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We often give up the idea of pleasing ourselves with a steak at home because of the stereotype that a self-cooked piece of meat will not be as juicy and tasty as in a restaurant. But this is a mistake. Steak can be fried at home no less delicious. The main thing is to find the best recipe, choose the right meat, marinate it (or not marinate: the secrets of this kind will be discussed below), and voila – the culinary masterpiece is ready!

  1. Quality meat – 80% success. The chief market brings the highest quality – from trusted manufacturers. We also pickle it in advance!
  2. The steak should be no thinner than 2.5 cm (filet mignon – from 5 cm).
  3. Before frying the steak, let the meat “breathe” at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).
  4. The meat must be dry: pat dry with a paper towel. The main thing is not to wash.
  5. Don’t put more than 2 steaks in one pan. Otherwise, the meat will be cramped: the temperature inside the pan will drop, and the steaks will begin to stew instead of frying and delighting you with a golden crust. By the way, the crust not only crunches deliciously, but also preserves appetizing meat juice inside the steak.
  6. Use the tongs to turn the steak over – not with a fork! You can pierce the meat with a fork: this will drain the precious juice.
  7. Let the cooked steak “rest” for 1-3 minutes, then you can cut it and eat it.

5 secrets of a chef

  1. It is important to caramelize the loaf. To do this, you need to grease its inner parts with oil and put it in an ordinary frying pan at home. The fire on the stove should be low, fry until crisp. This will prevent the sauce from soaking into the bun and turning the burger into mush.
  2. The sauce is not spread on the cutlet, but on the top and bottom of the roll. Now it will not be absorbed into them, and the cheese will not slide off the cutlet.
  3. In order for the cutlet to remain juicy after frying, in no case should it be pressed with a spatula against a baking sheet or pan. This is often done in American films, but it’s wrong. That’s right – just turn the cutlet over every 30 seconds, without putting any pressure on it. Then the cutlet will remain juicy on the inside, and the outside will be crispy.
  4. You need to fry the cutlet for 6 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees. On home pans and gas stoves, the temperature is under 300, so you need to fry over low heat and turn it over exactly every 30 seconds, and not every 3 minutes. Since pans rarely have a temperature sensor, you need to visually monitor the crust. And as a rule, in a frying pan, the cutlet will be ready in 4 minutes.
  5. It is best to use marbled beef, but not required. It all depends on your capabilities, imagination and the range of the neighboring store, so minced meat can be made even from turkey or crocodile. The main thing is to observe the ratio of meat and fat. Optimal 80% to 20%, although someone loves fatter – 70% to 30%. You can even make vegan burgers – for example, from soaked chickpeas with turmeric.

Many people love burgers, but not everyone knows how to cook them at home. On average, any amateur culinary specialist makes at least one of 7 mistakes during their preparation. We will tell you how to avoid these mistakes and get the perfect burger at home.

  1. Mistake # 1 Wrong choice of meat for a burger. The principle “the more expensive the better” does not work here. But other works: the fatter, the better. Our goal is to make burger patties as juicy as possible, and these can only come from cuts with a lot of fat. The ideal ratio of meat to fat in minced meat should be 80% meat and 20% fat or 75% meat and 25% fat. For example, minced meat made from 2/3 shoulder beef and 1/3 of the flank is perfect for a burger.
  2. Mistake # 2 The abundance of unnecessary ingredients in the burger mince. A bun, mustard, egg, spices, and herbs soaked in milk … All this is good in meatloaf, but not in a burger cutlet. It is enough to add only onions, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the minced meat. Add pepper to the minced meat immediately, but sprinkle the ready-made raw cutlet with salt, otherwise, it may simply fall apart during cooking and may become harsh after cooking.
  3. Mistake # 3 We make the perfect cutlet. Cook the minced meat yourself by turning it through the largest nozzle. And be sure to cool it before modeling so that the fat does not stick to your hands, and so that the cutlets do not stick to the pan, remove the cutlets in the refrigerator before frying (laying them with pieces of baking paper). It is even better if you scroll the meat chilled in the refrigerator. To keep your patties juicy, do not try to sculpt them perfectly even and thick. Make a notch in the center of each, so it will be both thick and regular when fried. If you cook burgers often, buy a special minced meat press or at least a cooking ring. Make the cutlet a little larger in diameter than necessary, because it will fry anyway. The cutlet with high-fat content is especially lost in size.
  4. Mistake # 4 Using too fluffy burger buns. When we eat a burger, we want to taste the taste of meat, cheese, sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and … buns, not just the taste of a wonderful soft bun. Therefore, fluffy buns, in this case, are not the right choice. You can even make a pita burger if you want. This dish is less high in calories and tastes as good as a classic burger. A good option is a brioche. Yes, she is lush but squeezed wonderfully by her hands. Remember burger is eaten by hand! Before assembling, cut the bun in half and be sure to fry in a dry frying pan or grill on the crumb side.
  5. Mistake # 5 Constantly checking the readiness of the burger cutlet. Do not stir the meat while it is cooking in the pan. Do not cut it open to check its readiness, do not turn it over every 15 seconds. Trust me, it will cook in 10-15 minutes (depending on thickness) and without your super-sensitive guidance. If you want to control the process, check the readiness of the burger patty with a special probe or thermometer. This way you will damage the cutlet less and keep it juicy. And fry the cutlet in a very preheated pan or grill, not forgetting about the vegetable oil. Only the cutlet should not float in it!
  6. Mistake # 6 We use an abundance of sauces and additives when assembling a burger. A generous serving of sauce or even sauces looks incredible in Instagram photos, but in real life, it’s better to limit yourself to three additional elements (tomato/cucumber, bacon, a slice of cheese) and 1-2 sauce. The combination of mayonnaise and ketchup with lettuce, tomato, and onion may seem trivial, but that’s where you need to start! Firstly, you can easily bite off a piece of such a juicy burger, and, secondly, you probably won’t oversalt anything, don’t over-pepper, or spoil it with an inappropriate filling. The harmony of flavors in a burger is equally important for the right meat and buns.
  7. Mistake # 7 Incorrect assembly of the burger. An approximate assembly scheme for a classic hamburger should be as follows (from bottom to top): half a toasted bun + onion + sauce + cutlet + tomato/cucumber + green salad + sauce + the second half of a toasted bun. Remember that the sauce should not get the bread wet!

Burgers are great for a picnic or party, and they are damn delicious too! Today you will learn how to cook great burgers and learn ten life hacks that will help you become the best at this business.

  1. Only cook with fresh meat. Marbled beef works best for the burger, but other meats can be used as well. It is only important to maintain the ratio: 80% meat to 20% fat (800 grams of meat – 200 grams of fat).
  2. Don’t buy minced meat. It is not known who, how, and from what made it. Grind the meat yourself, but not too hard: the minced meat for burgers should be textured.
  3. Knead the minced meat with your hands. You can even throw it on a board or table. This will distribute the fat, herbs, spices and other ingredients added to the meat evenly and make the mixture more fluffy. To prevent the minced meat from sticking to your hands, soak them in cold water.
  4. To ensure that all burger patties are the same shape and mass, shape them with a cooking ring or use a lid from a large jar. Shallow plastic containers will also work. The main thing is that the cutlet should not be thicker than one and a half centimeters and weigh about 200 grams. And don’t forget to make a groove in the center!
  5. Try to keep the burger patties slightly larger than the buns. Then the meat is fried to the desired size.
  6. Keep the patties in the refrigerator while you prepare the sauce and chop the rest of the ingredients. When warm, the fat in the minced meat will begin to melt faster than it will be on the grill, which means the burger will turn out dry.
  7. Salt the burger patties just before frying. If you add salt directly to the minced meat, sodium chloride will begin to break down protein bonds, and the meat will acquire a dense sausage-like texture. The burger won’t be juicy.
  8. Don’t flip the patties too often. The less you touch them, the juicier they become. First, roast the meat in a direct heat zone, then move to the edge of the grill. While frying, lightly presses down on the cutlet with a spatula. For medium-frying, six minutes are enough. Readiness can be determined with a special thermometer: the temperature inside the cutlet must be at least 70 ° C.
  9. Collect your burger the right way. First, the sauce (on both halves of the roll), then lettuce (on the lower, smaller half), and finally the cutlet. This will prevent the bread from getting wet ahead of time.
  10. Put your knife and fork aside – eat the burger with your hands! With both hands. Press it down well, turn it upside down (so the contents will not fall out), and enjoy the yummy with a juicy cutlet.

You will definitely need these rules to make the perfect burger at home!

  1. The alpha and omega of a good burger is minced meat. Ready, of course, we do not buy under any circumstances. We choose moderately lean beef on the market (you can add pork and lamb to it) and ask the seller to scroll (or we do it ourselves). And – the main secret – add a little pork or lamb fat to the minced meat – also, of course, ground. Fat or lard should be 20% of the total. If you want to add cheese or bacon to your burger, reduce the percentage of fat to 10-15%.
  2. What can be mixed into minced meat? Try adding bacon, raw sausage, smoked meats, or basturma; good are pine and walnuts (especially in minced lamb), pieces of cheese, fruits, and dried fruits (they must be wrapped in the center of the minced meat, otherwise they will burn when frying). Spices, herbs, onions, and garlic – no questions asked.
  3. Rule number one – never press the patties while frying! Let the bad actors do it in cheap films about the American hinterland. By pressing the cutlet into the skillet, you squeeze the juices out of it, making the burger dry and lifeless. Rule number two – don’t flip the cutlet too quickly, let the crust fully form.
  4. There are two options: either urgently buy a country house and install a stationary grill there, or get a good cast-iron frying pan with a thick bottom and a non-stick coating. It is tempting to use a regular grill pan, but, alas, in the case of burgers, it is not very suitable: the cutlet will not cook evenly. But on a cast-iron skillet (which, of course, needs to be warmed up properly), the cutlet will be exactly as it should – with a crust on the outside and soft inside.
  5. Do not forget to lightly fry the roll on the cut so that the crust does not allow the roll to get wet from cutlet juices. With fillings, you need to balance between two fires. On the one hand, it’s silly to make a clone of a restaurant burger at home with a standard cheese and cucumber set. Try adjika instead of ketchup, jam instead of mayonnaise, pickled tomatoes instead of fresh ones, and lightly salted cucumbers instead of salted ones. On the other hand, you shouldn’t turn a burger into a multi-story structure with everything in the refrigerator. You will regret the guests, and leave something for your breakfast.

Burger! And if your mouth is full of saliva now, it’s time to learn the secrets of making the most delicious grilled burgers.

  1. Any soft-baked product that can be cut into two parts: a lid and a bottom are suitable as a “burger bun”. Ideally, the bun should be slightly sweet. And experts also recommend not to take buns with a crispy crust and an excessive content of all kinds of bran.
  2. Before folding the burger, grill the halves of the bun. If you don’t do this and put the cutlets on the bun right away, the bread will absorb the meat juices and the burger will fall apart.
  3. The burger must have a vegetable filling. The classic assembly scheme: green salad, tomatoes, onions (fresh or fried), fresh or pickled cucumbers. But, in principle, you can add other vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant).
  4. Traditionally, a hamburger is not complete without ketchup and yellow mild mustard. BBQ and chili sauces are also commonly used. Less often, cheese sauces and mayonnaise are added.
  5. If you’re making burgers for the company, you can put patties, buns, and filling ingredients on the table so everyone can make a burger to their liking.
  6. And no cutlery! Burgers are eaten only with hands.

While experts argue whether homemade burgers are good or bad, one thing is certain: they are incredibly tasty. And why buy a grill at all, if you do not allow yourself to eat a burger made with your own hands at least a couple of times a month: with a juicy cutlet, with fresh vegetables and pickled cucumber, with a crispy bun?

  1. The classic version of the burgers uses a thin ground beef patty. But do not buy ready-made minced meat in the store: you will never know what part it was made from, let alone how dubious its freshness will be. You need to grind minced meat for grilled burgers yourself!
  2. Choose meat with fat, such as rump or sirloin. The share of fat in cutlets should be 15-20 percent, then the burgers on the grill at home will be fragrant and juicy.
  3. Until the very last moment, the meat must be kept in the refrigerator, and then cranked on the largest grinding mode. The less you disturb the structure of the minced meat, the juicier the burgers will be.
  4. In the minced meat for the classic burger, there are practically no onions, herbs, or garlic. Only salt and pepper. And if you need to add freshly ground black pepper to the minced meat even before you start sculpting the cutlets, then you need to salt it strictly last. Also, you don’t need to add eggs, bread, or bread crumbs to the minced meat – otherwise, it will no longer be a burger.
  5. You need to sculpt the grilled burger patties with your hands moistened with cold water – so the minced meat will less stick to your hands. In addition, when cooking cutlets, you need to make sure that they are thin and well-done and also fit the size of the bun. Shape the tortillas as gently as possible, and remember to make a small indentation in the center so that the homemade grilled burger stays flat and doesn’t turn into a large meatball.
  6. They should remain cold until the burgers touch the grill, so after sculpting, put the patties in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
  7. The coals should not be too hot. If you can bring your hand to the coals and hold for 6-8 seconds, it’s time to put the patties on the grill.
  8. Try not to crush the burgers with a spatula during frying and do not let the precious juice leak out.
  9. Depending on the thickness or size of the burger, it usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes to cook. The simplest test of readiness is to pick the cutlet with a fork or knife to assess the color of its insides (pink flesh without blood is medium roast).

These secrets will surely come in handy!

  1. Fresh onions can be added or pickled (vinegar, salt, pepper).
  2. We recommend using lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or wine vinegar instead of vinegar. They will give a less harsh and more sophisticated aroma and taste.
  3. Onions can also be caramelized. To do this, melt the sugar in a frying pan, then, putting the onion in it, hold it for another couple of minutes. It is appropriate to add a couple more spoons of red wine.
  4. For a change, make onions in batter.
  5. Mix egg, flour, salt, add spices to taste. We recommend oregano. Onion rings should be dipped in batter and fried in a large amount of vegetable oil (deep-fried), and after a couple of minutes on the grill.
  6. The sauce is a moment of creativity in the process of preparing any dish. Pesto (Italian – based on olive oil, basil, and cheese), salsa (Mexican – made from tomatoes and chili, with garlic and black pepper), dzatziki (Greek – based on yogurt with herbs and garlic). In general, play fantasy, prepare the sauce!
  7. The most commonly used ketchup. You can do it yourself. One of the recipes: peel tomatoes (6 pcs.). Boil sugar (4 tablespoons) with vinegar (half a glass), add tomatoes. Add mustard powder (2 tablespoons), garlic (2-3 cloves), salt, pepper to taste, tomato paste (2 tablespoons), and chili pepper. Cook everything over low heat until the tomatoes soften – about 15 minutes. Turn into a homogeneous mass with a hand mixer, cool.
  8. We recommend adding fresh thyme or some rosemary.

Want to make the most delicious burger ever? we will help you with this!

  1. Depending on the filling itself, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fishburgers, chickenburgers, veggie burgers (vegetarian), tofuburgers and others are distinguished.
  2. Let’s start with the selection of meat for the king of all burgers – a hamburger, in the middle of which there is always a meat cutlet. Unlike regular cutlets in a skillet, the meat for a burger should not be greasy. When the meat is fried on the wire rack, fat will constantly drip onto the coals, burn, smoke, irritate.
  3. Do not take young meat so that it does not come out dry and lean. If it’s veal, then half with pork.
  4. When choosing meat at the market or in the supermarket, take not lean tenderloin, but a thick edge.
  5. Minced meat should be cooked on your own.
  6. Do not grind the meat too much. Elastic cutlet is much more stable to fry on the grate than fine crumbly, which, most likely, will fall on the coals.

A burger seems like a simple dish only at first glance. In fact, this is a whole art and science, which have certain rules, tricks and secrets. If you love to cook and are thinking of tackling such a controversial dish like a burger, this article will be useful to you.

  1. The cutlet should contain from 10 to 20% fat, therefore, give preference to collar, rump, sirloin. Choose beef especially carefully, as it is a fairly lean meat. If you’re ready to experiment, combine lean and fatty meats.
  2. No ready-made minced meat. You may not know which part was used in the store for minced meat, and the level of freshness is unknown. Even if minced meat looks aesthetically pleasing and greasy, it can contain dried meat, lard, leather, water to increase weight and give a fresh shine effect.
  3. Cold and coarse. Disturb the structure of the meat as little as possible – the texture of the cutlet also depends on it. Keep the meat in the refrigerator before cooking, do not grind too finely. You can also use the chopped steak format instead of the cutlet: it is more expensive and more difficult, but definitely worth it.
  4. The cutlet is meat! No onions, no bread, no breadcrumbs, no eggs, no even garlic – this is no longer a burger patty. Do not disturb the natural meaty taste; salt and black pepper are enough. Another important detail: salt is added last, so that it ruins the protein taste of the meat as little as possible.
  5. With a hot heart and a cold … cutlet! During the sculpting process, moisten your hands with cold water – this way the cutlets will stick to your hands less and heat up more slowly. Keep the patties cold until you grill them. It is best to send the cutlets to the refrigerator after sculpting – let it stand for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the grill.
  6. Gentle frying. The grill should not be overheated – when you can hold your hand over it for 7-9 seconds, this is the ideal temperature. And in no case press on the cutlets – they will lose their juiciness. Turn the cutlets over carefully and gently, making sure that their integrity is not compromised and the level of frying is not excessive. To check, cut one cutlet: if it is pink on the inside, this is sufficient roast.
  7. The perfect bun. It should be fresh, have a neutral, but not insipid taste: not too salty and not too sweet, at the same time smooth and tender. Avoid buns with a lot of seeds and bran – they will only spoil the taste picture. Before assembling the burger, fry the halves of the bun until golden brown on the inside, otherwise the cutlet will absorb the juice and turn the burger into porridge.
  8. The juiciness of a burger is not a sauce. Don’t overdo it with sauces, ketchup, and mayonnaise. They give moisture, fat content, but not juiciness. Responsible for juiciness is the cutlet and, of course, vegetables – lettuce, tomato rings, pickled cucumbers. If you want a veggie-free burger, add at least pickled onions! Vegetables refresh the taste and brighten the burger.
  9. It’s about the cheese. In a burger, you need to choose not just “cheese that melts well”. You need a fatty cheese with a rich taste and aroma, this is a very important part of a burger. Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Parmesan are great for classic variations. For more exotic burgers, you can use Camembert, Dor Blue, Suluguni.
  10. Traffic light rule. A tasty dish is one that works on all receptors. Burger is no exception. In a burger, you need to harmoniously and carefully combine notes of salinity, sweetness, acidity and a light spice