Secrets for grilling a killer burger, from local chefs
You fire up your grill on a hot summer weekend — the connoisseur of cool with a spatula in one hand and a cool drink in the other. Hungry family members swarm your outdoor kitchen.
The pressure is on. If your burgers aren't up to snuff, you’ll be the low light of their holiday weekend.
So how do you avoid serving burned hockey pucks and, instead, feed them the juiciest burger packing the biggest char-grilled punch? Chefs from some of York County’s best burger joints are here to help.
Use the freshest ingredients
Whether purchasing your meat from a supermarket or at a local mom-and-pop shop, local chefs recommend finding the freshest beef possible.
“(The meat) has to be fresh. That really is the key,” said Shawn Myers, manager at Crabb's Tropical Treat in Hanover. “If the burger is frozen or a couple days old, it just doesn’t taste as well.”
The 80/20 balance
Before you can rule the grill, you have to master reading labels in the meat department. You're looking for the right meat-to-fat ratio, and the magical number is 80/20.
"That's a fat content that keeps the juiciness in the burger," White Rose Bar & Grill Executive Chef Ty Teter said.
Ed Myers added, “I’ve always preferred an 80/20 mix, no matter what. It just gives the burger more flavor.”
Spatulas are for flipping, not squishing
Even if the flames grow and make a cool, hissing noise, don’t commit the cardinal sin of cooking meat.
"I think the biggest thing to do is to not press the burger,” Wrightsville Inn owner Ed Myers said. “Do not press it because you will be pressing the juices out.”
Taking the juices out of the burger ultimately causes the burger to become bland, regardless of how well you season it.
“It’s almost human compulsion," said Ken Taggart, head chef at Burning Bridge Tavern in Wrightsville. "You just see (the burger) and want to just squish it, but that’s the worst thing you can do.”
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Cook to preference, but cook thoroughly
Depending on the size of the burger you create, the cooking time will vary.
Regardless of size, burgers should be cooked to 145 degrees to avoid undercooking the meat, Taggart said
“Anybody dealing with ground beef these days, you should grill it the whole way through,” Taggart said.
You can tell the meat is cooked the whole way through two ways: the pink color of the beef should be mostly gone, and if you were to poke a burger with a utensil, the juices coming out should be clear, not red or pink, Taggart said.
He added that a meat thermometer is essential to grilling and should be used to tell if a burger is done. After searing your burger on either side for 3-4 minutes, stick the tip of the thermometer into the center of the burger. If the temperature is below 145 degrees, take the thermometer out of the burger, cook for another minute and check again. Repeat the process until temperature is 145 degrees.
Experiment with different ingredients
You’ve slaved away over the hot grill perfecting your craft; now it’s time to put the crown jewel on your masterpiece.
Pull the ketchup and mustard out of the fridge, if you must, but push the boundaries and try some new condiments: avocados, peaches, jalapeno peppers. Think flavor.
And don’t forget the cheese! American is fine, but consider some options our local chefs recommended: smoked Gouda or Provolone.
Be safe, be patient, have fun
If grilling is a new thing, don't forget that you're still the connoisseur of cool. Have fun with this role, and be safe.
“The biggest thing – just make sure you don’t burn yourself,” said Kalub Miller, kitchen manager at Bill Bateman’s Bistro in Shrewsbury. “Take your time and make sure you (grill) correctly.”
Most importantly, grilling shouldn’t be a chore. It’s a chance to make memories.
“The first time I cooked on the grill, I was about 5,” Miller said. “My grandparents taught me. I learned how to cook outside.”
Teter - from White Rose - cooks out with his family spring, summer and fall, and the rule is to have fun. "We get a bunch of people, load up the grill and just have a blast," he said.
Yeah, go fire up that grill. And have fun.
Anthony J. Machcinski is the Food and Drink reporter for the York Daily Record. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
