Any respectable Baby Boomer has their own burger grilling techniques and recipes yet we’re always on the lookout for new tricks. One thing most of us agree on is that this isn’t a time to go healthy. That means 20% fat content ground beef. Working in Worcestershire, onion salt, garlic, etc is up to the individual but we need the fat for flavor, drips on the charcoal, and to keep things together.
A number of chefs say searing in a cast iron skillet is a must. Celebrity cookbook countess Ina Garten says we should freeze our smash burger patties for exactly two minutes before grilling. Yeah, in the freezer. For exactly two minutes. She also likes Gruyere cheese, which is a great cheese, but we think it’s un-American to use anything other than American cheese. But to each his-or-her own.
Buzzed Boomer At-Large Correspondent Hunter S. insists that burgers go on a fancy griddle like a Blackstone. A cast iron skillet accomplishes the same thing but isn’t nearly as impressive. That’s from someone who doesn’t own a fancy griddle like a Blackstone.
Our Orinda, CA Correspondent Moge Starr talks up his super-sized Blackstone grill but he hasn’t written a thing for the blog so he’s been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer.
For your traditional burgers on the barbecue, another top chef recommends creating a slight crater in your patty and placing an ice cube on top to keep things moist as it cooks. Haven’t tried it yet but it sounds promising and it’s sure to generate interest from your less-informed friends.
Keep those cards and letters coming as we continue our quest for crowd-pleasing burgers.
Cheers and Happy Chilling Grilling!
– Jet Cannon
A cast iron skillet is a fine piece of cookware. However, let’s not suggest that it can grill a burger like a Blackstone. If it could, your favorite burger joint Dick’s) would have a bunch of cast iron skillets in the back. But they don’t do they? They have a stainless steel grill, just like a Blackstone.