When was the last time you made a really "great" burger at home from either a frying pan or your backyard grill? Well, probably never. What I suspect is that you have been trying to make a great burger from the mystery meat sold at your local grocery store and incorporating a bunch of unnecessary ingredients to the meat just to make it taste good. And beyond the meat, I bet your technique has contributed greatly to maybe an okay burger but not one that comes close to rivaling the ones that you have had at a decent restaurant. And I don't mean Burger chains!
Well, it's not all that difficult to make juicy and tender burger at home and I will explain.
There is no better beef than freshly ground beef. And to do this you will need a meat grinder and a chuck roast. That's about it. Or, you can buy a chuck roast and ask the butcher to grind it for you. That said, I suggest that you wait until they are on sale or buy a nice USDA Choice Chuck Roast from Sam's Club, Costco or the like.
After you grind the beef, make sure that you distribute the fat evenly throughout. The most important recommendation that I can make is to make sure that you handle the ground beef as little as possible. Over handling ground beef will make it tough. Also, home-ground beef does not resemble the stuff that you buy in the grocery store. For instance, the grinding plate that I use is perfect for everything from burgers, to ravioli filling, to Italian meatballs, etc. But you may like a different grind.
When forming burgers, gently, but firmly form the meat into patties that are a bit larger than the diameter of your bun. I suggest that you do not smooth the surfaces of your burger until they resemble a hockey puck. In a perfect world you would want your burger to have nooks, crannies and rough edges that crisp up during the cooking process which add a wonderful flavor. Besides, they provide a nice place for your topping, such as cheese, to reside.
Also, I think that taking burgers directly out of the refrigerator and onto the cooking surface choice is a better way than cooking them at room temperature. The reason that I say this is that what I'm looking for in a great burger is a nice crispy flavorful exterior with a tender and juicy interior and a longer cooking time provides this important dimension.
Important Note: Because home-ground meat is very "loose" vice the glob that you are probably accustomed to, extra care must be given on the grill or in the frying pan. That said, once you have laid the burger on the cooking surface do not, repeat, do not make any attempt to move the burger until it no longer sticks to the cooking surface. This is usually when the burger is close to being fully-cooked on the first side.
I know that there has been a lot of of talk about applying a salty seasoning on your burger. It has been my experience that it will serve you well if you season the meat with salt and pepper before you form the burgers. I say this because applying seasonings on a burger is completely different than seasoning a steak since you are probably going to add a few condiments that already contain a degree of sodium.
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