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[Kristin Meredith]

The recent thread on hamburgers got me to thinking of the different way folks like their hamburgers.  So I thought I would post on my favorite ways and see if anyone wanted to share their favorites.

I have two versions I really like.  If I could have bison, I would, but it is too expensive for everyday, so usually a 73/27 mix is the go to meat. I really prefer a grilled burger with some char marks.  Then either:

1.  Grilled/caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, Swiss cheese and mayo on the bun;  or

2.  Ketchup, mayo, lettuce, tomato on the bun with the grilled burger.

What about you all?

[BigDave83]

 good charbrolied type of burger done to rare to med rare, can eat just about anything one it but I am kind of simple most of the time Pickles raw onion cheese and yellow mustard. I am also a fan of the thicker half pound plus burgers.

[Osborn Cox]

I always buy fresh 80/20 ground chuck, never frozen.    Until recently, I was always a fan of a med rare char-grilled thick burger, but recently have been working on perfecting smashburgers and right now they are almost equally good in my book.    For me, the bun is as important as the patty on any burger.   For a grilled burger I like to throw a hard roll or Kaiser roll on to the grill uncut until the out side of the roll just gets crusty and the inside is getting warm and soft.     For toppings, cheddar cheese, spicy brown mustard, pickles, fried onions, a little ketchup and a couple of chunks of butter on the top side of the bun that melts and mixes with the ketchup and mustard and drips out during each bite.   Mmmm, now I’m going to have to make butter burgers for lunch, I can taste it already.

[Ralphie]

I like all burgers but my primary criteria is that you must be able to pick it up and eat without requiring a fire hose to clean up up afterward. There are so many burger joints now and their offerings are a sight to behold. But I want no part of a knife & fork burger.

My favorite:
80/20 chuck or whatever is at the meat counter.
Smashburger style, S&P seasoning, with really good browning.
Two patties with melted american or cheddar in between.
Yellow mustard, ketchup, raw onion, dill hamburger pickles, tomato slice.
A bun that is soft but strong enough to hold and large enough so that there is very minimal spillage.

I want to try smoked burgers now since I like smoked meatloaf so much.  Or maybe just a smoked meatloaf sandwich.

[Brushpopper]

I want to try smoked burgers now since I like smoked meatloaf so much.

I usually use SPG or Montreal seasoning and smoke them at 160 or 165 for an hour or more, depending on time constraints.  I grill them after that on a little cheapo gasser to get sear marks.  Haven't had much luck finishing them directly on the GMG.  My wife toasts both sides of the buns on the comal with butter.  The girls just want cheese on theirs, but I like raw onions, lettuce, tomato, dill slices and Whataburger mustard.  I have to mash it flat to be able to take a bite.  I'm not used to eating bread (Celiac), but we use gluten free buns for me and I'm stuffed afterward to the point it hurts for a while.

[pmillen]

I like a quarter-pound burger (or slightly larger) some pink in the middle.

• Teriyaki sauce and grilled pineapple
• Lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise

[GREG-B]

A hamburger is like bacon, never met one I didn't like.  20/80 mix, Johnny's salt, pepper, wostershire sauce, raw onions, mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce.  Dill on the side.   AND ADDING KETCHUP IS BLASPHAMY!!

[Canadian John]

 Cooked of course.

 We hand form our  1/4 LB patties to ~ 3/4"...Grind black pepper on to them, turn over, dimple, apply  Worcestershire and let it soak for ~ 2 HRS in the fridge..Before cooking, SPG is applied to the dimpled

side. Onto a  kamaddo with an apple or cherry wood chunk, or Memphis, direct ~ 450º, dimple side up for  5 Min. If on the kamado the round grate is rotated at the 3 Min mark. Either way, after 5 Min flip

until done. For me it's ~ 155º. My wife likes 165º so I place my burger on top of hers to shield it from the direct heat/flame.. And yes, the buns were toasted prior to the burgers as well as C I skillet cooked

onions in either EVOO or avocado oil...Condiment wise, ketchup, mustard, Tabasco and relish.

[Bentley]

A house blend is my favorite, 65/35.  Wood fired if possible, but not a must.  Spices added to blend before cooking.  Cheese added to burger when it hits 140° IT, and then pulled when melted.  Brioche bun if possible with mayo (sometimes Russian Dressing) and Spanish Onion.

[urnmor]

I prefer to use ground sirloin with a high fat content and I cook too medium rare to medium.  I also sautés dice mushrooms and mix them directly into the sirloin along with chopped cheese.  I find that when I cook them this way they stay very juicy even if I over cook them.  I hand make the patties and they are at  least 8oz and often thicker. I will add raw onion, either red or white.   Sometimes I will caramelize the onion but often.  Now if I want to go high end I will add a slice or two of thick smoke bacon.  Also I aways toast my role on the grill. 

[heffneil]

There is an interesting youtube video featuring Kenji Lopez Alt about not adding salt to the mixture but just before cooking.  He throws them against stuff to prove it.

Link here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weFT03Mcah0

[Bentley]

I agree with him on the blend, but it also goes back to what the person likes...If I like just Chuck, I don't need someone telling me it is not the best.  His test regarding salt, I just laughed at that and will leave that for what it is, two way over cooked burgers being thrown at a cookie sheet, real scientific, MIT must have been involved with that! 

"It fell apart just from the force of me throwing it...That's what you want in a burger".  No, as you state right after that, that is what you want, I personally want a firm burger that does not crumble, and why I like to add my seasoning before the meat is cooked!

The rest of the video, well, lets just say he likes a different burger then me, his seem way over cooked to me!  But I also don't want a "crusty" burger!

[bregent]

>We love a good grilled, charred burger, 1/4 to 1/3 lbs., 80/20
>(we do not have a grinder, so whatever the grocery has ground)

Do you have a food processor? You can make really good ground beef or pork with one. Just need to cut into equal size cubes first, then partially freeze before grinding. Then just use short pulses till it each reaches the grind that you want. That's what I've been doing lately for smaller amounts, as the FP is easier to clean that my grinder.

[bregent]

Lately my favorite is smashburger patty melts. I really prefer the crust from a good sear better than the flavors smoke/charcoal gives. 80/20 ground brisket, caramelized onions, and cheese, on rye bread. Maybe add some avocado if we got any. No seasoning on the beef, just salt each side when it's cooking.  Use about 6-7 ounces per burger, shaped into oblong disks to fit the rye. Assemble the burger, butter the bread, and brown the whole thing on the flat top.

For cheese, American is best. But I've been making homemade American using melting salts with sharp cheddar (sometimes smoked) and milk. Melts like Velveeta but tastes so much better.

[bregent]

>I have been tempted to buy the grinder attachment for our KitchenAid stand mixer.
> We really do not use the mixer very often (maybe twice a year), so seems like a good
> option without the cost of a separate grinder.

That's what I use for grinding. For sausage stuffing, it works but is a pain to use, and it's hard to operate without another person. I used it a few times, and then gave up on sausage making. Years later I bought a vertical cylinder stuffer and now it's a joy making all kinds.