Burger questions

dougcrann · April 2016

Folks that Mae your burgers at one.......

First question.... Do you use a press of any sorts? If so, care to share which?
Second question.....How thick are your patties? I understand that the amount of meat used plays a large part here perhaps that is my next question....
Third question.....how deep/large of an indentation do you make on the pattie? Do you make an impression on just the top after you put the burger on or do you make the "dent" on both sides prior to putting the burger on?
Guessing I am not getting the "dent" right as my burgers become somewhat bloated looking wen cooked....

Thanks in advance for any and all answers....

dmchicago · April 2016

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1193674/smash-burgers-omg#latest

clemsontyger97 · April 2016

No press for me, and I am ecstatic about my smash burgers...previously having preferred a nice thick juicy burger. I would recommend trying this approach at least once.

My last one, in a cast iron skillet on the grill

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1193023/cast-iron-skillet-smash-burger#latest

2-4oz of 80/20 (I think I did 4 oz). Ball them up as loosely as you possibly can, just enough to hold them together. I got the grill to 500, let the skillet heat up for a bit. Rubbed it with just a very small amount of oil.

Place the loosely formed balls into the skillet and wait 15-20 seconds and smash the heck out of them. Cook about 1.5-2minutes. Scrape them up, careful not to lose the crust, then cook another 30 seconds-1min on the other side and add cheese if you want. They are super thin, but flavor is ridiculous, and the crust just adds to the greatness.

If you want to try these, here are two links I found most helpful:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/09/classic-smashed-burgers-recipe.html

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/the-ba-smash-burger

johnnyp · April 2016

I am a recent convert to thinner pattys. I used to go for big, thick pattys, but have recently decided I prefer thinner pattys stacked up. i prefer the consistent results and added crust from stacking pattys.

As for burger recipe, I use this one. Shout out to @griffin.

https://griffinsgrub.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/elevate-your-burger-this-summer/

Smoker317 · April 2016

We bought a press from Cabelas probably 15 years ago, it doesn't have a name or any markings. We are a "thin" burger family. We like crispy edges that only cast iron can give. If a person wants more meat, they get two patties LOL. With the thin patties we don't have to indent the patty to make it end up flat and not bubbled. All personal preference when it comes to the thickness of a hamburger patty.

Theophan · April 2016

I like both kinds of burgers, thinner, crispy burgers and thicker, juicy, tender burgers, ideally medium rare. I really think I prefer the latter, though I've been unwilling to make them medium-rare for a long time because of the risk of bacteria in ground meat.

So it really depends on what kind of burgers YOU like. The thin, crispy "smash" burgers do well on cast iron, not the grid, and no "dent" is needed because they're thin.

If you like the thicker type of burger, I always make mine a little wider and thinner than I want because they do tend to plump up a little bit and become less wide, dent or no dent. I do think putting a bit of a depression in the middle, 1/4" deep or so, helps, though. And I usually cook burgers pretty hot, but I've heard of people on this forum actually cooking them indirect, low and slow, and insisting that they're delicious that way. I like the crust that a hot cook creates and am not sure I'd like them cooked low and slow, but I've been sort of curious to try it once.

Bottom line: Different people have different tastes, so fool around, experiment, try different ways and see what YOU like the best!

smokesniffer · April 2016

There are many different ways to do burgers, have fun with it and try a few different ways. Right now many do the smashed burgers, they are real tasty

bgebrent · April 2016

Don't use a press. Overworked ground beef ends up tough. Controversial post about 6 months ago. Form your patties by hand. Work the beef and any ingredients minimally. Press your thumb in the top side to almost 50% of the depth of the pattie before grilling. This as stated keeps it a pattie rather than a meatball.

J-dubya · April 2016

There is a lot to like with a big thick burger, but, like others, I've been very impressed with the crust you get with smashed burgers.

gdenby · April 2016

As above, most consider presses a poor idea. I used one for awhile, and adjustable non-stick from Weston. I liked the uniformity, and did not really notice any toughness.

Nevertheless, I've begun following the conventional wisdom. I think my main problem was overworking even by hand.

I usually make mine about an inch thick.

The typical indent is a thumb print, one side. The pattie will look sort of like a doughnut, but the hole isn't all the way thru.

Here's a trick to help get a bit of crust and use ground meats that have less fat, like bison. Dissolve a packet of gelatin in a few tablespoons of warm water (or warm onion juice, even better). Mix that w. a pound of the meat. Let the mass sit in the fridge till the gel firms up. Make the patties and cook. The gel will provide succulence to leaner meats, and it crisps slightly on the outside.

fishlessman · April 2016

used to make the thick ones with the indent but switched to a hand made 6 inch burger no more than a half inch thick. i semi freeze then sear hot to get a crust on the outside but still med/rare inside. we used to have good bulkie rolls in the area and the roll makes a big difference for me, the stuff in the market right now is a real let down from what i grew up with

dougcrann · April 2016

Thanks for the comments. I have a Blackstone Griddle, thanks to the near constant overcast weather we have had for a while now I have yet to use it. I have seen folks talk about how good "smash mouth" (?) Burgers are from it. Will have to give them a try.

Noticed some folks mention using CI. When doing so on an Egg do you folks watch the temperature, so that you don't end up burning up the seasoning?

bhedges1987 · April 2016

bgebrent said:

Don't use a press. Overworked ground beef ends up tough. Controversial post about 6 months ago. Form your patties by hand. Work the beef and any ingredients minimally. Press your thumb in the top side to almost 50% of the depth of the pattie before grilling. This as stated keeps it a pattie rather than a meatball.

I'll try that next time. I always use a press, though I BARELY form a ball and put it in my press and push it down only once.

If I can get better burgers without one, that's what I'll do next time!

THEBuckeye · April 2016

No press.

I typically buy 1.3 pounds to make 4 patties. Ball, "round" and press.

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