Making the perfect steak is not difficult, if, of course, you know some of the rules and follow certain subtleties.
When buying meat in a supermarket, pay attention, in addition to the date of packaging, also on the date of slaughter, it should always be indicated. Count 20-25 days from it, which will be the date from which you can start frying the steak.
It is advisable not to wash the steaks, but to wipe them with a paper towel until they are completely dry.
Do not put more than 2 pieces in one pan, otherwise, the temperature of the pan will drop sharply. The meat will begin to secrete juice, in which it will be stewed, and then the golden-brown crust will not work.
Use the cooking tongs to turn the steaks over, not with a fork, or the juice will leak out.
If the meat cannot be turned over, and it does not lag behind the pan, then a crust has not formed. Then the steak needs a little more time to fry.
Another important tip: the meat for the steak is not beaten, otherwise, it will lose all juices and structure.
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?
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
They should remain cold until the burgers touch the grill, so after sculpting, put the patties in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
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.
Try not to crush the burgers with a spatula during frying and do not let the precious juice leak out.
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).
A properly fried steak will become a decoration of any table, and it is absolutely not necessary to light up the grill for this, you can cook it in your home kitchen. Today we will tell you a few secrets of how to prepare this dish.
The classic size of a steak is a meat tenderloin 3 cm thick and weighing 400 g, and such proportions were not chosen by chance. They are established through the experiments of many chefs, so their experience should not be neglected. The mass of a piece of meat can be more, some deviations in thickness in the range of 2.5-4 cm are also allowed. But keep in mind that the further you are from ideal, the more difficult it is to choose the time of frying.
Do not cook a steak on an empty stomach. The logic of this secret is very simple if you are drooling, then keeping the meat on the fire for the right time is extremely difficult.
Salt, pepper, and other spices are rubbed into the meat 10-15 minutes before cooking. If you are not a fan of a lot of spices, then just take a knife and gently peel them off the surface of the steak before you start frying.
Steak is a lazy dish and likes to relax. Therefore, the meat is taken out of the refrigerator in advance, about 60 minutes before the start of cooking. And after it is cooked, do not rush to start eating, let the steak lie down for 3-4 minutes.
Proper roasting implies the formation of an appetizing crust at the beginning of the process. To do this, the grill or frying pan (be sure to use special grill pans) must be very hot. To form the desired crust, the meat is fried for 4 minutes on each side.
The frying formula is as follows, 8 minutes per crust, 4 times on each side. And then two times for two minutes on each side, that is, 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 to bring the meat to the desired condition. If the weight of the steak is more than 500 g, then the number of roasting cycles on each side for 2 minutes is increased by 1.5 or 2 times.
The steak is tender and requires proper handling. Turn the meat over with a spatula or special tongs, no punctures or cuts. It is forbidden to press the meat against the grill to speed up the cooking. To assess the readiness of the steak, briefly press on it with the edge of the spatula, the finished meat is more elastic. You will learn this art over time, but first focus on the mass of meat and the time of frying, do not hesitate to set a timer for additional time control.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Want to make the most delicious burger ever? we will help you with this!
Depending on the filling itself, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fishburgers, chickenburgers, veggie burgers (vegetarian), tofuburgers and others are distinguished.
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.
Do not take young meat so that it does not come out dry and lean. If it’s veal, then half with pork.
When choosing meat at the market or in the supermarket, take not lean tenderloin, but a thick edge.
Minced meat should be cooked on your own.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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!
Try to keep the burger patties slightly larger than the buns. Then the meat is fried to the desired size.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
