{"id":17988,"date":"2011-06-22T13:03:34","date_gmt":"2011-06-22T18:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artofmanliness.com\/?p=17988"},"modified":"2023-09-30T20:22:34","modified_gmt":"2023-10-01T01:22:34","slug":"grilling-basics-building-a-better-burger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/leisure\/food-drink\/grilling-basics-building-a-better-burger\/","title":{"rendered":"Grilling Basics: Building a Better Burger"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Vintage<\/p>\n

Armed with a spatula in one hand and a cold beer in the other, there\u2019s no better way to celebrate summer than by hosting a cookout with friends.  Whether on a beach in sunny California or at a backyard BBQ in North Carolina, I love entertaining around a fully loaded grill.  There\u2019s just something primal and manly about watching raw meat roasting over an open flame.<\/p>\n

Of course, a cookout is never truly a cookout without our beloved hamburger.  Yet, for all of its simplicity, it\u2019s one of those food items that can often fall flat.  You know what I\u2019m talking about: From the burgers that resemble hockey pucks, to those that taste like lighter fluid, to the balls of meat that have you two bites into the bun thinking: \u201cWhere\u2019s the beef<\/a>?\u201d<\/p>\n

Since we\u2019ve been spending the past few months covering kitchen fundamentals, and with the Fourth of July approaching, I figured it was a good time to provide my best tips and techniques for building a better burger.  Of course, I realize this is a touchy subject.  Giving an end-all-be-all recipe for a grilled hamburger is akin to telling a Southerner how to BBQ or a Midwesterner how to prepare Brats.<\/p>\n

In other words, I\u2019m approaching this subject with humility.<\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019ve made my point, please immediately refrain from the following at your next cookout: using frozen patties, adding in filler ingredients, flipping your burgers more than once, and pressing down on your burgers with a spatula while cooking.  Whew, I think I got most of it out there. We’ll touch on these points again below, just to make sure.<\/p>\n

Moving on…what makes a great burger?  I\u2019m glad you asked.  Since we men love seeing things clearly, I\u2019ve outlined some of the key bullet points that will make you the king of your next summer cookout.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/h3>\n