THE BOOK OF BURGER

ANATOMY + PATTY OPTIONS

BEEF:

The majority of the general population thinks of beef patties when referencing burgers. Burger patties are made from ground chuck which comes from the shoulder of the cow. Typically, when buying ground beef you want to look for an 80/20 ratio-80% meat, 20% fat. That being said, you’ll want to avoid 95/5 ground meat options. Leaner options tend to be difficult when forming patty’s and often lack that traditional burger flavor that we all crave. Don’t forget about other beef cuts. Grinding Brisket and Sirloin beef cuts also make great options for burgers.

VEGGIE / OTHER:

Burgers aren’t just for carnivores. Vegetarians can enjoy burgers just the same. Substitute the beef patties for a black bean burger or portobello mushroom burger. We haven’t tested out any good veggie burger recipes yet-so if you’ve got one handy, leave us your recipe in the comments! Beef and veggie burgers not quite your pace? No problem! Over the last few years, turkey, chicken, salmon, and bison burgers has been gaining in popularity.

COOKING METHODS

GRILL IT | SIDEKICK SEAR | BBQ GRILL BOXES:

Probably the most common and well-known way to cook your burger is grilling. Many users love the convenience and ready-start ease that propane grills have to offer. With propane grills, grill boxes, and Sidekick Sear accessories, grill masters are able to create distinct grill marks. If you follow our recipe blog you’ll notice we don’t like to list specific “cook times.” That being said, the amount of time your burgers will cook will depend on many factors including burger thickness, grill temp, etc. Don’t forget that practice makes perfect, you’ll begin to learn your grill and time out your preferred burger cook times.

SMOKE IT | PELLET GRILL:

Rising through the grilling ranks is smoking. Smoking burgers is a delicious way to add flavor. Achieve an enchantingly smoky flavor by cooking over a wood fire. Instead of a propane tank your pellet grill/pellet smoker is fueled by the burning of premium hardwood pellets. This method typically takes longer than other methods but yields a uniquely different taste. Simply, set your temperature to high smoke or around 225 degrees.

You can also Reverse Sear your burger. While it’s popular with other beef cuts like steak-it works just as well on burgers. Bring your pellet grill to temperature, put your patties in, and smoke your burgers until they are 10-15 degrees from your desired cook temperature (This would be 160°F for ground beef). Turn your Sidekick on to High Heat (preheat for 10 minutes) then place your patties on for the finishing touch. 45 seconds on each side should do the trick!

FLAME BROILED | SLIDE & GRILL PELLET GRILLS:

One of our favorite methods over the last few years of its patented Camp Chef birth is cooking burgers directly over a wood-fire flame. On our product line, this can only be found in our Slide and Grill (“SG”) enabled pellet grills. (To find out if your Camp Chef pellet grill is SG friendly, check the side of your grill chamber for a black knob with the words “Grill Knob” denoted in orange. By pulling this knob, the heat deflector plate slides away revealing direct flames.) Using the flame broil method on your Camp Chef pellet grill grants your burgers access to a deliciously, crispy taste of charbroiled flare. Keep in mind that flame broiled burgers aren’t only found on pellet grills. The same fire kissed cooking style can be achieved on propane and charcoal grills-even over a campfire. All you need is a controlled fire source, a grill grate, and your burgers.

GRIDDLE | SIDEKICK FLAT TOP | FLAT TOP GRILL:

Last year you might have seen our Smash Burger video on Buzzfeed’s Tasty channel. The recipe video included a Pro90X cook system featuring a griddle. Many burger fanatics claim that cooking a burger on a griddle-top surface is hands-down the best way. The even cook surface is able to give your burger that well-sought-out delicious outer crust-all the while still capturing that juicy inside. Griddle cooking your burgers is a popular method because, like a regular grill, it cooks hot and fast due to the propane-fueled method. Obtaining the perfect Smash Burger is easy on our variety of griddle-top products including griddle accessories, the Sidekick, VersaTop Grill line, and Flat Top Grill line. Just set your temperature knob between medium and high heat.

WOOD

Unlike ribs, brisket, and other high maintenance grilling foods, there isn’t a lot of spraying and tending involved in cooking burgers. If you’re cooking a Smash Burger on a griddle surface (griddle-top, Sidekick, Flat Top Grill, VersaTop Grill, etc.) you need only flip your burger once. However, when using a traditional grill, flame broil, or other cooking methods it’s okay to flip them more than once.We suggest with any meat to use a thermometer to accurately keep track of your internal temperature. According to the USDA, to safely cook a burger it must be brought up to 160 °F (unless ground personally.)

RESTING

Unlike other cuts of meat, your burger doesn’t necessarily NEED time to rest. However, if we’re giving out expert tips then we recommend a short, 5-minute (tinfoil tented) rest time. Some might argue that by the time the burger gets from plate, to table, to mouth-you’ve already reached a generous rest time. Whatever works for you and your current situation.

THE BUN

It’s easy to put all your eggs in one basket by solely focusing on the meat of the burger. We’re here to remind you to not overlook the bun. While the summer sales may coerce you into buying an 8 pack of flimsy, sad buns for $1.50-don’t do it-be strong. The bun is an imperative addition to the overall appearance and taste of your final dish. Purchasing a quality bun cooked fresh from the bakery will compliment all the hard work you put into your patties. Here’s a list of a few bun options to try:

• Brioche bun
• Sesame seed bun
• Potato bun
• Pretzel bun
• Texas toast
• Hawaiian rolls (for sliders)
• Glazed doughnut (if you’re feeling sassy)