How do you keep burgers flat on the grill?

How do you keep burgers from puffing up?

Make a thumbprint in the middle of the patty

Using a thumb, make a deep depression in the center of each patty to keep the burger from puffing up and bulging in the center. Otherwise, “It plumps up like a football and people smash it down. That’s the last thing you want to do,” Flay said.

Why do my hamburgers ball up?

The basic theory is that as meat cooks, the proteins contract so that the whole patty shrinks and puffs up in the middle. Making a kind of indentation or dimple in the middle counteracts that effect so you end up with a nice, even patty.

How many times should you flip a hamburger?

We do recommend letting the patty cook for at least 3-4 minutes before giving it a first flip, to give the meat time to sear. Otherwise, the patty may start to fall apart. After that, however, you can flip it once and be done, or flip it as often as you like, trying to get both sides to cook and brown evenly.

How long should burgers be on the grill?

IF USING A GRILL: Heat a gas grill to high or heat coals in a charcoal grill until they glow bright orange and ash over. Brush the burgers with the oil. Grill the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes for beef and 5 minutes for turkey. Flip over the burgers.

How long do you grill thin burgers?

Season both sides of patties with salt and pepper. Cook patties, pressing with a spatula, 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, flip, and top with cheese. Cook 2 minutes.

What temperature should grill be at for burgers?

Heat a gas or charcoal grill to 450 to 500°F, or hot enough that you can only hold your hand above the grill grates for about 1 second. Butter the insides of all the buns and set them near the grill. Flip the burgers at least once during cooking, or as often as you wish. Do not press down on the patties at any time.

Should you press down on burgers?

DO NOT PRESS DOWN ON THE PATTIES WHILE COOKING THEM.

The meat should be handled as little as possible, so if you take a spatula and press down on it, the juices will spew out.

Should you use egg in burgers?

If you’re making your own hamburger patties, adding egg to hamburger meat can help hold the meat together for easier cooking. Without the proper binder, the burgers may fall apart in the pan or on the grill.

Do burgers need to rest?

Burgers are always cooked directly over high heat, which raises their temperature at the surface. … For perfect burgers (and buns), let the burgers rest for 5 minutes, tented with foil and preferably on a rack so moisture doesn’t collect underneath, before transferring them to buns.