Making of the Perfect Hamburger

Cooking is not rocket science. And making hamburgers at home is incredibly simple. There are a few basic rules that need to be followed in order to make the perfect hamburgers.

Ingredients –

1. Minced Meat
2. Sea salt
3. Crushed black pepper
4. Chopped onions
5. Capers

The most important ingredient is the meat and you need to ensure that you are using the right cut of beef for it. The meat needs to be unadulterated; which means you should not be using flour or eggs to bind it. The seasoning too remains simple.

Do not prepare the meat the same way as you would for meatballs; as the two are entirely different. Some individuals use the same spices and herbs in the meat as they would in meatballs. The ideal hamburgers are seasoned with just coarsely ground black pepper and sea salt, and maybe some finely chopped capers and onions.

The beef used for hamburgers should ideally be of prime quality and reasonably lean. It must not be finely minced. You will need to keep the texture fairly coarse. If the beef is not of top quality then the hamburgers may be seasoned with a little tomato purée, freshly pounded green peppercorns and a bit of coarsely ground coriander seeds for enhancing the flavor and keeping the meat moist.

There is tremendous scope for experimenting with the accompaniments and flavorings that are placed between the meat and the bun when assembling the hamburgers. Sticking to some of the classic combinations that remain a hot favorite can be an excellent choice. There are a lot of recipes that you can choose from, such as lettuce and tomato slices, an assortment of sauces and pickles, cheese that liquefies on the hot meat and gets nice and gooey, slivers of bacon, fine slices of avocado, mustard and mayonnaise and so on.

Hamburgers turn out especially nice and succulent if they are prepared on a traditional charcoal grill. Anyhow, whether you are using a charcoal grill or a griddle remember it should be made searing hot, before the hamburgers are placed on them for cooking. This ensures the meat gets properly cooked.

The meat should be lightly charred on the outside while the inside must remain moist and juicy. Cooking the meat in this method also helps in bringing out the flavors in the meat, just right. The meat should be cooked in a way that it becomes black in patches on the outside. A dry, grayish hamburger is no good.

Hamburgers are often dismissed as being junk food. This is a misconception as they can also be packed with nutrition if properly prepared. The conventional white flour burger bun can be replaced with a healthier option of either a whole wheat or multi-grain bun. When homemade using fresh and thoughtfully selected ingredients you can make it into a wholesome meal. If you carefully select fresh and healthy accompaniments to go with it you get a perfectly balanced meal. The trick is to select the garnishing carefully. Some good and healthy choices are tomatoes and capers, green peppers and crunchy lettuce and blue cheese. Hamburgers tend to be very filling especially if the meat is of top quality and minced to the right consistency.