How do I cook burgers evenly, and tell when they are done?


 
J

Jamie Mathews

TVWBB Member
I really enjoy making my own burgers from 80/20 chuck, and cooking over lump, but I'm having a problem cooking evenly and determining doneness.

When I flip the burgers, I can tell where the hot spots are, and I jockey position accordingly. However, when I'm done, I always have burgers that are really pink in the middle, and some that are perfectly medium. They all look the same on the outside. How can I tell when a burger is just at medium?
 
Well a thermapen is a great tool(witch i dont have)

But after a few 100 burgers made on the kettle i know how big i make em...And how long to cook em.

I often(70 %) make burgers of a 50/50% Beef/pork.

I go 4 min/side lid on...Then flip...4 more...Done.

But then again im not aiming for a medium Beef burger. I just wanna eat a juicy seared burger.
Are you using lump or briqs? Do you use the lid?
 
I cook very thick burgers. My trick is to make a hole in the middle of the burger almost through to the bottom. They basically look like doughnuts. Then I smoke/bake them indirect. When they're almost done I move them to the hot side of the grill to sear them and melt the cheese.

Bill
 
Two ways. One, your burger is done when the juices run clear. Two, check them by firmness. By lightly pressing on them (not hard enough to squeeze out the juices), you can tell how done they are. The simplyrecipes.com way of using your finger is a good guide, but I just press on them with the end of my spatula. Once you get a feel for it you can cook over low or high heat and get them pretty close.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Frailey:
Try this link. http://simplyrecipes.com/recip...he_doneness_of_meat/

My wife is a gourmet cook and she refuses to use a thrmometer and let all those juices out of the meat. I tend to cook by time, but still use the finger method. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Then you need to show your gourmet wife a thermapen. All those juices does not seep out from the needlesized hole it makes.
 
I have a lack of ability to use the touch method. I highly recommend a Thermapen. It has greatly enhanced my cooking ability. Pulling a burger or any meat off at the right time is critical to the enjoyment. Even if you like it well done, there's well done and then there is dry leather.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Geir Widar:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Frailey:
Try this link. http://simplyrecipes.com/recip...he_doneness_of_meat/

My wife is a gourmet cook and she refuses to use a thrmometer and let all those juices out of the meat. I tend to cook by time, but still use the finger method. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Then you need to show your gourmet wife a thermapen. All those juices does not seep out from the needlesized hole it makes. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

With all due respect Geir, and I love your posts, but I have been doing this since 1967 and really don't need a 90 dollar themometer to tell me when a hamburger is done.
icon_smile.gif
 
I wouldn't use the finger test to determine the doneness of meat. Every ones hand is different. If I did this method using my wife's hand every steak I cooked would come out like shoe leather.

Over time you will get used to when a burger,or steak or chop or piece of chicken is done by observation, time and feel of the meat. About the only time I use a thermometer is when I cook a whole chicken, turkey, or large cut of meat.

For burgers when you form them make a dimple in the middle for shrinkage. When the burger shrinks and becomes a uniform thickness they are probably pretty close to done.
 
I am seriously "challenged" when it comes to the touch test. Can't do it,never will be able to do it.

How do you check that juices are running clear, without drying out the burger?

I will look at a thermapen as well.
 
i use the finger poke on steaks but use my thermapen on burgers. i cook them indirect until 10 degrees of done and then move them over the coals for 1.5-2 minutes per side. add cheese if desired after flipping. they always come out juicy and perfectly medium well.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Frailey:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Geir Widar:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Frailey:
Try this link. http://simplyrecipes.com/recip...he_doneness_of_meat/

My wife is a gourmet cook and she refuses to use a thrmometer and let all those juices out of the meat. I tend to cook by time, but still use the finger method. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Then you need to show your gourmet wife a thermapen. All those juices does not seep out from the needlesized hole it makes. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

With all due respect Geir, and I love your posts, but I have been doing this since 1967 and really don't need a 90 dollar themometer to tell me when a hamburger is done.
icon_smile.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If I offended you, I ask for forgiveness. That was not not my intention, sorry.

I have made a couple of burgers myself, and managed just fine before i got the thermapen. What I was trying to express, and I see now in a clumsy way, that now I get even better results.

Sometimes a new invention comes along that can make you do things even better. I think that a instant read thermometer with a thin tip is one of those things. That does not mean that there is anything wrong with the old method, or the skills of the cook.
Of course it's possible to cook perfect hamburgers without a thermapen.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">...About the only time I use a thermometer is when I cook a whole chicken, turkey, or large cut of meat.

For burgers when you form them make a dimple in the middle for shrinkage. When the burger shrinks and becomes a uniform thickness they are probably pretty close to done. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

x2
This is how I do them for wifey and kids.


I'll be crucified for saying that I waste a single drop of juice from a a burger, but if I'm doing a bunch of them for guests, and I need to really know if it is done in a hurry, I use the corner of my spatula to poke then pry a small divot into the center to check for clear juices. Goes back to my meat flipper days in high school.
 
The Thermapen is helpful for those of us who have not managed the art of the finger touch test. I being one of them.

John
 
I cook a very loosely packed burger. If I were to do the poke test, it would just cause the burger to fall apart. So I've found a thermapen works very nicely for me. I don't lose very much juice and the burgers are always done exactly the way I like them (unless my ADHD kicks in and I wander away from the grill for too long).

Bill
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Geir Widar:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Frailey:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Geir Widar:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Frailey:
Try this link. http://simplyrecipes.com/recip...he_doneness_of_meat/

My wife is a gourmet cook and she refuses to use a thrmometer and let all those juices out of the meat. I tend to cook by time, but still use the finger method. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Then you need to show your gourmet wife a thermapen. All those juices does not seep out from the needlesized hole it makes. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

With all due respect Geir, and I love your posts, but I have been doing this since 1967 and really don't need a 90 dollar themometer to tell me when a hamburger is done.
icon_smile.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If I offended you, I ask for forgiveness. That was not not my intention, sorry.

I have made a couple of burgers myself, and managed just fine before i got the thermapen. What I was trying to express, and I see now in a clumsy way, that now I get even better results.

Sometimes a new invention comes along that can make you do things even better. I think that a instant read thermometer with a thin tip is one of those things. That does not mean that there is anything wrong with the old method, or the skills of the cook.
Of course it's possible to cook perfect hamburgers without a thermapen. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

For the record..Geir is a stand up guy.
 
I almost always cook them indirect until I get them near done (medium for me.......well done for my wife)........and then move them to direct for a quick char.

I've been doing that with most of my grilled meats lately with good results.
 
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