The Burger – At Its Finest
The”21 Club” Burger

Herald as America’s favorite dish, we’ve enjoyed it from the drive thru at our favorite burger joint to the “Glamburgers” at high end restaurants featuring Wagyu beef, truffles, foie gras, gold leaf and whatever other expensive ingredients they come up with.  OK, I can’t say I have ever tried a “Glamburger”.  I assume most of you haven’t either.  I want to share a couple tips on how to take the “Monday Night Burger” or your rendition of a “Glamburger” reach the peak of it’s potential.

Let’s start with the burger.  Ground Chuck has the best ratio of meat to fat (80% beef to 20% fat).  The chuck has a rich beef flavor with the right portion of fat to keep it moist and juicy.  Ground Sirloin, on the other hand, is 90% beef to 10% fat.  It will create a drier burger.  Worried about the calories?  Use the ground chuck and skip the fries or potato salad.  Load your burger with lettuce and tomato and make it the meal.  Still concerned?  Skip the bun!  To “Glam It Up” other burger options are ground tenderloin (additional fat has been added to reach the 80/20 rule) or Wagyu.  Both are upscale with amazing flavor.  The Wagyu is very special.  Graded above USDA Prime, it contains a great deal of feather fat.  Watch the grill, it might spark a flame or two.  The fats in the Wagyu creates an amazing caramelization on the outside of burger.  Well worth a little extra attention during the cooking process.

The best size for a burger, when taking in the ratio of bun to burger, is 1/3 pound.  Roll the burger in between the palms of your hands to create a ball.  Flatten out to a 4-inch wide burger.  Make sure your edges are tight.  Loose edges will allow fat to drip out the sides while cooking, making the burger dry along the edges.  Here is a flawless way to make that perfectly shaped burger.  Place your rolled burger into an 8-ounce deli container.  Press the burger into the container, making sure your edges are airtight. Viola! Your perfect 4-inch burger.  After making a few burgers, they may stick inside your container.  Spraying with a little Pam oil will ensure they fall out in their perfect form.

Now to the grilling…Hot, Clean and Oiled Grill.  Heat your grill to 450+ degrees.  Scrape grates clean.  Using an oiled cloth and your grill tongs, oil the hot grates.  The hot grill will help us achieve the caramelized outside crust and allow the hot juices to cook the interior of the burger.  I prefer my burgers somewhere right in between medium rare and medium.  I like a pink center but do not necessarily want to bite into raw burger. This gives the burger the optimal flavor, undercooked burger or overcooked burger does not have as much flavor. Everyone has their own preference.  You are the chef, you cook them the way you and your guests like them.

My Preferred Timing:

5 minutes, flip, 4 minutes (125-130 degrees)

Timing by Doneness:

Rare:                   3 minutes per side (120-125 degrees)

Medium Rare:   4 minutes per side (130-135 degrees)

Medium:            5 minutes per side (140-145 degrees)

Medium Well:   6 minutes per side (150-155 degrees)

Well Done:         7 minutes per side (160+ degrees)

The Seasoning & Cheese:  Season both sides of the burger just before grilling.  I like to use a steak seasoning, the chunkier the better.  I like the pops of pepper and salt.  Another option is a finer grain seasoning such as M-Salts.  The seasoning melts into the burger.  Or, create your own.  The options are endless.  When it comes to the cheese, add at the last minute.  The heat of the burger will melt the cheese just enough.

The Bun:  Lightly coat cut side with melted butter or olive oil.  Spraying with Pam works well too.  Grill during the last minute of cooking the burgers.

I’m sure you have your “Monday Night Burger” down and/or your rendition of the “Glamburger”.  It’s still always fun to share some ideas to broaden your burger repertoire.

Print Pin

The “21 Club” Burger

Not as “Glamorous” as you would think but this beef burger has an amazing taste. Grill thick slices of tomatoes and onion. I skipped putting a tablespoon of herb butter into the center of my burger and opted to season it with thyme, basil, and parsley.
Course Main Course
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 4 Burger Patties 1/3 pound
  • 1/2 teaspoon Thyme dried
  • 1 teaspoon Basil dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon Parsley dried
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper
  • 4 slices Tomato ½ inch thick
  • 4 slices Sweet Onion ½ inch thick
  • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 Burger Buns
  • Olive oil or spray with Pam

Instructions

  • Combine the thyme, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Season both sides of the burgers.
  • Place the tomatoes and onions in a shallow dish. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, coating both sides. Season with salt.
  • Brush both sides of the buns with olive oil.
  • Grill your burgers. While they are grilling, grill the tomatoes and onions for about 2 minutes per side (just enough to get grill marks on them). Grill your bun for about 1 minutes per side, enough to achieve grill marks as well. Assemble and serve.