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To Divot, or Not To Divot

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Botch
Botch Posts: 15,487
in EggHead Forum
Good day in the yard today, nursing a sunburn and watched an hour special of Guy Fierie, "The Top Ten Burgers".  
I've always thought that at least half of us always put a divot, or thumbprint, or thin area in the center of our burgers before grilling, to keep them from becoming a ball rather than a patty once cooked.  
None of the featured burger-meisters did that.  I noticed one place's burger did indeed "ball up", didn't look very easy to eat (much less stack goodies on top of).  Several of the places made a nice, thick patty, and they were perfectly flat after cooking, the way it should be.  At least two of them went the "smash-burner" route (something I can't do as I don't have a Blackstone or even a CI griddle for my Egg), and two of the "best burger places" actually used pre-formed patties with squares of paper in between (!!).  
I've done tests myself, cooking two burgers with the divot and two without, at the same time from the same batch of beef, and yes the divot keeps my burgers flatter, and I will continue to do that.  However, how do others not do it, and get flat cooked patties?  
 
Another point, which maybe should be another thread:  I would've only ordered maybe a couple of the above burgers, because most of them were too damn tall to get in your mouth!!!  Seriously, why do restaurants and food stands do this?!?  Anything over 2" thick is too hard to get your mouth around (ymmv) and that's why I normally don't order burgers or sammiches when I'm out; I make them at home and thin enough to eat.  WTH.  
_____________

"Pro-Life" would be twenty students graduating from Sandy Hook next month  


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  • TN_Sister_State
    TN_Sister_State Posts: 1,130
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    I always do the divot with my homemade burgers because they always ball up on me otherwise and dont cook evenly. Maybe they restaurants use different quality meat - IDK. I just know when i divot it stays flat and awesome and without they ball up on me. 
    Franklin, Tn
    LBGE - Cast Iron Grate - Flameboss 300 - BGEtisserie

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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
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    I typically do not. Haven't noticed much difference when I do. Usually I just don't think about doing it. 
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • Gulfcoastguy
    Gulfcoastguy Posts: 6,303
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    I don't do many burgers but when I do I do the divot. Btw Ginormous Food is own now. 
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  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
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    I keep meaning to, but I never do, really, and my burgers always turn out as flat as I want them.  I suppose I just take for granted that they'll get a little smaller across and a little thicker in cooking, so I take that into account when I make them, so they'll turn out the way I want.  Never really thought about it, much.
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  • gmac
    gmac Posts: 1,814
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    I started doing it before smashburgers but often I just forget. But i doubt that mcD's etc divot. I wonder if preformed patties relax or something that fresh patties don't. 
    Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
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    If they are loosely formed and worked as little as possible, I found they don't puff up.

    And I share your dislike for the all show but difficult to eat mile high burgers.

    Phoenix 
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,087
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    I always used to divot.  Although, now I only smash.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,087
    edited April 2017
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    blasting said:

    If they are loosely formed and worked as little as possible, I found they don't puff up.

    And I share your dislike for the all show but difficult to eat mile high burgers.

    I agree with you both.  Those mile high "show" burgers are posers.  I want a burger I can eat.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,487
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    @GrillSgt , you marked my post as "Off Topic"...  guess I don't know why?  
    _____________

    "Pro-Life" would be twenty students graduating from Sandy Hook next month  


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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,087
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    Botch said:
    @GrillSgt , you marked my post as "Off Topic"...  guess I don't know why?  
    Willing to bet it was while scrolling on mobile device.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
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    Might be off topic a bit. Was grilling burgers for a party of 10 on the Weber last weekend at my brothers house. Some of the burgers were grilled direct, but most indirect. The indirect burgers were noticeably flatter and wider than the direct grilled ones. It was a higher heat indirect, probably 400ish so they had nice crusts too, maybe indirect is the way to go? 
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
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    I find with no divot, I'm not hitting the ball high enough on the club face.   Wait what?
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
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  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
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    Hans61 said:
    Might be off topic a bit. Was grilling burgers for a party of 10 on the Weber last weekend at my brothers house. Some of the burgers were grilled direct, but most indirect. The indirect burgers were noticeably flatter and wider than the direct grilled ones. It was a higher heat indirect, probably 400ish so they had nice crusts too, maybe indirect is the way to go? 
    I do burgers indirect and then sear and find they stay pretty flat.
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  • Principalchef
    Principalchef Posts: 15
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    I love that episode of DDD! The winner a few years ago was a pastrami burger, made at Hodad's in San Diego. You can see my version here.  I divot, and I think there is good science behind it. 
    Love cooking on my XL BGE for 2, 12, or 100!
    www.principalchef.com

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