The Utensil Mistake You Must Avoid When Grilling Burgers
When it comes to making the best burgers, there are a few tricks of the trade. Ground beef can be temperamental; its fat content and the cooking style, among other things, can impact its flavor. But whether you're cooking burgers over a charcoal grill or right on the stove top, there's one cardinal rule: Avoid letting the juices run. That means you should never poke those burgers with a fork, even if you think it will cook them better — especially if you're cooking them right on the grill grates.
When the juices run from a burger, it allows the burger to dry up. Doing so means that when your guests dig into that first bite, they're left with a dry burger that lacks the right flavor and texture.
In addition to avoiding this utensil mistake, there are a number of other ways to prevent burger meat from getting too dry.
Never poke burgers with a fork
Cooking burgers in a pan is a slightly less-risky process because the juices have nowhere to go, so they can potentially absorb back into the burger. Still, you shouldn't let those juices escape in the first place.
If you're cooking burgers on the grill and you poke them with a fork, those juices have a chance to escape. And once they fall through the grill grates, they're gone forever. Your best bet is to avoid poking them at all and just cook them on lower heat so the inside has time to cook before the outside burns. This method results in a perfectly-cooked patty without the loss of any juices.
Once the patties are done, make sure to let the meat rest. The juices run to the center as burgers cook. Giving the meat that extra time to rest lets those juices redistribute throughout the burger, ensuring a mouthwatering bite from start to finish. Add the cheese to the patties the moment you take them off the grill, and let it melt. By the time the cheese has melted, the juices will have redistributed.
Other ways to avoid losing juice from burgers
Because the fat in those juices holds so much of the flavor, you want to avoid losing them at all costs. Make sure you never press down on the burger, unless you're making a smashburger. (In that case, it should be done the moment those patties hit the grill, before they have a chance to cook.) Pressing on the burger sends those juices out.
If you want the most flavor from your burger, make sure to use ground meat that's high in fat. The more fat, the more juice and flavor. While you can keep things healthy if you choose, you should aim for somewhere around 80% lean, or up to 85%, when choosing meat.
And if you use leaner beef with less juice, you can still create a moist burger by condiments to the burger. A thin layer of anything from chipotle mayo to classic ketchup will help conceal that the burger might not be quite as juicy as others.