Infused with the smell of smoke, any backyard burger tastes good when you’re surrounded by friends and family on a sunny summer day. But a juicy, well-cooked, exceptional burger? That’s harder to pull off than tossing a patty on a grill. Craig “Meathead” Goldwyn, author of “Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling,” has spent a lifetime perfecting grilled burgers.
On his website, AmazingRibs.com , he offers exhaustive resources on burger tips, safety, buns, recipes, toppings, meat alternatives, history and more. “As you can see, I’m into burgers,” he said.
Here’s his advice on how to transform your next grilled burger into the star of the barbecue. High fat means more flavor Most grillers recommend a mixture of 80% beef to 20% fat, but Goldwyn prefers even more fat, up to a 70:30 ratio. With more fat to drip on the heat source, more smoke seeps into the meat.
“Fat is flavor and it is also moisture, and that is especially important if you are cautious and cook it through as USDA recommends,” he said. Ground beef sold in supermarkets is usually 90:10, which he said produces a dry burger. Instead, go to a butcher and ask for a coarse grind.
Since it’s ground meat, the cut doesn’t matter, so don’t waste money on expensive ribeye or filet. What to mix in, and what to leave out Many burger purists say, put too many ingredients into the meat and you end up with meatloaf. Goldwyn acknowledges high-quality beef doesn’t need much else, but he.
