How to Make the Perfect Hamburger

I apologize to all you vegetarians/vegans out there who may shudder at my recipe of the day and actually I'm not a huge meat eater myself. I much prefer a soup, salad, sandwich or pasta than any kind of meat but every once in a while the summer breezes blow just so and I crave a good burger.

So if you're still enjoying the last bits of summer and are looking for ways to use that barbecue I make my favorite combination by topping a patty with a slice of green chili followed by two thin slices of ham and a slice of cheddar.

Simple but it is completely the best combination a hamburger could enjoy.

Now if you'd like a few tips I've picked up over the years about how to make your burgers turn out perfectly tender and juicy here's what I can offer:

1. Use 20% lean ground beef. Yes it's fattier but the fat is what makes the burger hold together and stay juicy. So today may not be that day you want to follow the diet. Finely ground meat such as turkey tends to get mushy and fall apart, meat that is too fatty will shrink into oblivion and meat that is too lean gets tough so worry about the diet tomorrow.

2. Pat your patties gently. Don't crush them as tightly as possible, loosely packed burgers will get nice and crispy on the outside while staying juicy on the inside. You don't want to squeeze them too much while you're forming them, the 20% fat content will help keep them together.

3. Make the patties thin and large. You'll want them about 1/2 inch thick so they cook thoroughly and larger than the buns so that when they shrink they still fit. I've heard that poking a small hole in the middle can help them cook evenly but I've never tested this out--sounds like a fun experiment to try.

4. Heat the grill for a while. You want it hot, so heat it up for a good five or ten minutes on high before slapping the burgers down. They'll stick right away to the grill in panic but just leave them there for three or four minutes and the outside will char enough that they'll loosen up and you can flip them. If you try to turn them too soon they'll just tear up from sticking to the grate.

5. Cook the burgers thoroughly. It's just not safe to cook a burger medium rare anymore with the threat of food born illness creeping up here and there. If you cook it according to these directions it'll turn out flavorful anyway so don't worry about leaving some pink. Well done is the way to go.

6. Don't squeeze the patties. When you've got them on the grill there's the temptation to squash them with your spatula to check if the juices are running clear (a test to see if they're done) but don't! You just lose juice this way. Treat them with love and tenderness and they'll be tender back.

7. Let them sit. As with all cooked meat, let them sit for a few minutes after they're done to let the juices set a bit. The bigger the piece of meat the longer it should sit with a roast turkey standing for 20 minutes before carving.

8. Grill the buns. Choose buns that are fresh and soft but if you have buns that are starting to get stale grilling will cover a multitude of sins. Brush with butter and grill them in a pan until golden brown and they'll be the final piece of perfection.

Sponsored by Dimples and Dandelions--for the Serena and Lily Bedding Collection for Children

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