Well-Done Bacon Cheeseburgers on a Charcoal Grill
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 strips bacon (about ½ pound)1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread, crust removed and discarded, bread chopped into ¼-inch pieces (about ½ cup)2 tablespoons whole milk ¾ teaspoon table salt ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)2 teaspoons steak sauce, such as A-11 ½ pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck Vegetable oil for cooking grate6 ounces cheese, sliced, American or cheddar4 hamburger buns or rolls
Before You Begin
Adding a panade (a paste of bread and milk paste) to the ground beef creates burgers that are juicy and tender even when well-done. For a burger that cooks up flat, press the center of each patty down with your fingertips before grilling. Serve the burgers on your favorite buns or rolls.
Instructions
- Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Measure 2 tablespoons bacon fat into heatproof bowl; refrigerate until just warm.
- Using large chimney starter, ignite 6 quarts charcoal (about 100 briquettes) and burn until covered with thin coating of light gray ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover half of grill. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate for 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush. Grill is ready when coals are medium-hot (you can hold your hand 2 inches above grate for 3 to 4 seconds).
- Meanwhile, mash bread and milk in large bowl with fork until homogeneous (you should have about 1/4 cup). Stir in salt, pepper, garlic, steak sauce, and reserved bacon fat; mix until thoroughly blended.
- Break up beef into small pieces over bread mixture. Using fork or hands, lightly mix together until mixture forms cohesive mass. Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Gently toss one portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Gently flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patty that measures about 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Press center of patty down with fingertips until it is about 1/2 inch thick, creating a slight depression in each patty. Repeat with remaining portions of meat.
- Lightly dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill burgers on hot side of grill, uncovered, until well seared on first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, flip burgers and continue grilling, about 3 minutes for medium-well or 4 minutes for well-done. Distribute equal portions of cheese on burgers about 2 minutes before they reach desired doneness, covering burgers with disposable aluminum pan to melt cheese. While burgers grill, toast buns on cooler side of grill, rotating buns as necessary to toast evenly. Serve burgers on toasted buns, topping each burger with 2 strips bacon.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
8 strips bacon (about ½ pound)
1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread, crust removed and discarded, bread chopped into ¼-inch pieces (about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons whole milk
¾ teaspoon table salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons steak sauce, such as A-1
1 ½ pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck
Vegetable oil for cooking grate
6 ounces cheese, sliced, American or cheddar
4 hamburger buns or rolls
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
8 strips bacon (about ½ pound)
1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread, crust removed and discarded, bread chopped into ¼-inch pieces (about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons whole milk
¾ teaspoon table salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons steak sauce, such as A-1
1 ½ pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck
Vegetable oil for cooking grate
6 ounces cheese, sliced, American or cheddar
4 hamburger buns or rolls
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
8 strips bacon (about ½ pound)
1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread, crust removed and discarded, bread chopped into ¼-inch pieces (about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons whole milk
¾ teaspoon table salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons steak sauce, such as A-1
1 ½ pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck
Vegetable oil for cooking grate
6 ounces cheese, sliced, American or cheddar
4 hamburger buns or rolls
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
While developing a well-done hamburger recipe that would still be tender and moist, we opted to pack the patties with a panade, a paste made from bread and milk that's often used to keep meatloaf and meatballs moist. To punch up the flavor in our well-done hamburger recipe, we added minced garlic and tangy steak sauce.
Before You Begin
Adding a panade (a paste of bread and milk paste) to the ground beef creates burgers that are juicy and tender even when well-done. For a burger that cooks up flat, press the center of each patty down with your fingertips before grilling. Serve the burgers on your favorite buns or rolls.
Instructions
- Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Measure 2 tablespoons bacon fat into heatproof bowl; refrigerate until just warm.
- Using large chimney starter, ignite 6 quarts charcoal (about 100 briquettes) and burn until covered with thin coating of light gray ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover half of grill. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate for 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush. Grill is ready when coals are medium-hot (you can hold your hand 2 inches above grate for 3 to 4 seconds).
- Meanwhile, mash bread and milk in large bowl with fork until homogeneous (you should have about 1/4 cup). Stir in salt, pepper, garlic, steak sauce, and reserved bacon fat; mix until thoroughly blended.
- Break up beef into small pieces over bread mixture. Using fork or hands, lightly mix together until mixture forms cohesive mass. Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Gently toss one portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Gently flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patty that measures about 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Press center of patty down with fingertips until it is about 1/2 inch thick, creating a slight depression in each patty. Repeat with remaining portions of meat.
- Lightly dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill burgers on hot side of grill, uncovered, until well seared on first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, flip burgers and continue grilling, about 3 minutes for medium-well or 4 minutes for well-done. Distribute equal portions of cheese on burgers about 2 minutes before they reach desired doneness, covering burgers with disposable aluminum pan to melt cheese. While burgers grill, toast buns on cooler side of grill, rotating buns as necessary to toast evenly. Serve burgers on toasted buns, topping each burger with 2 strips bacon.
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