Gas-Grilled Hamburgers
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
35 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Weighing the meat on a kitchen scale is the most accurate way to portion it. If you don’t own a scale, do your best to divide the meat evenly into quarters. Eighty percent lean ground chuck is our favorite for flavor, but 85 percent lean works, too. If you start with a chuck roast or steak, ask the butcher to grind it twice and expect some weight loss - 2 to 3 percent in our experience - to the grinder. Toasting the buns is an easy extra flourish; just split them open and lay the halves cut-side down on the grill rack for the last 45 to 60 seconds of the hamburgers’ cooking time.
Instructions
- Turn all burners on gas grill to high, close lid, and heat until very hot, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, break up ground chuck with your hands in medium bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper over meat; toss lightly with hands to distribute seasonings. Divide meat into four 6-ounce portions. Gently toss one portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Lightly flatten into patty 3/4-inch thick and about 4 1/2-inches in diameter. Gently press center of patty down until about 1/2-inch thick, creating a slight depression in each patty; repeat with remaining portions of meat.
- Scrape hot grill rack clean with wire brush. Lightly dip wadded paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grill rack. Grill patties, uncovered, without pressing down on them, until well seared on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip burgers with metal barbecue spatula; continue grilling about 3 minutes for rare, 3 1/2 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium. Serve immediately.
Time
35 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a moist, juicy hamburger recipe with a tender and cohesive texture, we preferred chuck ground to order, with a ratio of fat to lean of 20 percent fat:80 percent lean. We formed the meat into 6-ounce patties with a depression in the middle (to 1/2 inch) to keep the burgers from puffing up when they cooked.
Before You Begin
Weighing the meat on a kitchen scale is the most accurate way to portion it. If you don’t own a scale, do your best to divide the meat evenly into quarters. Eighty percent lean ground chuck is our favorite for flavor, but 85 percent lean works, too. If you start with a chuck roast or steak, ask the butcher to grind it twice and expect some weight loss - 2 to 3 percent in our experience - to the grinder. Toasting the buns is an easy extra flourish; just split them open and lay the halves cut-side down on the grill rack for the last 45 to 60 seconds of the hamburgers’ cooking time.
Instructions
- Turn all burners on gas grill to high, close lid, and heat until very hot, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, break up ground chuck with your hands in medium bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper over meat; toss lightly with hands to distribute seasonings. Divide meat into four 6-ounce portions. Gently toss one portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Lightly flatten into patty 3/4-inch thick and about 4 1/2-inches in diameter. Gently press center of patty down until about 1/2-inch thick, creating a slight depression in each patty; repeat with remaining portions of meat.
- Scrape hot grill rack clean with wire brush. Lightly dip wadded paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grill rack. Grill patties, uncovered, without pressing down on them, until well seared on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip burgers with metal barbecue spatula; continue grilling about 3 minutes for rare, 3 1/2 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium. Serve immediately.
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