Help please: 1/2 pound burgers

PackerFan

Hello,[p]I just picked up some ground sirloin and want to cook some burgers on the egg. I 1.5 pounds and was going to make 3 1/2 pound patties. I have all of the Dizzy Pig Rubs except Dizzy Dust. Can anyone recommend a simple mix for these? How long should I cook? I don't have a raised grid yet. Is the idea on burgers to cook slow or fast and hot? I like my burgers Medium. Can anyone help?[p]Thanks,
Kenny

Car Wash Mike

PackerFan,
Those suckers will take about 25 minutes at 300 direct. Depends on how thick but bun size is in that range. I like to take my ground meat, mix with a good rub then my favorite BBQ sauce, add some chopped onions in the mix then cook. The smell will drive you crazy. And the taste is? Well try and let me know.[p]CWM

PackerFan

Car Wash Mike,[p]Thanks, I will try. Do you recommend a rub? DP Cow Lick? Swamp Venom?[p]Kenny[p]

BBQfan1

PackerFan,
With the sirloin you have some lean meat there, so I'd treat it like the 'chopped steak' that it is. That means a higher heat to seal in juices (400-450 'feels' right to me). Sirloin is a 'beefy' tasting cut, so I'd let that flavor speak for itself. A bit of CowLick to complement the cut, 3 or 4 tablespoons of ice cold water to add moisture to that lean meat and help give the burgers some 'gumption'. If you need more binder to compensate for lack of fat in the cut, a loosly scrambled egg works, but the water (cold, cold, cold) should turn the trick.
If you haven't heard of the trick, indent the center of the burger and it will hold a truer form during cooking and not turn into a ball-burger with a bulge in the middle.
No smoke wood as the exposed surface of ground beef sucks up the woodsmoke flavour from the lump itself pretty well.
Just my thoughts/experiences.
Enjoy.
Qfan

Cornbread Willy

BBQfan1,
Maybe I just fell off the turnip truck, but I had never heard about the indent method. Does that really work? Usually we end up with the "ball burgers", and now that we cook on the egg, they hold so much juice that when you take the first bite you usually squirt across the table. I was taught never to try to flatten the patties on the grill or griddle with the spatula because that just dries them out and creates flame-ups. Is the indent thing just like a thumb-print or what? Thanks man!

BBQfan1

Cornbread Willy,
Yeah... when you originally shape them (and, in doing that, try to just get them to the nice round shape without 'hammering' them into rounds; the burger should be 'gently' formed), finish it up with a thumb press into the center of the burger. It allows for that extra center expansion without it creating a big round bulge in the middle of the finished burger.
Qfan

Car Wash Mike

PackerFan,
Do the cow lick thing.[p]CWM

Toy Man

Or just punch a small hole (little finger size) in the middle. That works also.[p]Toy Man

Unknown

PackerFan, so what was the verdict? What did you do? How did they come out?[p]Personally, my best experience with burgers are at higher temps, but I'm anxious to hear your results. Thanks.

Bamabob

It works! I first read about it on the forum and was surprised at how well it works. You can also use the underside of a tablespoon to make a smooth indention. The flatter burger makes it easier to pile on the fixins.

PackerFan

Bill-the-Grill,[p]I made 3 1/2 pound patties seasoned with DP Cow Lick. I cooked at 450 for about 16 minutes. The flavor of the burgers turned out very good but I didn't like the texture. I guess the sirloin is not as good of a Burger meat. The burgers were a little dry. Normally i have juices pooring out of the burger when i used Ground Chuck. The indention in the patty did work. I did not end up with a "ball" as I usually do. I try again soon. Thanks for the help.[p]Kenny[p]

Unknown

PackerFan, I've had the same experience with sirloin burgers. Prefer the cheap meat, personally.