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Struggled with burgers again

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Tjcoley
Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
in EggHead Forum
I thought I had burgers down pretty good based on the past few cooks. Did some tonight, raised direct at 350. 80/20 chuck. The drippings caused so much smoke there was a bad taste (for me - family thought they were good). Not sure if the time in the smoke cooking them ruined my taste for them or not. I'll be going back to CI griddle, or maybe reverse sear indirect. I had to take a shower to wash the bad smoke smell off. And the Egg was stable for almost an hour with Rockwood lump. My son was late coming home from work and I lit it early.
__________________________________________
It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
- Camp Hill, PA
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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,341
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    I cook mine between 450 and 500 raised direct. Not as smokey.

    Little Rock, AR

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  • XC242
    XC242 Posts: 1,208
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    Agree w/ @biggreenpharmacist - go hotter.
    LBGE (still waitin' for my free T-Shirt), DIgiQ DX2 (In Blue, cause it's the fastest), Heavy Duty Kick Ash Basket, Mc Farland, WI. :glasses:  B)
    If it wasn't for my BGE I'd have no use for my backyard...
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    I cook steak, chops and hamburgers with the dome open. Problem solved. I know this is not recommend but it works absolutely perfect for me so I stick with it.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    Just like this.image

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,657
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    Buy a chuck roast. Grind it yourself. Patty up and cook in a cast iron skillet. Best burgers you ever had.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • tjosborne
    tjosborne Posts: 529
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    I always seem to struggle with burgers. I can get frozen ones good, but fresh not so much. Maybe someday.
    middle of nowhere- G.I. NE
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    @tjosborne‌
    Brother try cooking them raised direct at 500 degrees and flip them every minute or so until done. If you constantly flip them there is almost no way to mess up. Give it a try and see what you think. There are certainly many ways to get good results but this one is very simple and works great. Hope this helps and good luck.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
    edited September 2014
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    I don't leave the dome open, but if I'm concerned about smoke I'll minimize the bottom vent and leave the DFMT off. Having the DFMT off helps keep the egg clear.

    @Tjcoley‌, you can also try using leaner burger to prevent flare ups.
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    edited September 2014
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    Clean burn lately? I can think of no other reason for bad smoke smell when given sufficient light time and Rockwood lump. I recently grilled some peaches on my medium and got some bad smoke taste. Had cooked a few pork butts on it and didn't do a high temp cook or clean burn. Sniff your grill, if it smells bad, let'r rip.
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
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    Of late I have been cooking beef much hotter than I used to.  I get to a hold at 500, and then just before putting the meat on open up to hit 600 (which cools back down to the 450-500 fairly quickly with the meat and tamping).  This seems to result is much more tender results.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    At 350° you're pretty much cooking a small meatloaf, essentially.  As others suggested, increase your temps and you should see a difference.  
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited September 2014
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    I had a similar issue this weekend.  I was cooking some of these:


    They don't appear too fatty, but they had a great deal of moisture.  My egg had steam pouring out of it the entire time they cooked.  They were good but they had just a little bit of an off, funky taste.  Just like you I was the only one who seemed to notice it.  My wife thought it was the best burger she has ever had. 

    I think I might go reverse sear on these if I do them again.  

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    Don't do raised! 

    400, 4 minutes side
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
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    Ground sirloin, direct, low, nuclear.  90 seconds per side, then close everything and let them bake to MR.
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  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
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    Thanks all for the suggestions. I don't think it was the Rockwood. It was burning clean for an hour before putting the burgers on. I used to do burgers hotter, but found the m much moister at the lower temp.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Tjcoley said:
    Thanks all for the suggestions. I don't think it was the Rockwood. It was burning clean for an hour before putting the burgers on. I used to do burgers hotter, but found the m much moister at the lower temp.
    I'm not sure but I think this may be a job for MANGRATES

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
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    THEBuckeye said:

    Don't do raised! 


    400, 4 minutes side
    +1. Burgers should be easy to cook. I do them on a cast iron pizza round or on grill grates. I prefer the grill grates.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • butert
    butert Posts: 202
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    I've never cooked burgers raised direct, something to try.  I let my CI grate heat up at 400 for at least 30 min then open it up and get the temp 500-525.  Put the burgers on for 1 min, flip 1 min, flip opposite direction (grill marks on the 1st side), flip again.  When I flip my final time I shut down the egg and apply the cheese.  Delicious every time!
    Cooking on a XL BGE from Allendale, Mi.
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  • Zarcon
    Zarcon Posts: 540
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    I did my 80/20 at 350 and they turned out great.

    FWIW My Egg is still somewhat new but I have smoked chicken it in before. If I am not mistaken, I believe I even used the plate setter with it. I prefer not to have drippings into my fire pit.

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1170585/2nd-cook-hamburgers#latest


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  • willymcnilly
    willymcnilly Posts: 30
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    With all due respect to the Big Green Egg (which I love), I use a Weber Kettle to cook hamburgers (and steaks, pork chops, skinless-boneless chicken or any other relatively small cooking time meat that requires indirect, direct manipulation).  The 22 inch Weber Kettle has an unparallelled ease of indirect/direct cooking ability to minimize flare-ups.  I marvel at the people on this board that say they have discarded their old Kettle once they have a BGE.  Bye for now.
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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    If you cook a burger for more than 8-10 minutes there's something wrong
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,759
    edited September 2014
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    willymcnilly said:
    With all due respect to the Big Green Egg (which I love), I use a Weber Kettle to cook hamburgers (and steaks, pork chops, skinless-boneless chicken or any other relatively small cooking time meat that requires indirect, direct manipulation).  The 22 inch Weber Kettle has an unparallelled ease of indirect/direct cooking ability to minimize flare-ups.  I marvel at the people on this board that say they have discarded their old Kettle once they have a BGE.  Bye for now.
    took me a year or so pestering the forum on how to cook chicken on an egg as good as my weber kettle
    :D steaks however the egg wins hands down
    :D burgers in quantity, the last place i want to cook burgers is in an egg, give me a gasser for alot of burgers
    :)) will have to try sgh's open grill, i used to have a huge open pit, best sausages and chicken halves on an open pit
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • damnedhooligan
    damnedhooligan Posts: 213
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    willymcnilly said:
    With all due respect to the Big Green Egg (which I love), I use a Weber Kettle to cook hamburgers (and steaks, pork chops, skinless-boneless chicken or any other relatively small cooking time meat that requires indirect, direct manipulation).  The 22 inch Weber Kettle has an unparallelled ease of indirect/direct cooking ability to minimize flare-ups.  I marvel at the people on this board that say they have discarded their old Kettle once they have a BGE.  Bye for now.
    I'm able to do indirect/direct just fine in my XL BGE....I do burgers around 450-500 direct raised using fresh meat and haven't experienced bad flare ups but it does get smokey sometimes but it is contained as I flip the burgers.

    XL BGE with adj rig & woo2

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  • anton
    anton Posts: 1,813
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    damnedhooligan said:
    willymcnilly said:
    With all due respect to the Big Green Egg (which I love), I use a Weber Kettle to cook hamburgers (and steaks, pork chops, skinless-boneless chicken or any other relatively small cooking time meat that requires indirect, direct manipulation).  The 22 inch Weber Kettle has an unparallelled ease of indirect/direct cooking ability to minimize flare-ups.  I marvel at the people on this board that say they have discarded their old Kettle once they have a BGE.  Bye for now.
    I'm able to do indirect/direct just fine in my XL BGE....I do burgers around 450-500 direct raised using fresh meat and haven't experienced bad flare ups but it does get smokey sometimes but it is contained as I flip the burgers.
    I had to laugh when I saw the Moniker Damnedhooligan from CLAREMONT!! You must be THE only hooligan in Claremont!! LOL, wavin a hand from the ghetto in Hayward.
     Using a MBGE,woo/w stone,livin' in  Hayward California," The Heart Of The Bay "
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  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
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    I pretty much only do burgers on the gas, although I could use the egg for the second part. I use either 80/20 or self ground brisket, 1 lb makes 3 burgers. I combine with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Preheat a 12 in CI skillet on the side burner, and when it's hot drop in about 1tablespoon of ghee. Once melted put in the burgers and sear hard for about 5-6 minutes. Flip and immediately stick the skillet in the gasser, holding at 350-375 (this I could do on the egg) and let finish, about 5 more minutes. Juicy, cooked through, and a nice crust on both sides.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
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    I do them raised direct, about 450, on the Mini.
    Works for me.................
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,341
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    I'd never tell anybody to throw away a kettle or offset or anything else. But I just cook better burgers on my small egg than I've ever been able to do on any of my other cookers. But everybodys different. Cook on whatever you're most comfortable with. I'm no snob.

    Little Rock, AR

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  • marcfed
    marcfed Posts: 47
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    I did not read all of the comments but I tend to do my burgers indirect with the platesetter legs up which catches the drippings and at the slower cook the burgers never shrink up.
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  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
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    SGH said:
    I cook steak, chops and hamburgers with the dome open. Problem solved. I know this is not recommend but it works absolutely perfect for me so I stick with it.

    @SGH‌ did my burgers with dome open tonight. Turned out great. First time in over 2 years with the Egg I did not close the dome while cooking. Thanks for the tip.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
    edited September 2014
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    Tjcoley said:
    SGH said:
    I cook steak, chops and hamburgers with the dome open. Problem solved. I know this is not recommend but it works absolutely perfect for me so I stick with it.

    @SGH‌ did my burgers with dome open tonight. Turned out great. First time in over 2 years with the Egg I did not close the dome while cooking. Thanks for the tip.

    Whoohoo! Great news :-bd
    C'mon, you know the deal...where's...
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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