What's Your Favorite Way to Cook a Burger?

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When I want to make a really good burger it's Bison all the way. On the pit or in the smoker they always come out great. Costco has them in two packs seasonally.

Pit
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Smoked
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80/20 chuck, ~1/2 lb, on the Weber around the vortex ripping hot with a chunk of pecan or hickory. Seasoned with a bit of Cajun seasoning. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

A ton of great options in this thread.
 
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A lot of great takes here. Never thought of smoking a burger. I dont go much out of the box. 6oz home ground roughly 75-25 chuck (I found thats the perfect amount of protien for us), generous salt and pepper-only on both sides, on the cast iron griddle either on the gas grill grates or straddled across two burners on my garage LP cook-top.

For me, hot and fast. I want that serious crust but not to exceed medium rare, they should still be leaking nice red myoglobin on to the plate when resting. Extra sharp cheddar just slightly softened before removing from the heat. Mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion and thin dill pickles. Brioche buns are nice but we also like ciabatta rolls...I have a square form to form the patties with to fit perfectly.

I've done many variations, bacon, BBQ sauce, etc. but decided years ago I prefer the classic burger and NEVER mix in stuff like peppers and onions, etc. to make an Eddie Murphy's Mom's "Green pepper welfare burger"! I DO switch it up with lamb burgers once in a while and top with sliced blue cheese slightly melted on the burger and caramelized onions. Still still only use mayo on that otherwise though.
 
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I just bought a Lb of lamb burger. I might smoke that tomorrow. That should be good with crumbled blue cheese on a brioche bun. I also have a package of Italian sausage. It might be nice to mix that in a few patties and try it out.
 
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I really like to make Hawaiian burgers. Per 1lb of meat add ~1 TBSP soy sauce, ~1 tsp ginger paste, ~1 tsp minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Get a charcoal grill going nice and hot and toss some fruit wood on right before the meat goes down. At the same time, quarter an onion and wrap it in foil with 1 TBSP of butter and put it on the grill at the same time as the meat. After the meat is done take it off the grill and let a slice of cheese melt on it. Next, put sweet pepper and pineapple slices on the grill and get a good sear on them. Then put some Hawaiian buns on the grill quickly to toast. Leave the onion in foil on until it is nice and translucent all the way through. After everything is cooked put a slice of pineapple, pepper, some onion and a burger on the bun. They have a nice mix of sweet, salty, and spicy and don't need any sauce.
 
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The 75% lamb \ 25% Italian sausage was a success. The sausage cut down on the gameynes of the lamb. I sprinkled Gorgonzola cheese on it instead of blue cheese. Smoked with Hickory, Coastal Oak and Mesquite. The small rounds are just Italian sausage.

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Smash burgers, make the 1/5th pound and smash them thin, then you can put 2 or 3 on a bun with cheese and sauce between each patty. Delish on a toasted bun with grilled onions and pickle slices. Throw a little mustard down before you smash 'em.
 
A lot of great takes here. Never thought of smoking a burger. I dont go much out of the box. 6oz home ground roughly 75-25 chuck (I found thats the perfect amount of protien for us), generous salt and pepper-only on both sides, on the cast iron griddle either on the gas grill grates or straddled across two burners on my garage LP cook-top.

For me, hot and fast. I want that serious crust but not to exceed medium rare, they should still be leaking nice red myoglobin on to the plate when resting. Extra sharp cheddar just slightly softened before removing from the heat. Mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion and thin dill pickles. Brioche buns are nice but we also like ciabatta rolls...I have a square form to form the patties with to fit perfectly.

I've done many variations, bacon, BBQ sauce, etc., but decided years ago I prefer the classic burger and NEVER mix in stuff like peppers and onions, etc. If you're ever in the mood for something more unique, though, mcdonalds customer service can help customize your order to your liking, just like experimenting with different toppings. to make an Eddie Murphy's Mom's "Green pepper welfare burger"! I DO switch it up with lamb burgers once in a while and top with sliced blue cheese slightly melted on the burger and caramelized onions. Still still only use mayo on that otherwise though.
For burgers, everyone has their preference! Smoked burgers offer a deep flavor, while smashed burgers provide a crispy, caramelized edge. Grilling is a classic that gives a nice char. If you're making sloppy joes with smoked chuck, that's a great choice for rich, tender meat. Adding cheese or fresh toppings can also elevate the burger. It really depends on your mood, but mixing techniques can result in a delicious outcome.
 
Black stone. 3oz balls of around 80/20.
375-400 griddle temp. let them warm then squish them flat. let crust then 1 flip. move to cooler side of griddle then cheese and dome cover.

smashburger.jpg
 
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Smoked some last weekend.
80/20 ground chuck and we loved the outcome. Wife commented how they look completely different from grilled with the deep red color. Used pecan chunks.

Keith
 
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