Burger bliss is easy to achieve when you heed the advice of chefs, according to a recent story in INSIDER. The Certified Angus Beef ® brand’s Senior Corporate Chef Michael Ollier shared his top tips to make the perfect burger.
His advice includes:
- Start with the right blend. His go-to for everyday burgers: 80/20 ground chuck.
- Handle the ground beef gently as you form patties. Work in a dimple in the middle, which will help keep the patty from puffing as it cooks. Or, create perfectly uniform burgers by gently forming cold ground beef in a ring mold.
- A simple sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper is all the seasoning you need when you start with premium beef. Anything else may mask its natural flavor.
- Whether you’re cooking burgers on a grill, griddle or cast iron pan, it should be hot. If it’s not, Ollier warns it’s a recipe for a sticky, ground beef disaster.
- The burger will give you clues when it’s ready to be flipped, Ollier says. “You should see its ‘shoulders’ surrender (i.e. the edges will start to soften and droop), and moisture beads will develop on top.”
- Burgers will lift up easy from the cooking surface with a spatula when they’re ready to be flipped. If they stick, give them a little longer until they release.
Read more of Ollier’s top burger tips in INSIDER and BUSINESS INSIDER.
