Of course, a good burger doesn’t need more than salt and pepper. And of course, we also like to make a hamburger from the best beef you can find. But sometimes you just want to make a burger from regular ground beef.
Then you just need a good recipe for excellent hamburger seasoning and a few useful tips to ensure a delicious, juicy burger.
This mix of spices gives the burgers precisely what a good burger needs. A good taste, colour, a little spice and a good smell. That is very important for the taste but also to make the neighbours jealous.
There is no salt in our hamburger mix. And we do that for a good reason. Salt ensures that the proteins bind together and makes a less tender hamburger. That is why we salt the hamburger when they are on the grill.
On the other hand, our hamburger spices are also suitable for anyone who wants to take it a bit easier with salt.
When do you flip the hamburger the first time? In any case, do not stab the burger because you are afraid that the burger will burn. If that happens, the barbecue is too hot. Just wait till the bottom is cooked and a crust has formed, then the meat will no longer stick to the grates and comes loose.
Of course, that only works if your grates are clean. If you are going to grill on caked grates, you first have to clean up. Heat up the grates and take a wire brush. Brush your grates thoroughly before putting your first burger on.
Then regularly flip the burgers until the correct core temperature has been reached. If you are going to make cheeseburgers, you cook the meat to about 52°C (126F). Then the cheese goes on, and you let it melt. No cheese, no problem. Then you cook the burgers to 65°C (149F). Slightly higher to 70°C (158F) is also acceptable. After that, a hamburger quickly becomes dry and tough.
So buy a good core thermometer and check all burgers regularly. Also, measure at several points and as much as possible in the middle of the burger. We use a Thermapen because it is super fast and is used by professionals all around the world.
When the cheese is melting, you can toast the buns. The roasting provides extra structure and ensures that the bun does not immediately become soggy with the sauce.
Then, of course, you build the burger as you want. We made the classic burger with lettuce, onion and tomato. A big dollop of burger sauce and you have a basic burger that makes everyone very happy.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika powder
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
Instructions
- Mix 1 tablespoon of hamburger seasoning per 500 grams of minced meat. Provide the right mix without kneading too much.
- Prepare a moderately hot grill and place the burgers over direct heat. At this point sprinkle them with some coarse salt.
- Turn the burgers when they come loose off the grates by themself. Not sooner.
- Sprinkle them on the other side with coarse salt and flip them regularly to a core temperature of 65°C (149F).