How was this burger cooked?

[Average Joe]

The other night I had one of the best burgers I have ever had. It was atleast an inch and a half thick without the cheese or mushrooms. It was loosly formed and was well done yet juices flowed out of it. My plate had a pool of juices in it when I was done.

I can't figure out how it was cooked. I know it wasn't on a grill, but the fact that it was well done with such a large amount of juices has amazed me. I am almost wondering if it was simmered.

Can anyone fill me in on the secret?

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww44/samiam513/4b379f79.jpg

[Zeuceone]

I've seen them use something that resembles a steamer before.

[Wolfgang]

Cast iron flat griddle covered with a lid but before the lid goes down water or other juices are put under the dome of deliciousness.

:2

[T.G]

Juicy in beef is often thought of along the lines of water, but water isn't exactly known for it's flavor, so if it tasted good, it's fat. A high fat content in the meat will do that - keep it moist and then when you bite into it, the juices flow. 75%-79% lean ground beef will gush when packed and cooked on a griddle like that. Flavor could also have been made more "beefy" by using ground chuck rather than ground "beef" (could be anything - trimmings usually) or even seriously amped up by using ground brisket.

A dome lid might have been used to trap the heat to melt the cheese, not sure what effect, if any, it would have on the meat for such a short period of time.

Another "trick" for uber-juicy burgers, although I'm not sure too many restaurants would go through the trouble to do it, would be to stick a thick slice of salted butter in the center of the patty when hand packing it. Oy. Yum. Almost as good as bacon.

Can't say for certain how they cooked it, but there's my 2-yen.

[MikeyC]

Juicy in beef is often thought of along the lines of water, but water isn't exactly known for it's flavor, so if it tasted good, it's fat. A high fat content in the meat will do that - keep it moist and then when you bite into it, the juices flow. 75%-79% lean ground beef will gush when packed and cooked on a griddle like that. Flavor could also have been made more "beefy" by using ground chuck rather than ground "beef" (could be anything - trimmings usually) or even seriously amped up by using ground brisket.

IMO this is why so many home burger chefs get a dry burger. Everyone is so concerned about their health that they buy very lean ground beef. You can't even find a brisket with a decent fat cap on it in a local supermarket around here. They trim it off so all you ever get is dry brisket. 80% lean is about the best hamburger meet I can find locally. I never get anything leaner than that. Everything in moderation!

[kelmac07]

Looks like a steamed burger...from the way the cheese melted.

[fxpose]

I make the best burgers by using cheap, high fat ground beef/chuck. ....$1.59/lb at our local Asian meat market. I cook these medium for myself.

[ucla695]

That looks delicious! :dr

[LasciviousXXX]

I'll go with the minority here and say that, to me, it looks like that burger was broiled in a Salamander. Salamander being a kitchen appliance that's pretty standard in most restaurants. Many restaurants use this type of equipment to cook certain items faster than a grill or a regular convection oven.

That's what it looks like to me anyway.

[kydsid]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say just go back to the place and ask the cook.

[emopunker2004]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say just go back to the place and ask the cook.

or better yet, just go back and buy another :D

[mariogolbee]

Juicy in beef is often thought of along the lines of water, but water isn't exactly known for it's flavor, so if it tasted good, it's fat. A high fat content in the meat will do that - keep it moist and then when you bite into it, the juices flow. 75%-79% lean ground beef will gush when packed and cooked on a griddle like that. Flavor could also have been made more "beefy" by using ground chuck rather than ground "beef" (could be anything - trimmings usually) or even seriously amped up by using ground brisket.

:tpd:

The last time I bought tri-tip in bulk I had the butcher put one of the roasts along with fat trimmings from the others through the grinder twice for me. The butcher said it was about 20% fat, but it looked closer to 30%. Each patty, including the well done ones oozed with juices at about the same thickness as yours, leaving a puddle in their wake. They were awesome. It's all about the fat.

Oh, I grilled them. LOTS of fat, and loosely packed.

[spizz]

Looks nice. Making me hungry :)

[Aero95]

I'll go with the minority here and say that, to me, it looks like that burger was broiled in a Salamander. Salamander being a kitchen appliance that's pretty standard in most restaurants. Many restaurants use this type of equipment to cook certain items faster than a grill or a regular convection oven.

That's what it looks like to me anyway.


I agree with your statement and it looks :dr

[thermal]

I got into a little debate last Friday with my friend about burgers that got me thinking. He wasn’t a big fan of Ray’s Hell Burger cooked medium-rare with the au poivre preparation. He went on to explain that he was a “burger purist,” so he’d try Ray’s again without the mish mash - Just a “real burger,” he said “cooked medium well.” “Burgers aren’t supposed to be bloody.”

[pnoon]

I got into a little debate last Friday with my friend about burgers that got me thinking. He wasn’t a big fan of Ray’s Hell Burger cooked medium-rare with the au poivre preparation. He went on to explain that he was a “burger purist,” so he’d try Ray’s again without the mish mash - Just a “real burger,” he said “cooked medium well.” “Burgers aren’t supposed to be bloody.”
Says who?
Posted via Mobile Device

[TBone]

Says who?
Posted via Mobile Device

:tpd: It's not a burger if it's not bleeding

[Sawyer]

Says who?
Posted via Mobile Device

Not me.

[LasciviousXXX]

“Burgers aren’t supposed to be bloody.”

Blasphemy!

[Blak Smyth]

No idea how.
God that does look amazing!
My wife makes an amazing turkey burger, not healthy though.
It is sooo juicy and delicious, she won't tell me her recipe.

[ChicagoWhiteSox]

I hate over cooked burgers, most red meat for that matter. If you have really nice, high quality meat, then cooking on the rare side should be fine.

Now this is how I like em'

http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/43384/2223035170095510972S600x600Q85.jpg

[Blak Smyth]

I hate over cooked burgers, most red meat for that matter. If you have really nice, high quality meat, then cooking on the rare side should be fine.

Now this is how I like em'

http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/43384/2223035170095510972S600x600Q85.jpg

I like my steaks cooked Medium rare but burgers I like more medium for some reason.

[pektel]

I like my steaks cooked Medium rare but burgers I like more medium for some reason.

+1. For some reason I don't like arare ground beef. Rare steaks are fine. Now, if you took a ribeye, and ground it right there in front of me with a freshly cleaned machine, I'd eat that med. rare. After slapping you upside the head for grinding up my ribeye, of course. :p

Reading this thread makes me want to pick up a couple pounds of ground chuck after work and practice. Just wondering how "loosely" to pack the burgers. Guess I'll play around with it a little.

[Sherlockholms]

way too rare for me. I like to make stuffed burgers and then oil each side, that way you can cook it to where it is done but also have the juicy rare like feel to the burger.

[Bill86]

I got into a little debate last Friday with my friend about burgers that got me thinking. He wasn’t a big fan of Ray’s Hell Burger cooked medium-rare with the au poivre preparation. He went on to explain that he was a “burger purist,” so he’d try Ray’s again without the mish mash - Just a “real burger,” he said “cooked medium well.” “Burgers aren’t supposed to be bloody.”

Nonsense...all red meat is supposed to be bloody.

[hammondc]

Gotta be well done for me when it comes to burgers. I got hella stoopid sick years ago on an undercooked burger. I cannot even stomach looking at someone eat rare ground beef anymore.

I do 82% and they come out amazing. I cook them to just under well, foil them and let em sit for 10 mins and they come out perfect.

[AAlmeter]

Nonsense...all red meat is supposed to be bloody.

This.

I have yet to find any cook or restaurant that can duplicate exactly the way one particular tavern I go to does them. They are out of this world, and they look very similar to the picture you posted.

From talking with the owner/cook, use 80% lean coarsely ground sirloin. Pack it very tightly, salt, pepper, and throw it on the grill over high heat for a short period of time. Very juicy, very flavorful.

[sevans105]

Not sure how they did it...I did a fun experiment the other day...formed the burgers (hand ground chuck with some extra trimmings from the butcher ~30% fat..oh yeah) Then cooked sous vide style for 4 hours at 131F. Finished with a quick sear on a screaming hot grill to give it that awesome crust. HOLY COW. Frickin' Fantastic.

[BlindedByScience]

.....“Burgers aren’t supposed to be bloody.”
...why do you suppose they call it "red meat"...??....:D

[mkarnold1]

Gotta be well done for me when it comes to burgers. I got hella stoopid sick years ago on an undercooked burger. I cannot even stomach looking at someone eat rare ground beef anymore.

I do 82% and they come out amazing. I cook them to just under well, foil them and let em sit for 10 mins and they come out perfect.

Most food poisonings are due to kitchen conditions, cross contamination. Cooking meat to well done can lessen that risk, but so can going to a different place that doesn't make you sick for ordering what you like.

[sevans105]

so can going to a different place that doesn't make you sick for ordering what you like.

:tu:tu:tu

[SteelCityBoy]

Mmmmmmm....

That burger reminds me of when I went to Ted's in Connecticut. It was on that travel channel or something for being one of the few places that still steams their burgers. If anyone is ever out that way I highly recommend trying their burgers! Absolutely delicious!

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m595/khannaman/TedsinCT.jpg

[Blak Smyth]

You should make a note that the stroller is for your dogs!:r:r:r

[SteelCityBoy]

You should make a note that the stroller is for your dogs!:r:r:r

Yeah....no kids in my future!!! People see us with that thing and always expect to see a kid in it. I guess they get surprised that my wife pushes them around in a dog stroller:D

[Salvelinus]

I am all for a rare steak and a medium-rare burger but only if I know where the meat came from. Most of the time I buy burger meat it is from the supermarket which gets it from who knows where, in that case medium-well. If my pal who processes meat locally comes over I know his practices and will eat it medium-rare and love every minute of it.

[RGD.]

As for the original post: Last month it was decided that our 18 year grill which had every part except for the lid and the left rear wheel replaced at least once, needed to be tossed out. It's replacement: a CharBroil "Commercial" Series three burner with "infrared" heating. I don't know about "infrared" but it's definitely "indirect" heating. You have the typical burner and cover, then trays with a gazillion little holes followed by another tray of tubes that the food sits on.

So we threw on some hand made burgers and some hot dogs. Burgers cooked well done. The first thing everyone said about the burgers was how juicy they were. Much like the OP picture, they were slightly seared on the outside, well done through the middle and you could not take a bite without the juices running down your chin.
This has been repeated every time we use it. Even the pre-made 1/4 pound burgers came out very moist.

So - it's highly possible the OP burger was cooked in a similar manner.

Ron

[Blak Smyth]

How was the burger cooked?


With Love!