Tonight we continued our quest for the perfect burger, a pursuit that started more than five years ago when we got married. We’ve tried beef burgers, turkey burgers, stuffed burgers, burgers grilled over charcoal, burgers with a variety of toppings… We went a traditional route for dinner tonight.
The Not Quite Perfect Yet Burger
Yields 3-4 burgers
- 1 pound of ground beef (85/15 or 80/20 would be best for a juicy and flavorful burger, although we used 93/7)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- Canola oil
- 4 slices of cheese (optional)
- 4 hamburger buns
Mix the seasonings into the meat. Divide the meat into quarters or thirds (depending how big you want your burgers). Form the meat into 1/2 inch thick round patties. Since we’re currently under a burn ban, we cooked the burgers in my beloved iron skillet. Preheat the skillet over high. Once preheated, coat the skillet with a light layer of oil. Sear the burgers on the first side for about 4 minutes. Flip the burgers and sear the second side for about 5 minutes. If desired, place a piece of cheese on the burger after the fourth minute of cooking. Remove the burgers from the skillet and toast the buns in the skillet for about a minute.
While we enjoyed the burgers, they still weren’t perfection. They just didn’t taste as good as a restaurant burger. The quest goes on… Tips anyone?
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looks pretty perfect from where I am sitting.
Haha, thanks :)
That burger looks tempting :)
Thank you!
ciabatta bread buns = key to the perfect burger (the buns sold at Trader Joes are fresh, and delicious…or perhaps you could make your own:)?)
We will have to try that next time :) Thanks!
Oh boy… It would be a perfect burger if I could have it for lunch today :)
Hahaha, you’re always welcome at our house ;)
I fully support this quest, and must add that this rendition looks pretty great to me!!
Thank you. Let me know if you find it before I do :)
Looks pretty darn near perfect to me. Good work! :)
Thank you! :)
This looks delicious! I know what you mean though…a great burger at home, still isn’t quite the same as a great burger at a restaurant. Still, these look like summer to me. :)
1)Ground sirloin – none of that lean stuff. Remember fat is flavor.
2)Try a little minced onion or finely diced fresh sweet onion – I like the flavor it gives.
3)Dales seasoning – no it’s not good for you but it tastes good.
Sometimes I also mix a couple different kinds of ground beef as well like sirloin and chuck or something else.
Just suggestions enjoy!
Cool, thanks Allen! We’ll have to try those next time.
On the burger quest, Bobby Flay is a purist. He says salt and pepper only. I think the ground beef is the secret. No grocery store carries a worthy product. Try Perry’s or Siegis.
That’s a good idea, thanks! I was thinking the meat itself might be the culprit :)
Oh I don’t know, that burger looks pretty damned perfect to me!
Hahaha, thanks :)
I use 2/3 ground beef. I get one from a store that grinds it there from scraps of roast meat. Then I use 1/3 part ground sausage. (So a double package of the ground beef and a regular package of sausage) The best flavor is from my Winco, it isn’t spicy or too sausage-y. It adds flavor. Then I pour quite a bit of bbq sauce and some Red Robin seasonings and mix it all together. I froze a bunch of it since we didn’t eat that much and it was still amazing from the freezer to the grill. I am not an expert but it does taste pretty darn good.
That sounds really good…sausage makes everything better! Thanks for the tip!