How to cook a burger at home.

[Jason Perlow]

I was referring to the spice itself, not for its specific use in burgers.

I prefer my burger meat unspiced.

[Jason Perlow]

Fundamentally there is nothing wrong with the composition of Emeril's seasoning mixes.

Yeah, it's not much different from other spice mixtures I've seen. But it is Emeril. That said, nothing goes into hamburger meat. (I think salt changes the texture a bit, but only a 7.5 palate could tell.)

Its rather sad that Emeril has such a negative connotation now. In the mid-90's I went to New Orleans a few times for various computer shows and had the pleasure of eating at Emerils. I even sat at the chef's table once, and the food WAS good. Some of the best I've had in that city.

The man did have talent, and didnt get his reputation at his place and at Commanders Palace for nothing, you know. Its just that he's devolved into this way-out-there bombastic personality for Food TV and we barely get to see that side of him anymore. As to the quality of his restaurants nowadays, I have no idea.

[elyse]

I'm on the purist's side with burgers too. Salt and pepper, no bun, no lettuce, no tomato. Ketchup sometimes if I'm home. But seriously, try the cheese run-off thing sometime. It's sooo good.

Might be important, my stove flame doesn't get that hot, so it's highest might be lower than other people's. Don't need the oven or a cover. Spatter guard if I happen to have one.

[Jason Perlow]

I'm on the purist's side with burgers too.  Salt and pepper, no bun, no lettuce, no tomato.  Ketchup sometimes if I'm home.  But seriously, try the cheese run-off thing sometime.  It's sooo good.

Might be important, my stove flame doesn't get that hot, so it's highest might be lower than other people's.  Don't need the oven or a cover.  Spatter guard if I happen to have one.

But this is more along the lines of a chopped steak, not a burger. A burger I think implies that its a sandwich.

Mind you, I love a good chopped steak, especially one at a good diner or a reputable steakhouse, with good fried onions and sauteed mushrooms. Sometimes with a mushroom gravy or steak sauce on the side.

A chopped steak should be mostly if not entirely sirloin though.

[tommy]

But this is more along the lines of a chopped steak, not a burger. A burger I think implies that its a sandwich.

jason, if you have the time and feel comfortable, how would you consider $30 of truffles, and $10 of foie gras, playing a part in a "burger," in any generally accepted sense of the word. considering the ingredients, replies in french would be greatly appreciated.

for me, chop some meat, grill it, and enjoy. i rather like that, even with truffles.

[Jason Perlow]

But this is more along the lines of a chopped steak, not a burger. A burger I think implies that its a sandwich.

jason, if you have the time and feel comfortable, how would you consider $30 of truffles, and $10 of foie gras, playing a part in a "burger," in any generally accepted sense of the word. considering the ingredients, replies in french would be greatly appreciated.

for me, chop some meat, grill it, and enjoy. i rather like that, even with truffles.

Truffles, sure. I hate foie gras though.

(he laughs, knowingly that Cabrales and Plotnicki just said WHAT?!?)

[maggiethecat]

The mavens also say that you don't want to compress the meat too much, but to form it loosely into the right shape. This helps cooking and juciness. My experience says they are right.

You are absolutely right. I've done this forever, thanks to a long-ago Paul Newman interview.

But the best part of that interview, and his burger secret was:

Pour one half teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce on one side of the patty. Lovingly spread it out and rub it in with a finger.

No rubs, mixes, even salt needed. It tastes really good.

There is NO place for lettuce on a hamburger. Ever.

[snowangel]

and his burger secret was

My secret to cooking anything (especially over heat) is The Timer. Keeps one on task. The best of intentions can be sidetracked by owies requiring bandages, ringing phones, overflowing toilets, an engrossing book or crossword puzzle, relief of a full bladder, or the myriad of other assorted tasks and details that clutter our lives.

[Holly Moore]

There is NO place for lettuce on a hamburger.  Ever.

I stand by my assertation that a few leaves of iceburg and only iceburg lettuce below the pattie sops up the beef juices quite nicely and wonderfully wilts the iceburg lettuce.

I quite agree that romaine, bib, butter, radiccho and similar eye candy have no place on burgers.

[tommy]

I stand by my assertation that a few leaves of iceburg and only iceburg lettuce below the pattie sops up the beef juices quite nicely and wonderfully wilts the iceburg lettuce.

I quite agree that romaine, bib, butter, radiccho and similar eye candy have no place on burgers.

agreed. that overly limp and overly green fancy garnish passing as lettuce should be outlawed:

[JAZ]

There is NO place for lettuce on a hamburger.  Ever.

I stand by my assertation that a few leaves of iceburg and only iceburg lettuce below the pattie sops up the beef juices quite nicely and wonderfully wilts the iceburg lettuce.

Nope. Maggie's right.

Why on earth would you take iceberg lettuce, whose sole virtue is its crispness, and put in on a burger where it wilts? That's just wrong.

[Suzanne F]

Re: pan-cooking burgers:

No one has yet mentioned this method:

• First, bring burgers up to room temperature, so that they can be raw but not cold in the middle (we like ours black-and-blue)
  
• Open all windows, turn on exhaust fan, disarm smoke alarm (you get the idea)
  
• Spronkle kosher salt over the bottom of a plain old boring cheap frying pan (NOT non-stick, NOT cast iron), enough so there is good coverage but not so much that you can't see the metal underneath. Yes, spronkling DOES take practice to develop the skill.
  
• Place pan on burner
  
• Turn on heat to medium-high
  
• When pan is hot enough (= very hot but not bursting into flame), place burger on top of salt
  
• Leave alone until your desired crust forms on the bottom
  
• Scoop up burger with spatula; flip over and replace burger on another spot covered with salt
  
• Leave alone again until done (use finger-press method to determine doneness)
  
• Remove burger from pan
  
• Place cover on pan to contain smoke
  
• Place burger on roll or bun; add preferred garnishes and condiments, if any. I choose not to dictate what I consider to be the "proper" accoutrements.
  

[Holly Moore]

There is NO place for lettuce on a hamburger.  Ever.

I stand by my assertation that a few leaves of iceburg and only iceburg lettuce below the pattie sops up the beef juices quite nicely and wonderfully wilts the iceburg lettuce.

Nope. Maggie's right.

Why on earth would you take iceberg lettuce, whose sole virtue is its crispness, and put in on a burger where it wilts? That's just wrong.

Nope. Holly's right. It's how the lettuce is wilted. It's the synergy between the grease/juices and the lettuce.

[Jason Perlow]

I can understand the necessity for lettuce on a burger and I often eat them that way myself, but sometimes, for variety, I like them this way -- and it requires that you have very good meat to do this --

prepare the burger plain, medium to med-rare with salt, and do not put anything else on it except for a smear of mayonaise on the bun mixed with finely chopped fresh (white) horseradish and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.

The juices from the burger mixed with the mayo/horseradish/worcestershire o make a unbeleivable "sauce" for the burger. I've had it this way a few times and its fantastic.

[elyse]

I'm on the purist's side with burgers too.  Salt and pepper, no bun, no lettuce, no tomato.  Ketchup sometimes if I'm home.  But seriously, try the cheese run-off thing sometime.  It's sooo good.

Might be important, my stove flame doesn't get that hot, so it's highest might be lower than other people's.  Don't need the oven or a cover.  Spatter guard if I happen to have one.

But this is more along the lines of a chopped steak, not a burger. A burger I think implies that its a sandwich.

Mind you, I love a good chopped steak, especially one at a good diner or a reputable steakhouse, with good fried onions and sauteed mushrooms. Sometimes with a mushroom gravy or steak sauce on the side.

A chopped steak should be mostly if not entirely sirloin though.

Not in my book. My burgers are neither chopped nor steak. Remember when people first started ordering burger type sandwiches? They asked for a hamburger sandwich.

Come on food historians, shoot me down!

Edited February 15, 2003 by elyse (log)

[hjshorter]

I'm reminded of the commercial for A1 from the 70's - "Is a hamburger chopped ham? No, it's chopped steak!"

[Jinmyo]

Perhaps because I am not really that enamoured of burgers my preferences are pretty generous.

Iceberg lettuce? The cool crunch can be a nice contrast. Jason's horseradish, mayo (if fresh), and Worcestershire? Sure. I also like jalapeno and a thin swipe of good cream cheese or ricotta. Some chipotle mayo is nice too. Caramelized onions? Okay.

Not all at the same time though.

Ketchup?

Wait a minute. Let's not get crazy.

(Suzanne, I like your method and will try it. Sometime.)

[Suzanne F]

Thanks, Jinmyo. I'm honored.

That's just the way my mother made them, and I used to, before I got a cast-iron grill pan and before He Who Only Eats starting complaining about "too much salt." I suspect she did it in homage to the process of koshering, since meats to be grilled/broiled (even only in theory) don't go through it. But in any case, it gives a lovely, salty crust to the meat.

[Xanthippe]

I prefer my burger meat unspiced.

As do I, the only exception being the use of fine sea salt (3/4 tsp. per 1 1/4# meat) sprinkled on the meat and left to sit (covered, in the fridge) overnight.

The actual method: Chef Judy Rogers' of Zuni Cafe fame. Simple in the extreme, and the best darned hamburger going. Start with a well-marbled piece of chuck steak (@ 1 1/4# for two hungry people). Trim the meat of any discoloration, but do *not* trim any fat (Julia Child is right!). Cut the meat into long thick "ropes," place the meat in a bowl, and toss with the sea salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Up to 5 or 6 hours before cooking, set up a meat grinder with 1/16 inch holes. Grind the meat twice, which results in a tender texture and even distribution of the salt throughout the meat. Shape the ground meat into thick patties, taking care not to warm the meat in your hands. Make sure the burgers are at room temperature before cooking.

In nice weather, I cook the burgers on the Weber; in our California "winter," I use my trusty Lodge cast-iron grill pan. In either case, the burgers are cooked medium-rare, and always come out moist and delicious. I know, I know -- I'd always thought that salting meat before cooking would render it dry, but it just ain't so in this case.

[Jinmyo]

Xanthippe, first post. Welcome.

[Robert Schonfeld]

The mavens also say that you don't want to compress the meat too much, but to form it loosely into the right shape. This helps cooking and juciness. My experience says they are right.

You are absolutely right. I've done this forever, thanks to a long-ago Paul Newman interview.

But the best part of that interview, and his burger secret was:

Pour one half teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce on one side of the patty. Lovingly spread it out and rub it in with a finger.

[Xanthippe]

Xanthippe, first post. Welcome.

Thanks muchly, Jinmyo! Pleased as punch to be here . . .

[elyse]

The only time I like lettuce with a burget, is on the side, with drippings from the burger over it. Mmmmm.

OR in LA at In N' Out or Fat Burger. No pickles. EVER. It's like eating ears.

[sng sling]

....it gives a lovely, salty crust to the meat...

I'm travelling and can't check the book, but I think this method was in the early '70s Beard cookbook for steak. Does give a wonderful crunchy, salty crust...

[Wilfrid]

I can't think of how pan-cooking a burger differs from pan-cooking a steak of similar dimensions. A smokey business, but with no smart tricks to it.