I’ve never understood why people complicate their homemade hamburgers. Too each their own but, in my opinion, things like breadcrumbs and eggs have no home in a homemade burger patty.
After all, we aren’t making meatballs.
The myth is that burgers require a “binding agent” — something that holds the meat together during cooking. Eggs and breadcrumbs are the standard criminals in the world of burger-making, but some folks use flour, oats, or even rice. This can be fine for a meatball, but not a burger.
The science of burger making is relatively simple: the more you handle the meat, the denser, dryer and chewier the meat becomes. This is because overhandling meats can cause meat protiens to breakdown and fat to melt prior to cooking.
Instead, it is best to keep things simple. Take your ground beef or chuck from the fridge and immedaiately shape your patties. You want about 200 grams (6-8 ounces) of meat per patty, which you can quickly and easily shape into 1/2 inch patties.
It is that simple.
Then sprinkle some of Zest’s Burger Blend on both sides of your patties, and get them on the grill.
One last tip:
Grilling a burger is not the same as grilling a steak. While some avid BBQers swear by letting meat come to room temperature before grilling, this is a mistake for burgers. Be sure to chill your patties before putting them on the grill.
Looking for more tips about creating the perfect hamburger? Check out our post, 7 Simple Steps to the Perfect Burger!
Hey there! I'm Josh. I started The Zest Spice Company so I could share the spice blends and food recipes that I've been playing with since I was a kid. I hope you enjoy!
Cheers!