Any holiday is a good time to pull out that favorite barbecue grill. On the other hand, if your old grill did not survive the winter or you are just in need of upgrading your outdoor cooking equipment, look here for some charcoal grilling options
. Perhaps your preferred barbecue grill happens to be gas. If this is the case, check out our suggestions for gas barbecue grills here.
There are proponents for each type and I will not get into the pros and cons of each with this post. The most important thing to consider when grilling and barbecuing is to do it in a safe manner and take precautions against the unexpected, like having a method of quickly extinguishing the fire, if necessary.
Of all the hamburgers consumed annually in America, many burgers are cooking outdoors on barbecue grills. From small personal size hibachis, to smokers, to outdoor kitchen size appliances, there is a grill to satisfy every aspiring outdoor chef.
Cooking the Best Burgers
Perhaps the most popular items to grill are hamburgers. Other popular meats would be chicken and steak. But how does one come up with the perfectly grilled burger? Let us look at some steps that will get us on the right path to that moist and savory burger prepared on our favorite barbecue grill.
The following steps are for creating four burgers. You will need to adjust for a greater number.
- Step One: Since you do not want the patties to be too fatty, mix 3/4 pound of ground sirloin (for its flavor qualities) with 1/4 pound of ground chuck for added moisture. Add your favorite spices to the meat. A simple flavoring of kosher salt and ground black pepper will do nicely. Add a little garlic powder if desired. A great burger does not need a whole lot of spice.
- Step Two: With clean hands, combine this mixture thoroughly but avoid working the meat excessively. To create a burger that will retain its juices, avoid compressing the meat. Once mixed, divide the meat into four equal portions. To make hamburgers that fit that round hamburger bun, dampen your hands with cold water and roll each portion of meat into a ball.
- Step Three: Gently compress each burger to a thickness of approximately 3/4 of an inch with the palm of your hand. Add a little more salt and pepper if desired. Burgers should be at room temperature prior to placing on the grill for a more satisfactory grilling experience.
- Step Four: Heat your outdoor grill to high. If your meat is already at room temperature, you can start your grill before completing the steps above so it will be preheated and ready to go when your burgers are ready for the fire. Once the barbecue grill is hot, brush the grates with a bit of cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Step Five: Place the meat patties on the barbecue grill. When grilling, flip or turn the meat only once. Cooking times will vary depending upon how thoroughly you want the burger cooked. Avoid flattening with a spatula, as this will only force juices out leaving a dry burger.
- Step Six: Serve on buns with your favorite toppings or garnishing.
How do you know when the grill is ready to go?
If you are fortunate enough to have a thermometer built into your barbecue grill, let the temperature rise to about 500 degrees.
If you do not have a working thermometer handy, you can use the following guide for determining cooking temperature by using your hand:
Hold your hand palm down about 4 – 5 inches above the fire. The temperature is determined by the number of seconds you can keep your hand over the fire without pulling it away.
- Hot = 2 – 4 seconds Temperature will be about 550 degrees
- Medium = 5 – 7 seconds Temperature will be about 350 degrees
- Low = 8 – 10 seconds Temperature will be about 250 degrees
- More than 10 seconds = Time to fire up the barbecue grill
Categories:
BBQ Recipes, Freestanding Charcoal Grills, Gas BBQs, Hibachis, Smokers Tags:
barbecue grill, barbecue recipes, best burger, charcoal bbqs, gas grill, Hibachi, Smokers
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Categories:
Charcoal BBQs by Manufacturer, Charcoal BBQs by Type, Freestanding Charcoal Grills, Weber Charcoal Grill Tags:
60020, Charcoal, charcoal barbecue, charcoal bbqs, Kettle, Ranch, Weber, Weber charcoal grills
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Categories:
Charcoal BBQs by Manufacturer, Charcoal BBQs by Type, Freestanding Charcoal Grills, Weber Charcoal Grill Tags:
26.75Inch, 781001, bbq grills, Charcoal, charcoal grill, Gold, Grill, OneTouch, Weber, weber bbq grills
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Categories:
Grill tools Tags:
22.5Inch, 7451, barbecue grill cover, Charcoal, charcoal bbqs, Cover, Fits, grill cover, Grill tools, Grills, Kettle, Standard, Weber
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Categories:
Charcoal BBQs by Manufacturer, Charcoal BBQs by Type, Freestanding Charcoal Grills, Weber Charcoal Grill Tags:
22.5Inch, 741001, Black, charcoal bbqs, Grill, Kettle, OneTouch, Silver, Weber, Weber Charcoal Grill
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Categories:
Char-Griller, Charcoal BBQs by Manufacturer, Charcoal BBQs by Type, Smokers Tags:
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