Hamburgers- Good, Better, and Best

Hamburgers- Good, Better Best

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Invite some friends over, even if it’s not a world-class barbecue. 

Good: Frozen burgers or hot dogs, a bag of potato chips, and cheap beer or store brand soda. I have so many great memories eating cheap food in someone’s backyard. Please don’t NOT have friends over, because you’re waiting til you have the chance to smoke a whole hog in your backyard. Text a few friends (or soon to be friends such as some neighbors you don't really hang out with), tell them that this Friday at 6pm you're throwing some burgers on the grill in your backyard, and you'd love to have them come over. You'll provide some chips, but they should BYOB. If they want to bring a side, cool, but not necessary. That's it. Easy peasy. Even if people are busy and only 1 or 2 people can show up, that sounds like a great evening to me. 

Better: Handmade burger patties. Don’t get 90% lean ground beef. You want some fat for flavor and texture. When you make the patties, don’t compress the ground beef too much or they’ll end up tough. When you put the patties on the grill, sprinkle Hellslayer Battle Axe- Beef Rub on them. It will bring out the flavor of the beef, and add some additional deliciousness to elevate your burgers. Get ready for the compliments.

Best: The best burgers I’ve ever had and have ever made are a blend of beef. Inspired by Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, which supplies meat to some of the great restaurants in New York City, my meat blend is ⅓ brisket, ⅓ short rib, and ⅓ chuck, and I aim for 20% fat. When I smoke a brisket, I always save the trimmings, and they’re perfect to use in this meat blend. These burgers are AMAZING. Recipe is below.

BRIEF HISTORY

Hamburgers. I can’t stand arguing about food. I just want to enjoy it. People can argue all day about whether hamburgers are German or American, or about Carolina vs. Texas vs. Kansas City barbecue. I eat it all and love it all. What about the origin of hamburgers though? Turns out, the answer’s not so simple. 

In the 1800s, Hamburg, Germany was famous for its meats, specifically the Hamburg Steak, which was minced meat formed into patties. German immigrants took the hamburg steak to America where it was often sold with bread to make it easier to eat. There are multiple claims to the first hamburger, but a common one is that in 1885 at the Outagamie County Fair in Wisconsin, Charlie Nagreen flattened meat, put it between two slices of bread so people could eat it while walking around, and called it a “hamburger” since it was similar to the hamburg steak. There you have it. German or American? I’m simply thankful for all the people who were involved in bringing this culinary delight to the world.

RECIPE: The Hellslayer Burger- The Best Burger You'll Ever Make

Equipment Needed:

Meat Grinder (I use a Kitchen Aid Mixer with an off-brand meat grinder attachment)

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef brisket, chopped into 1 inch or less cubes

1 lb. beef chuck, chopped into 1 inch or less cubes

1 lb. beef short rib meat, chopped into 1 inch or less cubes

3-4 tbsp Hellslayer Battle Axe- Beef Rub

Steps:

This is not complicated. It just takes more effort than you’d normally spend. I like to use a thick grind of meat, but use your preference. Grind the meat together and GENTLY mix in a bowl so it doesn’t compress. Alternately, you don’t need to mix it afterwards if you add different cuts of meat during the grinding process. 

Gently, form into patties with your hands. If it’s a coarse grind, they may be much looser patties than you’re used to. This is ok.

Fire up your preferred grill… charcoal, gas, open flame, choose your weapon. My preference to get the best flavor is always to cook over a charcoal grill using lump charcoal to cook the burgers to your preferred temperature. When you put the patties on the grill, sprinkle some Hellslayer Battle Axe- Beef Rub on top. How much is up to you. Some people like a little, some people like a lot. Use thermometer to get the perfect cook. Don’t listen to your grumpy grandfather who knows all the secret methods to cook the perfect burger without a thermometer. His burgers are always mid anyway. Thermometers give you precision. 

Let me know how your burgers turn out. I’d love to see your cook. Tag me on Instagram @Matt_Hellslayer.