Grilled Burgers

Since this seems to be a controversial topic, I thought I would share the way I do burgers.

Start with ground chuck (80/20 blend). Loosely form the patties with an indention in the middle. I try not to over work them. I like to make "mini-burgers", with Hawaiian Sweet Rolls as the buns. For me, 2.5 lbs. made 15 burgers. I like them thick, so I can get a nice moist center.



Liberally salt and pepper them - I use kosher salt and loosely ground black pepper.



Grill for 2 minutes on the first side. Flip them and immediately cheese the ones you want to be cheeseburgers. Don't wait until they are done because either you will have an over-cooked burger or a burger with unmelted cheese on it. I do not press mine. I feel I lose too much juice and cause out of control flare ups. I know some people like to press theirs, but I don't.


I pull them when the cheese is 90% melted. Here's the burgers right after pulling them. In this case, I am using a blend of white and yellow cheddar. I use a lot of different cheeses, and the only advice I have is to use one with a high moisture content. It melts better. I also bring my cheese to room temperature before putting it on the burger.



Here's the finished product.


Edited to flip last picture right-side-up.