There are two main reasons why most people frequent restaurants on a regular basis. First, there is a lot of people who love the ease of enjoying a great meal without laboring over the stove to cook it. Secondly, restaurants have perfected their dishes in a way that can be seemingly difficult to recreate at home. Thankfully, if you love a good restaurant=style hamburger, you can create it at home. Try the following tips before you make your own.
Pick out the right burger meat
If you’re making a restaurant-style hamburger, you’re going to want to use medium ground beef. Medium ground beef has a higher fat content. While many people use lean ground beef to cook at home, the fat is really critical to the equation when you’re making a burger that tastes like the ones in the restaurants. The fat brings the flavor in a way that lean options can’t.
You’ll probably want to go with an 80/20 chuck. While lean ground beef makes for a healthier option in some recipes, if you want that restaurant flavor, you’re going to have to use the fattier, juicier stuff.
Avoid the temptation to use a ton of ingredients
Though you might see gourmet chefs who like to put onions, scallions and all types of seasonings in their burgers, just keep it simple. The simple route really is the best route. Add a bit of salt and pepper to enhance the flavor of the meat. That’s really all you need. If you want to add flavor to your burger, do it after it’s cooked by adding fun toppings or using a specialty bun.
Create the perfect mold
When you’re trying to create a hamburger that’s similar to what you’d see in a restaurant, remember that you eat with your eyes first. This means that it has to look good before you actually eat it. The burger size matters. It’s an excellent idea to purchase hamburger moulder equipment. When you use the equipment, you’ll get to experience the beauty of the perfectly-shaped burger on your plate.
Make sure you’re using the right amount of meat in the mold. It’s important to get the right ration, not too much and not too little. It’s also advisable to use your thumb to press an indent into the top of the patty. This will allow the juices to gather, giving you a tastier final result.
Use the right cooking method
The ideal way to cook a hamburger is on a flame grill. You may have a preference for gas or charcoal, but it won’t make too much of a difference here. If you don’t have a grill, you can use a cast iron skillet with canola oil. Make sure the skillet is on high heat and very hot before putting the patty on. This will help you to get the perfect sear on the outside with a deliciously juicy center.
Don’t press the fat out
Once you’ve warmed up the grill or the skillet to cook the patty, it’s important to make sure you get a juicy burger. Whether you like your burger well-done or not, you never want to overcook the burger. You’ll dry it out if you wait too long. You’ll also dry it out if you try to use the spatula to press the fat out of the burger. The only motion you need to do when you’re cooking is the classic flip. Once you cook and flip the burger on both sides, that’s all you need to do.
Check out a few tutorials on websites like YouTube to get a better idea of how to make your burger. Video tutorials are helpful when you are a visual learner. Before long, you’ll be able to enjoy restaurant-style hamburgers from the comfort of your home.
