Miller County Newsletters
Haley's Comment
Tips for Building a Better Hamburger
May 23, 2007
America’s Favorite Food is Delicious and Nutritious Americans love
hamburgers. In fact, Americans consume about 14 billion burgers per year. They
are such a big part of our society that it’s impossible to think of American
food without thinking of hamburgers.
The hamburger fulfills all the necessary requirements for a meal: it’s tasty,
economical, convenient - and yes, it can be nutritious. The meat used in
hamburgers actually provides many of the essential nutrients we need, including
protein, iron, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamins B6 and B12, fats, and zinc. All of
these nutrients contribute to a healthy diet.
Choose the Meat
The backbone of a good hamburger is the patty. Generally your
choices for patties include ground beef, ground chuck, or ground sirloin. Ground
chuck is the most flavorful of choices because it has the most fat, which
creates a moist, juicy hamburger. This type of meat shrinks a lot when it’s
cooked, so take that into consideration. There may also be a considerable amount
of "flare up" from the fire while cooking.
Round sirloin is the leanest of the three and is usually chosen by those on a
restricted diet. This type of patty tends to be dry, since there is little fat,
so you may want to consider adding a liquid, such as liquid smoke, broth, or
Worcestershire sauce to the mixture before forming into patties.
Probably the least-used type is the sirloin patty. Although this is the most
flavorful, it is also the most expensive, and not always a top choice of home
cooks.
Warm the Grill and Form the Patties
Once you have chosen your meat, it is
time to build a better burger. Start off by making sure your grill is set at the
appropriate temperature - too hot and the burgers will burn on the outside before
getting done on the inside. Medium to low medium heat is best. Keep the lid
closed while cooking. A closed lid retains heat inside, which shortens the
cooking time and keeps the burgers moist.
Form your patties with a gentle touch. Overworking the mixture will result in
tough patties. If you add ingredients such as onions or mushrooms, just mix
until combined. Don’t make your patties too thick or too thin. If they are too
thick, they will dry out before they are done on the inside; and if they are too
thin, they will lose most of their moisture. Instead, make each patty about
three fourths inch thick. To keep the patties from swelling in the middle, make
a small indention in the center before placing on the grill.
Grill to Perfection
To make attractive grill marks, always clean and oil the
grate on your grill. This will prevent your burgers from sticking, and it will
also extend the life of your grill. A common mistake is turning the burgers
often. Instead, turn the patties only once, and never, ever, press the burgers
with the back of the spatula. Yes, this makes fun, sizzling sounds, but it also
releases all of the flavorful juices that are cooking in your patty.
Always make sure you cook your burger properly. To prevent food-borne
illnesses, all burgers must be cooked well done to an internal temperature of
160 degrees F. To see if your burger is done, insert a clean instant-read
thermometer horizontally into the patty, away from the heat source.
Last but not least, make sure you follow proper food handling rules. Never
put cooked patties back on the same platter or container in which you carried
them to the grill. This platter or container can hold harmful bacteria which can
be transferred onto your cooked patties.
Why not add bacon-wrapped hamburgers to your Memorial Day cookout this year?
Bacon-Wrapped Hamburgers
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1 small
onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2
teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground beef
4 slices bacon
4 whole
wheat hamburger buns
Preheat grill. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except ground
beef, bacon and buns. Crumble in the ground beef, and mix together lightly by
hand. Form into patties and wrap a slice of bacon around each patty. Secure
bacon with toothpicks. Place patties on prepared grill and cook until meat
thermometer reaches 160 degrees F when inserted horizontally into patty away
from heat source. Remove toothpicks and place on buns. Top with desired
toppings.
If you would like a copy of our handout, "The Great American Hamburger,"
which contains important information and recipes, contact us at the University
of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in Miller County at 400 Laurel, Suite
215 in Texarkana, call 870-779-3609, or e-mail me at
Chaley@uaex.edu.
We appreciate your feedback!
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