Cooking Quarter-Pound Burgers?

RiverFarm

Many of the recipes I've seen for grilling on the Egg call for 1/2-lb hamburgers, and we just don't want that much meat per serving. But we're having a hard time getting the 1/4-lb version to cook properly; by the time the outside looks good the inside is overcooked. If we make them smaller and thicker they get lost in the standard-sized buns. Any suggestions?

SmokeyPitt

Make the 1/2 lb burgers but cut them in half (after placed in the bun). That way you are not wasting as much valuable stomach capacity on the bread . Now you have room for a brat as well!

I've actually only done burgers once and they were about 1/4 lb and my assessment was the same as yours...a little too crispy on the outside. I thought next time I might try on a raised grid.

gdenby

Just out of curiosity, how are you cooking them now? That is, grill height, and temp?

Rusty Rooster

Lower your dome temp. &/or raise your grid. That way, maybe the inside can cook to your desired doneness at closer to the time the outside is as done as yoou sesire.

RiverFarm

We're cooking them at standard grill height and at 650. Maybe this just isn't doable...We figured if the temp was high enough we'd get that nice browned effect while still allowing the inside to stay pink. So far that hasn't worked. Maybe if I used frozen burgers...

gdenby

If by standard grill, you mean on the grill on the fire ring, as RR says below, raise the grill. At that distance, w. a dome of 650, the burgers are probably cooking at 1100F or more. You might do a 1/4 lb steak in maybe 20 seconds total with that sort of heat.

Also, a griddle or a CI pan wight be good for this (and many other things) where you want to cook something thin at a pretty high heat.

fishlessman

i make mine a little bigger but i chill the burgers in the freezer for about 30 or so min until the outside starts to freeze up, then onto the grill usually raised and around 400 plus or minus, i dont pay alot of attention to temps on the hgrill, 350 to 450 im cooking. thermapens dont work well with thin burgers, i wait til the juices flow on top and flip, wait til the juices flow again and add the cheese. the thermapen was ruining burgers for me, i stopped using it

field hand

We cook 1/2 lb burgers at normal grid position but at 450*. If a little more char is needed, we open the lid for some fame-up, and pull at 130* internal temp. This will take a little longer than cooking in the 600* range, but works for us. Good luck.

Barry
Marthasville, MO

Jai-Bo

Deer cooks waaaaay faster then beef....I like my burgers a touch of pink but I have never gotten deer burgers like that.....Good luck....

Hoss

I go 400 dome.A CI grill or pan works good too.

trying_to_master_the_egg

I usually make 1/3 lb burgers, raised grid @350-375 dome temp. Cook around 7 minutes and flip, cook another 7 minutes and pull them off the egg. The results are some very juicy and tasty burgers.

RiverFarm

Thanks for the suggestions. What's a CI grill or pan - cast iron?If you use a pan, though, you might as well cook them on a stove, no?

I think I'll try lower heat and having them frozen or at least very chilled. There has to be a way to do this!