The elements of the perfect
hamburger are a patty of ground beef in a soft round bun, served with ketchup, pickles,
and onions. You may add other condiments, whatever you like, but the meat itself must be
of prime quality or it’s not worth the effort. What people prefer on
their hamburger can vary from region to region in the United States.
Learn about the History and Legends of Hamburgers by Linda Stradley.
Check out more of Linda's
Sandwich Recipes.
American Hamburger Recipe
Recipe Type:
Beef,
Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (hamburger)
Salt and pepper
4 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Accompaniments (see below)
Preparation:
Preheat barbecue grill; brush and oil the grates.
Lightly wet your hands with cold water; gently form ground beef into 4 patties,
about 1-inch thick and larger than your bun. When forming patties, handle as little as
possible. Loosely packed burgers are crisper on the outside and juicier inside. Poke a hole in the center (this will stop the
hamburger from rising in the center. The hole will close while cooking). Season with salt and pepper.
Place patties onto hot grill. Cover barbecue
with lid, open any vents, and cook 4 to 5 minutes; turn patties over and cook another 4 to
5 minutes (only turn patties once) or until cooked to desired doneness (do not press
patties with spatula while cooking as juices will escape and the meat will dry out).
Remove from grill and transfer onto a serving plate. NOTE: It is recommended that
you cook the Hamburger patty to 160 degrees on your
meat thermometer to eliminate any chance of e-coli.
This
is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking. I get many readers
asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the
Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed for professional users, the
Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. To learn more about this excellent
thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined:
Thermapen Thermometer.
Brush the hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls with
melted butter; toast them on the grill, cut side down for 30 to 60 seconds. remove from
grill and place on individual plates. Place the cooked meat onto the bottom slice of the
bun and add accompaniments of your choice (see below).
Makes 4 servings.
ACCOMPANIMENTS
IDEAS:
4 slices Cheddar cheese
8 slices cooked bacon
4 fried eggs
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Lettuce, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Sweet pickle relish
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayonnaise
