How to Grill the Best Burger - Burger 101

I'm a little bummed summer is over and will continue to use my grill this winter at least for a while.

Burgers from the grill just taste better!

• Make sure the grill is the appropriate temperature Medium-low to medium heat is best. Too hot, and burgers burn on the outside before getting done on the inside. Keep the lid closed while cooking; it shortens cooking time and keeps burgers moist.
• Use beef that is no leaner than 85% A little fat keeps burgers moist and flavorful. For ground chicken and turkey, add a little olive oil or broth to the mixture. I prefer the 80/20 combo
• Use a gentle touch Mix ingredients just until combined. Overworked meat makes for a tough burger.
• Don't form patties too thick or too thin A ¾-inch thick patty is ideal. To keep patties from swelling in the middle, make small indentations in the center.
• Always clean and oil the grill grate This prevents burgers from sticking, extends the life of your grate, and helps put those beautiful grill marks on your patties.
• Turn burgers only once And it's hard to resist, but try not to flatten your burgers with the spatula. It squeezes out flavorful juices.
• Cook burgers properly Cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (170 degrees F for poultry). For an accurate reading, insert the thermometer into the patty horizontally.

Grilled Cheese Burger - Katie Lee Joel's Award Winning Burger 2008

I have to say this cross between a grilled cheese and hamburger is AMAZING!  Simple to make and very comforting.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (85 percent lean)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 medium yellow onion, half grated, the other half thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 slices white bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
12 slices American cheese, optional

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the beef, egg, grated onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
2. Form into thin patties.
3. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
4. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Drain the grease from the skillet.
5. In the same skillet, place six slices of bread, butter side down. Top each with a slice of cheese, if desired, some onions and a burger. Top with remaining slices of cheese, if using, and bread, butter side up.
6. Cook each sandwich until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
7. Serve with mustard, ketchup, pickles, or any other desired hamburger toppings.

Makes 6 burgers.

Hamburger Scatter Cushions

More cute burger things.  It's amazing what you can find in burger form!

Bobby Flay's Chicken Cobb Burger

I've never been much of a chicken burger kind of gal but after watching Bobby Flay make this Chicken Cobb Burger I changed my mind!

Ingredients

For the burgers:

• 8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon
• 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 4 burger buns, split
• 1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

For the burgers:

Directions

Heat the grill to medium.

Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high.

Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.

Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette:

Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.

Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette

The "Hamburger Bed"

This is just too cute!

The Origin Story

You know that ol' dinner party question:
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
My answer is always—hamburgers.
mm mm mmm
I wouldn't say that I'm obsessed... though I did celebrate hamburger roadtrip '03 (I ate hamburgers in 8 central US states) and have a buffet club code name of Patty Melt...

I have a general devotion to food and movies... especially sweets.

For awhile now I have been making sweet treats and then I saw an amazing video Hamburger: The Motion Picture (must own soon!) and their dorm room beds WERE hamburgers.
I had to make the transition into making treats things!
and I couldn't shake the idea of a Hamburger Bed!

I bought a round mattress from the 70's and made everything else myself...
(with the exception of pickle chip pillows I received from a wonderful friend).

It is 8' in diameter (I love saying my bed has a diameter)
It stands about 3' tall.

It is the most comfortable bed I have ever owned... ever

Frequently Asked Questions

Who made the hamburger bed?

Kayla Kromer of Austin, Texas.

Is the bed for sale? If so how much does it cost? If not, are there any plans and how much do you think it would cost?

It's not something people really want... they say they do. If someone did, they would find me for real.

A fair price would probably be close to $2000... It took some time and stuff to put it together. I would much rather help someone make a new dream.

I didn't make it to sell anything, or be a "viral marketing strategy" as it's been accused of.
It is fun for pure fun's sake—that's why people love it.

Update: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Hamburger Bed was sold on eBay as a fund raiser in July of 2009. The bed has a new owner and now lives in Chicago, Illinois.

What do I need to make my own hamburger bed?

• 1 circular bed and "box" frame (mine is way bigger than it looks and took some stealthy moves to get it in my house)
• 2 tones of light brown fabric
• dark brown king fitted sheet
• memory foam
• king sized yellow and green sheets
• 30 pillows
• a couple of zippers
• pantyhose (for the sesame seeds)

Burger Dos and Burger Don'ts

Many think making a burger is simple science, there is actually a method to it!

Burger Dos:
• Grind your own meat if you can. If not, have your butcher grind beef that is   

   20/80 ratio.
• Preheat your skillet on high.
• Toast your bun with butter.

Burger Don'ts:
• Overwork patties by compressing the meat. Instead, use a food scoop or ice 

   cream scoop to make a 4-ounce ball.
• Overseason meat. You're not making a meatloaf.
• Never press on the patty while it's cooking; you'll push out the juices.

Caribbean Pork Burgers

These Caribbean Pork Burgers are great, very tasty and can be spiced up or down depending on how much heat you like. 

Burgers:

1 1tbsp tlime zest
1 1tsp dried thyme
1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) hot pepper flakes
1/4 1/4tsp (1 mLsalt
1 1lb lbground pork
4 4hamburger bunhamburger buns, split and toasted

Mango salsa:
1 1mangomangoes, peeled, pitted and diced
1 1jalapeño pepperjalapeño peppers, minced
1/4 1/4cup (50 mL) finely chopped red onionred onions
2 2tbsp tbsp(25 mL) minced fresh mint
2 2tbsptbs (25 mL) lime juice
1 1Pinch Pinchsalt

Preparation:

In bowl, mix together lime rind, thyme, hot pepper flakes and salt ; mix in pork. Shape into four 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick patties. (Make-ahead: Layer separated by waxed paper in airtight container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 month.)

Mango Salsa: In bowl, combine mango, jalapeno pepper, red onion, mint, lime juice and salt. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

Place patties on greased grill over medium-high heat or under broiler; close lid and grill, turning once, until no longer pink inside and digital thermometer inserted sideways into center reads 160°F (71°C), 10 to 12 minutes. Sandwich along with salsa in buns.

How Many Burgers Do You Eat Per Week?

Various sources say that the average American eats 150 burgers a year, or about three per week.  I LOVE burgers but I don't eat 3 per week!  I will keep investigating and/or start keeping a burger journal

Five Guys - Amazing Burger

Just because it looks amazing.  My mouth is watering

A Great Job!

Would love to be the hostess of this show!