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[MMike]

I cooked 7 percent fat hamburgers today. Indirect 400 degrees heat.
When the meat was at 140 degrees I put them on my serving plate...Red and gross looking.
I put them back on the grill...400 degrees for 6 more minutes...
Meat was 160 degrees...Not gross but still red.
Were they red because of indirect heat...or did 7 percent fat cause it?

[urnmor]

I really do not have a good answer just my opinion. First I doubt if cooking them in direct would cause them to be red however I only cook my hamburgers using direct heat with the temp at 350 or above.  Also the percentage of fat should not make a different although again I prefer a higher percentage 10 to 15 % as I think it adds more flavor. 

I also believe the quality of meat can make an impact but then again hamburgers cooked to 160 on a grill should not be red inside regardless of quality and the outside should definitely be brown.  sorry I could not be more assistance maybe others will chime in

[Bentley]

The meat will react with the smoke and have a smoke ring...I guess it is feasible that it could have gone through the whole burger.  If it reads 160° on a reliable probe it is done, so I have no explanation for the color either.

[ICIdaho]

I typically purchase my beef from a friend who does all the butcher work. I ran out and bought some from the store that was like that. I don’t know if dye was used or what was going on. When I smoke hamburgers the outside will be reddish and a smoke ring, but the inner is still brown.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I cook mine at 250° for about an hour and they are usually in the 145°-155° range and still juicy just how I like them.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[MMike]

Red or not, I might try that.

[Bar-B-Lew]

[pmillen]

I've never seen this.  I'm guessing smoke ring.

The reduced fat content equals greater meat exposure to the smoke.  How thick were they?

[MMike]

Very thin burgers..

[pmillen]

Very thin burgers..

That reinforces my opinion that it's smoke ring.  I think it formed from top and bottom and met in the middle.

[Bentley]

You make a great observation and point regarding fat content and smoke ring!  I believe it would intensify as the fat is reduced!

[okie smokie]

I've not seen that much "smoke ring" in such a short time at high heat. A stumper for me.  How did they taste?

[ylr]

Mike, where did you get your beef? Is there any possibility they added food coloring to old ground beef? Can supermarkets even do this? Zooming your pic, I can see almost no texture inside that burger, like it was ground to a slurry.

[hughver]

I know that colors are not particularly accurate on the internet, but close up, that burger does not appear to be very rare, more of a medium or at best, medium rare. 

[MMike]

They tasted great!
Also...No food coloring added.