Alton Brown's Unexpected Technique For Cooking His Favorite Burger

Food Network mainstay and chef Alton Brown is known for taking a technical approach to cooking. His favorite hamburger is no exception, as Brown utilizes an uncommon cooking implement to fry up the meat for his tasty ground beef sandwiches — a Dutch oven. While most people break out their trusty griddle or frying pan when preparing burgers at home, Brown favors a high-rimmed Dutch oven filled with peanut oil to cook his signature smashed burger patties.

According to the cooking show host and author, the key to keeping burgers crisp and avoiding sogginess is maintaining a consistent oil temperature when frying. The desired range is between 300- and 325-degrees Fahrenheit, which you can evaluate by placing a candy thermometer into the boiling oil. Brown warns that an exact frying time of one minute is crucial for achieving the right texture, which means you'll be able to enjoy these delicious burgers in no time at all. Using a Dutch oven ensures that temperatures remain consistent thanks to the impressive abilities of the cookware.

While not usually associated with cooking burgers, a Dutch oven is an essential and versatile piece of cookware. Often made to prepare stews or braise meat until is exceedingly tender, Dutch ovens can also be for deep frying foods, such as Alton Brown's classy smashburgers.

It all has to do with the design of the cookware. Dutch ovens are essentially pots with handles and a lid. However, they're much heftier than other pots and are typically constructed from ceramic or enameled cast iron. This design allows the cookware to remain hot, which ensures even doneness for whatever you're cooking. When it comes to deep-frying burgers, Dutch ovens are ideal for keeping a specific temperature. With other kitchen tools, temperatures can fluctuate every time you add more food to the hot oil. With a Dutch oven, the temperature will remain relatively consistent when new food is added, which is key to getting the perfect sear on your burgers.

Along with Brown's insistence on frying burgers to achieve textural perfection, his preferred seasoning blend is another big reason why this method works so well. The chef mixes his ground beef with garlic powder, kosher salt, and smoked paprika to make for a flavorful end result. Similar to red pepper but with a less potent flavor, paprika adds just a touch of heat to burger patties, as well as imbuing the meat with a sweet, roasted component.

When it comes to ground beef, Brown recommends blending together a combination of chuck and sirloin. Also known as the primal cut, beef chuck has much to offer when it comes to fat content and flavor but can be a little tough. As for sirloin, it comes in a variety of cuts, such as tenderloin and top sirloin, and is known for being somewhat lean yet tasty. With such thoughtful ingredients and cooking techniques, conventional burgers will be a thing of the past in your home.