The Perfect Hamburger

Hamburgers may seem like an incredibly simple thing to make, and therefore not very blog-worthy, but I think that having good recipes for the basics is even more important than being able to whip up some fancy-schmancy foods.  After we bought our house a couple of years ago we started grilling and quickly learned that we really weren’t that great at it.  After several rounds of charred hockey puck burgers, and then burgers that were cooked well but without great flavor, I found this recipe.  While our grilling skills have improved vastly in all areas, I now feel that we can make really delicious burgers.  The recipe is simple and uses classic ingredients for the seasoning.  Some might think it is silly to use a recipe for something as basic as burgers, but I like it because it ensures that we have great results every time.  The original recipe (linked below) also has suggestions for some variations on the recipe for different flavors, but I love the classic so much that I have never gotten around to trying any of them myself!

The Perfect Hamburger

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground sirloin

2 Tbs. finely chopped yellow onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 or 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

4 slices cheddar or Swiss cheese (optional)

4 hamburger buns, split

Sliced tomato for serving

Sliced onion, for serving

Torn lettuce for serving

Sliced dill pickle for serving

Ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard or other condiments of your choice for serving

 

Directions:

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat.

 

In a large bowl, mix together the beef, yellow onion, garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Form the mixture into 4 patties, each 3⁄4 inch thick.

 

Grill the hamburgers directly over medium-high heat, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Check for doneness by cutting into a hamburger near the center or testing with an instant-read thermometer. No pink should show on the inside, and the internal temperature should register at least 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. If making cheeseburgers, place a slice of cheese on top of each hamburger during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

 

During the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, toast the hamburger buns, cut side down, on the grill. Serve the hamburgers on the buns with tomato, white onion, lettuce, dill pickle and condiments. Serves 4.

Source: Williams Sonoma