One of my favorite meals is a grilled cheeseburger. The taste is second to none, but they also have a heavy, nostalgic feel. For me, it’s sitting on the back porch with my dad and brother, watching him work the grill, and seeing Mom through the kitchen window preparing the toppings and buns (and sides). It’s a ‘feel good’ meal, and it always makes me smile.
With the weather warming up, it’s time to start thinking about grilling. To be fair, let me level-set on my set-up. I have three mechanisms for outside cooking: First, I have a Sea Island Forge, which is open-fire cooking. We use it a bunch, and it completes our outside ‘room’. Second, I have a Weber Genesis gas grill, which is our quick hitter – we use it quite a bit for family meals. It’s quick and does the job. Lastly, I have a Weber Kettle, which is for charcoal cooking. I love it. All three have a place.
Before you ask, I’m not a Big Green Egg/kettle guy. I don’t have the time or patience to do it. However, my Brother-in-Law is a BGE guy and is REALLY good. We often enjoy the fruits of his labor.
My good buddy and chef extrodinaire Brandon Haney (of Sugar Magnolia BBQ)were in a rabbit-hole text thread about (among other things) burgers, and I asked him to describe the ‘perfect grilled burger’. He obliged:
The goal here is the nostalgia of the burgers we grew up eating but with elevated ingredients (where applicable):
- Weber Kettle
- Kingsford charcoal
- Quality, high-fat content ground beef (prime, wagyu, brisket/short rib blends etc)
- American cheese (get this from deli counter)
- French’s mustard (on top)
- Burger sauce (bottom bun) – recipe below
- Kosher Pickle bread and butter chips
- Butter lettuce
- Sliced red or Vidalia onion
- Martins or brioche bun
The point here is to keep it pretty simple:
Burger/grill prep:
1. Premium beef (at least 20% fat) formed into patties at least 8 oz. Make the patty a decent amount bigger than the bun, and don’t overwork the meat. Make a thump print into the center of the patty to keep it from puffing up.
2. Set up the grill. Using a Weber Kettle here. Fill the charcoal chimney up with regular Kingsford (blue and white bag)
3. Set up the grill for two-zone cooking. Once the coals are ready, dump to one side of the grill and spread them out
4. Season patties with that Bertha’s Beef Rub
5. Start burgers out on indirect side. Having a “cool” zone gives you more margin for error if you get distracted (have to get a beer, throw a couple of pitches, call back a dog, etc). Cook on this side to about 115 internal
6. Once you get to 115, move to the direct side and flip every minute and a half or so. The myth that you should only flip meat once is absolute shit and literally no science backs that up
7. While burgers are searing, spread Dukes mayo (pro move) on Martin’s/Brioche buns and toast
8. Once everything is done, assemble the ultimate dad burger with the above ingredients
Sugar Magnolia Burger Sauce Recipe (this isn’t very scientific):
- 1 part Thousand Island
- 1/4 part French Dressing
- 1/4 part Dukes Mayo
- A couple of healthy squirts of Ketchup
- A solid squirt of sriracha
- A few shakes of W Sauce (Worcestershire sauce, but the W Sauce makes it)
- Tbsp of Fire on the Mountain Rub (or whatever other seasoning)
Enjoy.
I’ve learned a few lessons over the years on what makes a really good backyard burger:
1) fatty meat (not a time to go lean) and let it get to room temp
2) light brushing of Duke’s mayo on the bun enhances the taste of the meat
3) yellow mustard cuts the taste of the fat perfectly
4) nothing smothers the taste of a good burger like ketchup, save it for the fries
Jury is still out on whether buns should be toasted, still A/B testing it.
Despite the blackstone/smashburger craze, I do think a burger over charcoal is still my favorite (Do love a smashburger though). The best point from this post is the American single from the deli counter. Definitely an improvement compared to a kraft single. I will say, I think I prefer some finely chopped iceberg lettuce over the butter leaf.