Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Hamburgers

FatDog
FatDog Posts: 164
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
OK, y'all ... I've been cooking on my eggs for about 3 years and still have trouble getting hamburgers done right. Someone PLEASE tell me how you are doing your burgers. I've got charcoal and beef ... I ain't afraid to try almost anything once![p]Thanks,[p]Doc

Comments

  • FatDog,
    You know what....I've been cooking on and egg for one year and I can't recall ever cooking burgers on it. SHAME ON ME!
    Actually, now that I think about it, I did try burgers as one of the first cooks and ruined them by not letting the fire burn clean before adding them.[p]Typing as I think here....
    wow - time to revisit burgers on the egg. And big fat italian meatballs for pasta. yep - that's what I'll get into this weekend. Thanks for sparking the idea.

  • FatDog,[p]
    I do mine indirect at 400 deg..until done...[p]

  • FatDog,
    I do mine with the lid open, fair amount of lump, flames kissing the burgers, bottom vent half to full open until charred then flip and do the same to the other side. Maybe 5 minutes per side.

  • FatDog
    FatDog Posts: 164
    hayhonker,
    I'm happy to help get the creativity flowing ... but that still doesn't get me a great burger! Let me know how your trials turn out.[p]Doc

  • FatDog
    FatDog Posts: 164
    Dirt Clod,
    I think I'll try that method. Sometimes I forget that you can grill on the egg. I may try another ground beef, too. I currently use a low fat (7%) beef and it seems a bit dry when cooked as a burger. Maybe I'll move to a fattier choice of beef to see if I get a more flavorful burger.[p]Doc

  • FatDog,
    Saturday night was 350 direct 4-5 min a side.Patties about 3/4 in thick.

  • FatDog,[p]
    Yep..have to have some fat to make the moist..

  • FatDog,
    Had the same issues with low fat, now using the 80/20 and it seems to please most of our guests. I have never seen much mention of burgers on this forum and have wondered how others cook theirs also.
    Dirt Clod

  • FatDog,
    We just had hamburgers for dinner. I didn't think they were all that great because they were sirloin. I added quite a bit of spices, including some DP to give them a decent flavor, but there just wasn't enough fat in it to give it the "kissed by fire" taste that makes for a really good burger.[p]I kinda like juices dripping down my arm when I eat burgers. Next time I'll pick out the meat.[p]But as for technique, I do them similar to steaks. Some olive oil and rub. About 650° direct for three minutes, rotate for a minute and flip for a couple of minutes until "finger soft." [p]A good burger is just a matter of experimenting until you have it just like you want it. Then stick with that program.[p]Spring "How Now Ground Cow" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA

  • vdburger3.jpg
    <p />FatDog,[p]Just 300-350 direct. Cook until your desired doneness. Don't push the patties down, you are squeezing out the best part.[p]Also, try 1lb ground chuck, 1 package Hidden Valley Salad Dressing and Seasoning Mix. Mix that stuff together and cook.[p]Mike
  • Herm
    Herm Posts: 206
    FatDog,[p]Definitely get some 80/20 beef, and try the slow-roasting method. I recently made some with lots of Dizzy Pig Cowlick and cooked them at around 275 until they were done, maybe around 40 minutes. Absolutely the best burgers I've ever had. [p]
  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,168
    Hey, now, Mikey.....I don't remember it quite that way!!! Heeeeee!

  • Lawn Ranger
    Lawn Ranger Posts: 5,467
    fajitaburger.jpg
    <p />FatDog,
    I've gotten to the point where I kind of TRex them but at not quite the high temps. Sear them on a dropped grid to get goot marks, then raise them a bit and finish at lower temps. This was a pepper burger. BTW...beware Car Wash People....they've been known to stretch the truth. :o)[p]Mike

  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
    egret,
    Another secret addition.

  • LawnRanger,
    Profiler!

  • Haggis
    Haggis Posts: 998
    FatDog,[p]I used low fat from Costco for a long time and finally got tired of dry burgers. Got the wife to get 80/20 or 75/25 and it made a world of difference. I mix in some dried parsley, dried onion, a bit of garlic powder, some basil, and maybe a tablespoon of Dizzy Pig's Raising the Steaks rub (this is the only thing I use it for) rather than salt and pepper. I mold it gently into inch+ thick patties (avoid too much hadnling!) and thin out the middle a bit. Then just do it like a very short steak cook - a sear on side one, flip and shut the lid so side two sears and as the Egg cools it cooks through as desired. We like ours fairly close to rare and it takes maybe 3-5 minutes total.
  • FatDog,[p]Remember, you're an egg owner! Smoke them bad boys. [p]I do my burgers indirect, with lots of apple smoke. give it a try.
  • FatDog
    FatDog Posts: 164
    LawnRanger,
    The burger looks great ... and about those car wash people, I believe this one is (if you will excuse the expression) clean! I've been on the board long enough (just away for a while) to think Mike wouldn't lead me too far down the wrong path.[p]I'll take another shot at a good burger tonight ... but no extra lean beef.

  • FatDog,
    Ok this one sounds strange, but try it and you will NEVER look back. I got htis idea from Cooks Magazine and adapted it for the egg, they turn out perfect everytime.[p]Preheat (meaning get it stabalized so that it is embers and not flames keeping the temp)the egg to 500 degrees direct.[p]Start with 2 1/4 lbs of 80/20 Ground Beef (YES it MUST be 80/20) Mix in 1/4 cup olive oil (no I am NOT kidding)[p]Make 4 hamburgers of equal size about 1 - 1 1/4 inch thick (this is important for consistancy). You want the burgers flat so there is no giant mound in the middle, place the burgers on the egg and close the lid. After 4 minutes, open it up and do a quick flip, then clsoe the lid again. [p]Go another 3 minutes (4 minutes if you do not want cheese), open it up and put the cheese on (You need to use a good 1/8" of cheese if you want cheese so it does not simply melt off the burger. I like Cheddar or Mozzerella due to its melting qualities and taste.[p]Pull them off and loosly tent in foil on a plate for 2 or 3 minutes and serve em up![p]I like a horseradish mayo type of sauce on the cheddar burger and even some bacon.[p]These always turn out medium and juicy but not greasey - Give it a try, you will be hooked![p]DSC01481.jpg

  • TRex
    TRex Posts: 2,714
    Yeti Bob,[p]Do you get a lot of grease smoke at 500 degrees?[p]I do basically the exact same method except I use 350 dome and go about 8 minutes per side. I usually leave the daisy wheel off so that all the smoke can escape and the burgers don't get over smoked.[p]Thanks,[p]TRex
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    FatDog,
    when i started egging i also got a thermopen. ruined burgers for me. started cooking to safe temps of 160 for ground meat and they were dry to me. i risk it now and cook til med at most leaning towards med/rare. after all the raw burger i ate growing up, im just not afraid of it, but its not considered safe practice anymore. i like a juicy pink burger, and ken stones witchy red rub kicks it up. med/high temps to cook, i dont get carried away with cooking exactly at 350, 400, 450, all those temps work fine. i make them relatively thick and depress the centers to hold the grease while cooking and put them in the freezzer to firm them up for 15 or so minutes to keep them together on the grill. dont overwork the meat when forming the patties.

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • FatDog
    FatDog Posts: 164
    TRex,
    I have thought about trying a T-Rex style burger and am wondering if it works as well as it does with steaks. I'll find out later today.[p]Doc

  • FatDog,
    I did some this weekend. 75/15 or 80/20 and I put a little worchestershire sauce in them and then I cooked them at 350 for about 18 minutes. They where well done but still really juicy. we had guest over and they were really impressed. One of them sat there and stared at the burger for a little while shocked at how good it was.

  • I did this today and they came out great. I need to get the 80/20 though

    The olive oil really worked. The burgers were very wet so I added some Italian bread crumbs.

    The 4 minute/4 minute at 500 worked perfectly. You could never get a burger like this on gas.

    Thanks!
    Matt