How to Cook a Cheeseburger
Start with good meat., Place the ground beef in a bowl. , Roughly chop the onion and garlic., Add the egg yolk., Mix it all together., Create the burgers., Arrange the burgers on a plate., Choose your cooking method., While the burgers are cooking...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Start with good meat.
Get a butcher to grind chuck beef for you with a 15% fat content. (More fat and it will just drip off the meat and cause fire flare-ups; less and the burgers will be dry.) If possible, buy the meat the day you’re going to cook it.
Ask the butcher to grind the meat twice, once in the coarse plate of the grinder and then through the fine plate. -
Step 2: Place the ground beef in a bowl.
, Put them in a bowl and mix them together until combined.
Add any of the ingredients you're wanting to be a part of the burger – the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, and the chopped herbs. , Season with salt and pepper and mix everything together. , It is easier to start mixing with a spoon; then use your clean hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients. , Handle the meat as little as possible, so you don’t squeeze out the juices.
Shape the mixture into 6 equal-sized balls using your hands.
Press the balls down to make flat burger shapes about ½ inch (1.27cm) thick.
Make a small indentation in the center of the burger with your thumb.
This prevents the center from swelling, leading to uneven cooking. , Cover them with plastic wrap or wax paper.
Chill for 30 minutes to a few hours to make the burgers firmer and easier to cook.
Burger meat is best cooked cold. , The homemade burgers can be cooked with a broiler or grill, fried in the skillet or frying pan, or barbecued.
They can also be baked.
The method used depends on what you have available and what you prefer by way of taste and texture.
Whichever method you choose, after taking the patties out of the fridge, spritz them with a little cooking oil or brush them with some melted butter before cooking.
Broiler/grill:
Preheat the broiler (upper level grill) to medium heat.
Line a broiler pan with foil, for easier cleanup after cooking.
Place the burgers in the broiler pan.
Broil them for 6-7 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked.
Frying pan or skillet:
Add oil or butter to the pan and fry the burgers well.
Be sure to use low heat and a long cook to properly cook the burgers the whole way through.
Place on the barbecue grill.
Cook as usual for hamburgers on the barbecue.
Bake:
Place in the oven on 350ºF/180ºC for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness.
You may like to flip them over halfway, testing doneness regularly. , Halve the burger buns, then thinly slice the tomatoes.
Place the ketchup and mayonnaise on the table for diners to make their own choice. ,[[Image:
Cook a Cheeseburger Step
10.jpg}} -
Step 3: Roughly chop the onion and garlic.
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Step 4: Add the egg yolk.
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Step 5: Mix it all together.
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Step 6: Create the burgers.
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Step 7: Arrange the burgers on a plate.
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Step 8: Choose your cooking method.
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Step 9: While the burgers are cooking
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Step 10: prepare the toppings: Wash the lettuce and tomatoes.
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Step 11: Cover each with the top half of its bun
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Step 12: and enjoy.
Detailed Guide
Get a butcher to grind chuck beef for you with a 15% fat content. (More fat and it will just drip off the meat and cause fire flare-ups; less and the burgers will be dry.) If possible, buy the meat the day you’re going to cook it.
Ask the butcher to grind the meat twice, once in the coarse plate of the grinder and then through the fine plate.
, Put them in a bowl and mix them together until combined.
Add any of the ingredients you're wanting to be a part of the burger – the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, and the chopped herbs. , Season with salt and pepper and mix everything together. , It is easier to start mixing with a spoon; then use your clean hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients. , Handle the meat as little as possible, so you don’t squeeze out the juices.
Shape the mixture into 6 equal-sized balls using your hands.
Press the balls down to make flat burger shapes about ½ inch (1.27cm) thick.
Make a small indentation in the center of the burger with your thumb.
This prevents the center from swelling, leading to uneven cooking. , Cover them with plastic wrap or wax paper.
Chill for 30 minutes to a few hours to make the burgers firmer and easier to cook.
Burger meat is best cooked cold. , The homemade burgers can be cooked with a broiler or grill, fried in the skillet or frying pan, or barbecued.
They can also be baked.
The method used depends on what you have available and what you prefer by way of taste and texture.
Whichever method you choose, after taking the patties out of the fridge, spritz them with a little cooking oil or brush them with some melted butter before cooking.
Broiler/grill:
Preheat the broiler (upper level grill) to medium heat.
Line a broiler pan with foil, for easier cleanup after cooking.
Place the burgers in the broiler pan.
Broil them for 6-7 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked.
Frying pan or skillet:
Add oil or butter to the pan and fry the burgers well.
Be sure to use low heat and a long cook to properly cook the burgers the whole way through.
Place on the barbecue grill.
Cook as usual for hamburgers on the barbecue.
Bake:
Place in the oven on 350ºF/180ºC for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness.
You may like to flip them over halfway, testing doneness regularly. , Halve the burger buns, then thinly slice the tomatoes.
Place the ketchup and mayonnaise on the table for diners to make their own choice. ,[[Image:
Cook a Cheeseburger Step
10.jpg}}
About the Author
Frances Chavez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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