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<\/p>\nMaking a great burger has become an art form. There are lots of different techniques and people seem prepared to die on the sword for their coveted secrets. There are, however, a few basics though that make a good burger really great, so read on to find out what burger mistakes you might be guilty of. Make your next batch the best ever.<\/p>\n
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Essentially, you can make a burger patty with any meat you like, but the important thing to remember here is juiciness. For that ideal moisture factor, make sure that you use at least a 80:20 meat-to-fat ratio. This really is the first important step to making sure that you don\u2019t end up with a hockey puck where your burger patty should be.<\/p>\n
The cardinal sin of burger mistakes! Be gentle with the meat when putting your patties together; treat it with love. Firstly, you want to work quickly, keeping the meat cold to ensure that the all-important fat stays emulsified. You also want to keep all handling to a minimum, so that you don\u2019t overwork the proteins, leaving you with a tough, sad burger. Squashing the meat together like play dough should be avoided at all costs!<\/p>\n
Yes, it\u2019s always a good idea to season your food as you\u2019re preparing it and not just at the end of cooking, but when it comes to burgers, you want to wait for as long as possible before adding that salt. The best time to season up your patties is just before you cook them. Salt added too soon breaks down the proteins on the surface of the meat, causing it to be tough and dense. So once you’ve fired up the braai or your pan, generously season your patties on both sides and get cooking.<\/p>\n
Do your burgers puff up? Trying to fit a rounded burger between your buns is not fun, so when (delicately) shaping your patties, press down slightly on the meat with your thumb to form a little indentation or ‘divot’. This not only prevents it from puffing up, but also stops it from shrinking too much.<\/p>\n
Burgers are very personal and everyone has a recipe that they trust \u2013 sometimes, they can be guilty of having all sorts of things added to them. Here is where we pause and think of the classic Eddie Murphy skit about his mother\u2019s hamburgers<\/a>, with chunks of green peppers and onions poking out of them. Don\u2019t be like Eddie\u2019s mom, keep your mix simple \u2013 they don\u2019t need egg, breadcrumbs, onions or ridiculous spices. Whatever your mix of meat is, just keep it like that. Let your patty do the talking.<\/p>\n Similar to a piece of steak, you want a good sear on that patty. So, give your pan or braai a good amount of time to heat up before you pop that patty on the heat. You want caramelisation, not stewing action.<\/p>\n Ok, so you\u2019ve got the perfect fat:meat ratio, you\u2019ve lovingly put the patties together, your pan or grill is nice and hot, and your burgers have been seasoned at the right time \u2013 don\u2019t let it all fall apart at the last minute by cooking it incorrectly. Do you love to press down on your burger with your spatula, just to hear it sizzle? Yeah, don\u2019t do that, that sizzle you\u2019re hearing is all that moisture escaping, moisture you\u2019ve worked so hard to retain. Just leave the burgers for about 4 or 5 minutes on one side before flipping it for another 2 minutes, using your spatula only to lift the burgers off the grill.<\/p>\n We\u2019re pretty sure that you\u2019ve grasped the importance of retaining moisture in your burger. Cutting into your burger releases all that juiciness. Just don\u2019t do it.<\/p>\n We know, we know \u2013 it’s going to be the best burger ever, but you need to have patience. As with all meat, allowing your burger to rest before eating it will allow the protein to relax and the juices to settle, meaning your burger won\u2019t leak out all over your buns as soon as you bite into it.<\/p>\n This is not the time for anything other than a hamburger roll. Keep your ciabattas, pita bread or, heaven forbid, white sandwich bread for another day.<\/p>\n Salads, potato wedges, vegetable chips or alternative root crisps are not welcome here. You\u2019re after chips, preferably erring on the slimmer, more frite-<\/em>like side, with tomato sauce \u2013 or mayonnaise if you\u2019re feeling European. Here’s how to make the perfect French fries<\/a>.<\/p>\n Awesome, you’ve nailed the format \u2013 no burger mistakes for you. Get inspired by these recipes and create your burger masterpiece. Try our Pork Burger with Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Bacon & Cheese<\/a> or these Cheesy Pretzel Roll Sliders with Wagyu Beef<\/a>.<\/p>\nCooking with low-heat<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Touching the burgers too much as they cook<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Cutting into the patty to check doneness<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Eating it too soon<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Not serving on a proper hamburger roll<\/strong><\/h4>\n
What? No Fries?<\/h4>\n
Test Your Burger-Making Skills<\/h3>\n
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