Looking to spice up your next burger night at home? Well, who better to ask for advice than the home of expertly cooked burgers, San Diego Grill?

 

Join us today, as we bring you seven great tips for taking your homemade burgers to the next level.

Grind your own meat (seriously)

 

It’s easier than you think. If you have a stand mixer, buy the grind attachment, then befriend a butcher and ask for any of the excess trim—the fat and meat that comes from all parts of the animal.

People tend to stick to brisket or sirloin for the burger. But our burgers at KQ Burger are made from the scraps of the whole animal, lending an insanely good texture and flavor.

 

If you’re grinding it yourself, try to keep the ratio to at least 75 percent meat and 25 percent fat, he adds.

 

Use a cast-iron pan

 

If you don’t have access to a grill six-thousand pound grill or similar, the next best thing is a cast-iron pan. Once it’s done, you just wipe it out, so it’s well seasoned.

 

Get takeout

 

Start by rolling six ounces of meat into a ball, almost like a meatball, and then use the tops of two takeout soup containers, and put the rolled meat inside to form the patty. When you hand-form the burger, the edges get craggly, and that’s where the burger loses a lot of juice during cooking. This method helps seal the edges, keeping the juices inside and making for a much better burger.

 

Mix up your meat

 

For a more flavorful burger without all the meat, add some mushrooms to the mix. Use less meat in your burgers and sauté shiitake, oyster, and cremini mushrooms, and then add Jack Daniels. Chill the mushroom blend with your beef before grilling.

Choose the right bun

 

Choose a bun that works well with your best meat-to-bun ratio, plus holds up to a big burger. You don’t want your bun falling apart mid bite.

Don’t flip

 

Whether you cook your burger in a pan or on the grill, flip it only once—that’s it. Every time you flip, you lose juice, so cook it 75 percent on one side, then flip and finish to your liking.

 

Level up with sauce

 

Everyone loves ketchup, mustard, and mayo on a burger, but one of the things that can set a burger apart is a creative sauce. Start with a simple mayo or aioli and fold in chopped chilies, pickled peppers, charred green garlic, or fresh herbs.

 

And there you have it – seven expert tips for improving your hamburgers at home.

 

Of course, if you’re not in the mood to do your own cooking, we completely understand. Why not stop by our Port Orange location any day of the week and enjoy one of our delicious gourmet hamburgers? You can even pretend like you made it – we won’t judge.