Burger cooking technique?

johnnyp

I can crush a pork shoulder or ribs.  I can sear a steak to medium-rare bliss. 

But after coming to grips with a hard truth, I stink at cooking burgers.  Unlike my steak, I prefer my burgers more done.  I haven't mastered the art of (almost) fully cooking the patty without burning the outside.  

Any burger masters with tips or techniques for a medium-well/well done burger that isn't burnt?

pgprescott

Lower the temp to 300-350. Take your time. If you want, get some CI. You will get a nice sear even at the lower temps. 

Chubbs

If you are burning the outside, either raise your grid or cook at a lower temp. 

SaltySam

Go indirect. If I have a bit more time, I'll do an indirect setup, with patties about 3/4" thick.  Sometimes, I mix in a bit of fish sauce and/or bread crumbs when forming patties. It's kind of like flat meatloafs, I guess. 

At 350, I normally start checking temps around 10-15 minutes.  It gets crusty, but not burnt.  

The only lesson I could pass on is to let the white smoke clear before you put the patties on, much like a low and slow. Ground beef absorbs a lot of smoke.  Good luck!

blasting

+1 for cast iron - if you like a crust.  I don't think I'll ever go back to direct.

Also, agree with the others - lower temp if outside done before inside.

I went with a burger press last year - worst decision ever.  Burgers were not nearly as good as when loosly hand formed.

texaswig

Direct with woo.  550 without Daisy wheel. Once I put burgers on. I look through the whole in the lid. If I see too much flame up I close the bottom vent by about half. I cook them about 3 to 4 minutes a side. Put cheese on the  last minute of cooking. 

ChillyWillis

I was having issues with burgers as well, but my last two burger cooks came out great. The first time I went with a thick patty and cooked slow cooked it at 250 then seared. The last time I went with thinner patties and cooked direct on the fire grid with the dome open the entire time and the bottom vent open about 1 inch. 

Both thy were very good, but IMO the second were better. If you decide to go with method #2 just be careful of flair ups. 

MotoGuzzi

Cast iron is the way to go and turn often.

hondabbq

I have a question, Do all of you burger gurus cook with the lid open or closed?
I have cooked up burgers before with the lid closed and the smoke that comes up from the coals taints the meat to the point we cant eat it. I assume I have to cook mine with the dome open

DoubleEgger

Folks say I cook a mean burger so FWIW, try using ground round 85/15.

and I never cook with the egg open unless it's stir fry. An open egg is no better than a weber kettle IMO

hondabbq

DoubleEgger said:

Folks say I cook a mean burger so FWIW, try using ground round 85/15.

and I never cook with the egg open unless it's stir fry. An open egg is no better than a weber kettle IM

With the lid closed you don't get that acrid smoke from the fat dripping?

DoubleEgger

No I don't, the round doesn't have that much fat in it but still holds together well. Burgers are cheap - give it a try and see what you think. 

SGH

hondabbq said:

I have a question, Do all of you burger gurus cook with the lid open or closed?

I'm certainly not one of the gurus but I will share some ways that I use. On my large egg I like to cook real thick burgers indirect until they are real close to the desired level of done ness and then sear to finish. I use a grid sitting on the spider for the sear. For the indirect phase I use a Woo with the plate setter. Another method, and my favorite way is to again use the large egg set up for indirect with the Woo and plate setter and do the final sear on my mini preheated to nuclear temps. If they are thin burgers that take mere minutes to cook, usually I use the "Weber Way" method on my mini. Leave the dome open and flip every few seconds until I get the color and done ness that I want. I really like the indirect method on the thicker burgers, it gives them time to pick up some smoke flavor and then the high heat sear gives them a good char. If you are going to cook fairly thick burgers strictly direct, I find that it's best to tone the heat down a little to prevent scorching the outside. I also flip pretty regular if I'm going to cook strictly direct. The method that I use is usually determined by how thick the burgers are, how many I have to cook and how much time that I have. Hope that this helps a little.

SmokeyPitt

I am with @SGH and @ChillyWillis.  If you want thick burgers, try a reverse sear.  If you don't mind thin burgers, just pound them out nice and flat and then it is easy to get them fully cooked. 

@Dyal_SC had a great post with simple burgers "whopper" style:
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1176623/simple-burgers

As mentioned in this thread- I tried this and they were great just not big enough.  They shrink quite a bit so make them big. 

Phatchris

Sometimes I'll do them fast food style  thin on a CI skillet, other times just direct at 500 or so till done.. They never taste too smokey to me, but then again I pretty much use Rockwood or OO lump... Maybe that makes a difference. 

NCEggSmoker

I've been doing flattened griddle burgers on cast iron and they're excellent. Get nice and crispy. No hope of medium rare though. We like ours Med well anyways. I find medium rare burgers mushy. Love med rare steak though. 

NPHuskerFL

For a crazy thick burger I might go reverse sear...raised indirect and finish direct in a CI pan. But, normally I go straight up in a CI pan or skillet and flip several times to get an even cook. That's worked for me and the crust isn't burnt even on the ones that want well well done (I assure you that's not me though  My bride likes em like that).

ksmyrl

I go indirect about 375 till desired temp. Love the indirect method for burgers. I top with pimento cheese so the lower temp and indirect method gives the thick cheese time to melt. Now I'm hungry.