Do You?

[ronp]

When grilling burgers or steaks squeeze the grease out with your spatula or otherwise smash it to get it out?

 

[the iceman]

Nope, I go 'au naturale'.

It just makes things less juicy.

 

[mossymo]

99% of the time I am grilling buffalo burgers, but I still would not squeeze the grease out of hamburger unless it had a very high fat content. I like moist meat !!!

 

[fire it up]

NO! No never ever ever.
Squish, flat burger, bye-bye flavor...
Though working in some restaurants you need that burger to cook to well in 7-8 minutes, that's when you put a cast iron skillet or press on it, not my rules, just trying to get the food out.

 

[bigsteve]

I used too, before I learned the ways of the grill. But haven't for years now.

 

[smokebuzz]

ron, you gotta be kidding, a former restaurant owner should know the answer to this.

 

[meatball]

no way jose!!!!!!!!! I lika de juice

 

[guvna]

i usually press down just a little. not to squeeze out any fat, but to tighten up the burger a bit. it also depends on how much fat i'm starting with. if i'm using a 15 to 20% fat grind, and i don't press a couple times, the burger ends up too loose. grinds with 5 to 10% tend to hold together better, and mashing doesn't seem nessesary.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

I just press the very center of the burger with the tip of a tong or corner of a spatula, and that's only to see if the juices are pink or clear.

Eric

 

[teacup13]

never ever ever squeeze the meat..lol

you are not only squeezing out fat but you are squeezing out juice and moisture.

 

[teacup13]

or start with a thinner burger...still no squishing needed

and those restaurants pressing the meat, usually have crappy burgers.lol

 

[rivet]

Nope. Never. No way.

It's not just fat you're squeezing out but the moisture that carries a lot of the flavor too.

 

[bassman]

The juice is what makes a good burger. Nothing like having the grease run down you're arm when you take a bite.

Heart attack, anyone?

 

[flash]

Not me. Most people get tempted to do that because they make a fair size burger only to see it contract and start to look like a meatball. So they then try to flatten it out and squeeze the juices out of it. Instead of doing that take the hamburger and before you put it on the grill, after making your pattie, put a good thumb print dimple in the middle of the burger. Then place it on the grill. You'll find it won't swell up to meat ball size again.

 

[morkdach]

whats a spatula

 

[mballi3011]

No NO Never press all the flavor out and I don't like that at all dry hunk of hockey puck.

 

[mcp9]

no- and that is a pretty overwhelming poll.

 

[davenh]

Never squish! Lean beef, loosely packed with a dimple in the center, rub with a little EVOO and flip only once. Cook medium

.

 

[billbo]

No way mister!

 

[coyote-1]

I don't even cook beef burgers... we do turkey burgers with a particular sauce (don't remember the name) and chopped onions. They taste better than any beef burger I've had in many years. Or we do lamb burgers - which are delicious.

And no, no squeezing.