then cut the tube into patties.

RRP · May 2014

Then I stack them on a cookie sheet and freeze them for 24 hrs, and the bag in FS bags! Been doing this for years!

smokesniffer · May 2014

@RRP. Thanks for the quick response, I like that idea of the tube idea. I just want to be consistent and also safe. So you just peel off the plastic and start slicing. Sounds like that would save a step. Thanks Ron

smokesniffer · May 2014

What do you use to mark them so they are uniform??

FATC1TY · May 2014

I'm not fond of burger presses.. Ends up manipulating the meat too much, IMO.

I like to hand press them, without working it around too much. I find they cook better, aren't as dense, and tend to taste better.

But if making sure you cook them well done is the goal, then yeah a press would work if you buy loose beef. The suggestions above work out really well too.

Carolina Q · May 2014

Can't see the point in a press. And I couldn't care less if they are exactly the same size. The less handling, the better.

RRP · May 2014

smokesniffer said:

@RRP. Thanks for the quick response, I like that idea of the tube idea. I just want to be consistent and also safe. So you just peel off the plastic and start slicing. Sounds like that would save a step. Thanks Ron

I have found that once the tube is semi-frozen and you work fast you can remove the plastic and cut quickly. BUT for assurance until you get the hang of it just slit the very top of the tube and start cutting from the middle toward the ends. That make sense? If the meat isn't frozen enough then you can stick it back in. A little practice works wonders!

smokesniffer said:

What do you use to mark them so they are uniform??

The first couple tubes I painstakingly wipe the plastic tube down with rubbing alcohol (which isn't a bad idea anyway and I still do that!) and then lay a yardstick on the plastic tube and mark off "dots" at 1" intervals

using a permenant marker. BTW I have found that if I save both end cuts and combine them together they make a nice burger and believe it or not THAT is when I break out my burger press to form that one!

SkinnyV · May 2014

Not to me. I've decided if I'm having a burger our local "dicks" in Seattle suits the need. Its comparable to in and out in CA and I've decided I like my burgers nice and thin like the places can do it. No more burgers on the egg for me after doing them maybe twice.

RRP · May 2014

SkinnyV said:

Not to me. I've decided if I'm having a burger our local "dicks" in Seattle suits the need. Its comparable to in and out in CA and I've decided I like my burgers nice and thin like the places can do it. No more burgers on the egg for me after doing them maybe twice.

To each his own, my man! Unless you are totally closed minded to burgers on the egg then would you try ones pressed thin and cooked on a griddle like the place you seem to prefer? Griddles are cheap whether cast iron or otherwise. You might be surprised what you can do to a burger at home on an egg on a griddle!

SenecaTheYounger · May 2014

@RRP‌
Re: "The first couple tubes I painstakingly wipe the plastic tube down with rubbing alcohol (which isn't a bad idea anyway and I still do that!) and then lay a yardstick on the plastic tube and mark off "dots" at 1" intervals
using a permenant marker. BTW I have found that if I save both end cuts and combine them together they make a nice burger and believe it or not THAT is when I break out my burger press to form that one!"

I'm just going to leave these here:

https://screen.yahoo.com/anal-retentive-chef-mothers-day-000000641.html

And

http://ocpd.freeforums.org/

flemster · May 2014

I have a press and find it is very worth it. I can get a more consistent cook through the burger with uniform thickness. Also find it easier to stuff the burger. my press is a $8 version from a restaurant supply...

Focker · May 2014

Never understood the fascination with a "juicy lucy". All of the items stuffed end up falling out on the first bite. Seems to be more surface area in the nooks and crannies on top of a minimally pressed patty for the cheese to melt. For that reason, I have yet to try it.

Use the money you were going to spend towards a decent digi(scale)

nolaegghead · May 2014

I am reminded of gerbil transport. Make the burger with a press if you're OCD, with dirt and moss if you're a caveman. Make it your own.

Eggcelsior · May 2014

Focker said:
Never understood the fascination with a "juicy lucy". All of the items stuffed end up falling out on the first bite. Seems to be more surface area in the nooks and crannies on top of a minimally pressed patty for the cheese to melt. For that reason, I have yet to try it.
Use the money you were going to spend towards a decent digi(scale)

Hmmm... A Bears fan doesn't like something from Minnesota... Hmmm...

Focker · May 2014

Must be the same reasoning for the strong dislike of brats..Fockin' cheeseheads.

Focker · May 2014

GATraveller · May 2014

SenecaTheYounger said:

@RRP‌ Re: "The first couple tubes I painstakingly wipe the plastic tube down with rubbing alcohol (which isn't a bad idea anyway and I still do that!) and then lay a yardstick on the plastic tube and mark off "dots" at 1" intervals using a permenant marker. BTW I have found that if I save both end cuts and combine them together they make a nice burger and believe it or not THAT is when I break out my burger press to form that one!" I'm just going to leave these here: https://screen.yahoo.com/anal-retentive-chef-mothers-day-000000641.html And http://ocpd.freeforums.org/

Thanks for the Phil Hartman.......boy I miss that guy.

SenecaTheYounger · May 2014

I did not recall his name, but I remembered his character. That's actually what the weekend group calls me, although I don't think I am very retentive myself.

johnnyspo · May 2014

Love my press, use it all the time. I think there's actually less handling with the press, and no dimpling required. Patties cook perfectly!

--John

nolaegghead · May 2014

SenecaTheYounger said:

I did not recall his name, but I remembered his character. That's actually what the weekend group calls me, although I don't think I am very retentive myself.

I have not not observed any OCD behavior in the content of your posts, quite the opposite. Your dialog in the forum is knowledgeable but quite normal, in my opinion.

SenecaTheYounger · May 2014

I don't think I am OCD either, but that's my nickname during the summer (Anal Retentive Chef). It has less to do with OCD than perhaps the technical way I tend to look at things. I think for lack of a better one, the nick name stuck.

Better than a friend's, whose nom de lac is "Basshole"

corey24 · May 2014

RRP said:

Yes they work for sake of uniformity - but are you open to another idea? I buy these large 10# tubes of 80/20 ground chuck from SAMS. Throw it in the freezer for a couple hours, mark off my desired thickness and then cut the tube into patties.

Fantastic Idea.....

nolaegghead · May 2014

Lest anyone confuse OCD behavior with quality control, OCD behavior has no positive outcome, but is more ritualistic, such as checking if a door is locked a given number of redundant times...as a ritual.

SenecaTheYounger · May 2014

I think the vernacular usage of the term among my weekend group relates more to my exactitude and the tendency to perfectionism, rather than an actual diagnosis of clinical OCD.

RRP · May 2014

Since I seem to have gotten this whole AT and OCD twist going I'll just explain my comment. After seeing the handling and places that tube comes in contact with and not knowing how many times others have picked it up, sneezed in its presence etc then wiping it down with rubbing alcohol makes sense!

nolaegghead · May 2014

Perhaps you could correct them on their vernacular accusation of OCD behavior, which may very well be received as OCD in itself.

Little Steven · May 2014

RRP said:

Since I seem to have gotten this whole AT and OCD twist going I'll just explain my comment. After seeing the handling and places that tube comes in contact with and not knowing how many times others have picked it up, sneezed in its presence etc then wiping it down with rubbing alcohol makes sense!

Ron,

You need to build up your immunity. )

Skiddymarker · May 2014

Great idea @RRP - but it is tough to find "chub" pack of 80/20 here on the left coast. Only way I've found to get a good 80/20 mix is to weigh it and grind yourself.

@smokesniffer - I think a compromise is needed, without getting too OCD about it as @nolaegghead said. If we are having to make more than a dozen burgers, I weigh the meat, start to hand form, then finish them in the press, without squashing the bejesus out of them. Best burgers have a bit of fluff left in them. I've also found that for me, I grind lean and fat separately, then hand mix.

nolaegghead · May 2014

Ron, the outside of the burger is cooked. The burger meat is probably made from an entire herd of cows, ground and mixed up. The horses have long left the barn.

nolaegghead · May 2014

Focker said:

Never understood the fascination with a "juicy lucy". All of the items stuffed end up falling out on the first bite. Seems to be more surface area in the nooks and crannies on top of a minimally pressed patty for the cheese to melt. For that reason, I have yet to try it.
Use the money you were going to spend towards a decent digi(scale)

Not in my limited experience. http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1163976/goat-mozz-oyster-shroom-stuffed-buffalo-burgers-aka-juicy-lucys#latest

is a hamburger press really worth it

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