When I make hamburgers, they either fall apart or shrink into big meatballs. How do I make burger patties that stay together and keep their shape?
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ANSWERS: 24
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Are you using egg, and breadcrumbs, when you make your patties? These two ingredients are essential in regards to keeping the pattie together.
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Make them as small patties. Let them cook awhile before turning them. Flatten them with a spatula that first turn only.
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Using an egg is correct. make sure your hamburgers are at least one half inch thick and do not press on them, while they are cooking. pressing releases essential inside juices necessary, for a moist big hamburger. one flip one time. hamburgers are ready, when there is no red meat color, inside. check by using a fork.
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You need binders. Think little meatloaf. Whip an egg yolk and mix it in, as well as panko (very fine japanese bread crumb kind of thing).
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could also be your grade of beef. I never add an egg but I use 100% real beef with no fillers such as fat which some put into their hamburger. The fat will cook away and shrink your patty or cause it to fall apart or both. True on lower grades adding a egg helps but picking a higher grade beef is best.
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RareCatch Excellent~Never heard of adding egg or filler. Use good beef ( I raise beef) You will need none of the above! (You got to much fat) Poor quality meat! Jan. 29
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Hamburger shouldn't be meatloaf. It doesn't need binders because you have hardly added anything to it, unlike meatloaf. You want it to be beefy. First it is best to grind your own. In a pinch you can do it in the food processor by cubing the meat into 1/2 inch chunks and pulsing it until minced fine. Don't take out all the fat or you will lose a lot of flavor. Be sure to use CHUCK and not other cuts like sirloin or round. Those will not do. THe berst tasting hamburger comes from chuck. Then shape them gently into patties. NEVER squeeze the meat, that will toughen it. Just gently but firmly shape it into patties about 1 inch bigger than your buns and about 1-3/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, maybe some garlic powder (NOT salt) That's all. Cook it on one side and then flip once. NEVER press with the spatula or turner. That presses the juice out and it will get tough again. WHen they are done, remove and set aside for 1o minutes so it can relax.
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RareCatch
Excellent Jan.29
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I am a little more basic. I get an 80/20 ground beef. The leaner the less flavor period. I don't use any fillers or eggs. I like a juicy burger so that is what I prepare for. I use about 1/3 to 1/2 pounds of meat per burger. I season them prior and during. I use a season salt, olive oil, and sometimes a lil extra garlic salt. I get the grill heated up hot to begin with. I cook one side for 4 minutes to sear in the juices. I flip and cook side two to taste temper the heat a little or vary the open and closed lid on the cooker to preference. Sometimes a near final melted butter season or cajun spice can do well and keep things moist. Remember after the burgers are removed from the grill they are still cooking for a short bit, and visable shrinkage is almost always going to get you a well done burger. P.s. when forming the patties, press them firmly especially the edges to keep them together. I have no issues with them breaking apart or being tough.
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RareCatch
Excellent Jan.29
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Do not overwork the meat. Handle it as little as possible. For example, if your meat comes in a 3" or 4" tube, just slice to thickness. Regardless, press in the middle of the patty, so you make a shape like a Lifesaver candy, because the middle tends to rise while the edges tend to shrink. There is a good article in Clay's Kitchen.
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at what temperature are you cooking them? too high heat can cause the outside of the burger to cook too quickly and cause the burger to crack/crumble and shrink. binders aren't necessary and fat content is not important. I am health conscious and hardly ever buy anything that is less than 90% fat free (that is when I used to eat meat) and regardless using a lower cooking temperature and cook slow will solve the problem. IF you like a crispy burger just wait until you finish cooking the burger(s), remove them from heat to finish cooking from residual heat. Then before you serve them throw them in a hot, preheated pan with just a little olive oil to crisp up the outside. just a few seconds should do, and the inside stays juicy.
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RareCatch
Excellent Jan.29
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First of all, there three different fat contents in regards to ground meat: Ground chuck: 80 to 85% lean / 15 to 20% fat Ground round: 85 to 90% lean / 10 to 15% fat Ground sirloin: 90 to 92% lean / 8 to 10% fat When making burgers, I recommend ground chuck. While it is fattier, the fat is what makes for a juicy burger. I would not recommend using binders such as egg or breadcrumbs...you're not making a meatloaf! If you add sauces, such as for example steak sauce, do so sparingly. Do not overwork the meat. If you're adding spices or herbs, fold them in as opposed to stirring. Form your patties about a ¼" to ½" larger than your bun to allow for shrinkage. After the patty is formed, make a depression in the center to compensate, as well, for shrinking so they do not become bulbous! When cooking, turn only once to avoid handling too much and never, ever, ever, ever, EVER smoosh them with a spatula! You'll release all of the juices thus making them dry and more apt to fall apart. Good luck! :)
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RareCatch
Excellent Jan.29
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Add 1 egg, per pound of meat...and buy ground chuck, instead of ground beef...
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I prefer using chuck for hamburgers also, but I occasionally use ground round. Whenever I make hamburgers I usually make a small "test" burger & fry it up really quick to make sure I have the seasonings right. I have found that if the burger is a little dry you can add a bit of grated carrot. It doesn't give it any flavor (that I've noticed) but will help make a very juicy burger! My Mom used to make "flour" burgers by adding flour to the mix. That will help if your meat won't stick together, but don't go overboard. I sometimes get nostalgic and make some. They're great too. Just depends upon what you want at the time.
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Here's what works for me. I add 1 egg for every pound of beef, I also add in a couple of really finely crushed saltine crackers per pound. I like to use the Montreal steak seasoning or other various ingredients. Before I form the patties I rub some canola oil or some other type of cooking oil on my hands. This seems to prevent the meat from sticking to my hands and the oil transfers onto the outside of the patty so I think it helps prevent it from sticking to the grill. Then When I make the patties I make the outside edge thicker than the middle. This seems to prevent the "meatball" effect. Sometimes I'll add salsa, ketchup, BBQ sauce or tomatoe sauce. Often I'll added crushed garlic or chopped jalapinos or onions (Grill the onions in the frying pan first if you can). I'm always trying different ingrediants that my wife doesn't approve of. She doesn't like experimenting with food. I've never had any complaints about the taste of the burgers except that you can smell like garlic after eating them if you put too much garlic in.
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get lean low fat hamburger. it says on the package. why pay for fat? get ground chuck, or ground sirloin.
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Don't put any salt in it or on it until it's completely cooked because it will shrink the burger! I like to add Franks Hot sauce but it has salt in it!
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I'm amazed, no one mentioned "Freezing"? I buy ground chuck 80/20 for flavor & add my seasonings except salt & pepper as these draw moisture & are added after cooking. Form patties about 1/2" larger than buns. Place "Patties" on "Waxed Paper" 1" larger than the "Buns". Use a round smooth bottomed drinking glass to depress the center of the burger by about 1/2 of it's thickness. As it cooks it will "Plump" & cook evenly preventing the cracking & shrink to being "Bun Sized"! Now stack these 2 high on a cookie sheet & "Freeze". Package them & use right from "Freezer". The "Freezing" will keep the moisture "Locked In" leaving a "Pink Center" & "Crispy Outer Grilling" that can't be beat!!! When placing on grill place the "Depression" up & U can see the "Juices" and flip only once when they go from "Dark" to "Light". John
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Buy better beef. Back in the seventies when I was a kid, the government passed legislation allowing hamburger to be up to 30% fat. This was during the last energy crisis, and food prices were jumping astronomically. Allowing more fat in the meat was a way of keeping prices down. Unfortunately, having more fat in the meat was never changed when prices came down. It is extremely unhealthy. And the tallow renders out of the meat as it cooks. When you are cooking it crumbled, it isn't that noticeable. But when you try to cook it in a loaf or patty, the tallow renders out and leaves gaps, which makes it shrink or fall apart. So start with the leanest beef you can afford. The other thing that can really help is eggs. Eggs are a binding agent and help hold it together. I used to put a pack of onion soup mix and an egg in a pound of ground beef to make really tasty burgers that stay together. Be aware, it you do this, you must get the inner part of the burger well cooked to make sure you don't get salmonella.
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I watched some food channel show once and it might be a bit crude but I've done it for a while and it really works! Take a peanut butter lid and some saran wrap. Put a nice sheet of wrap over the lid (since using raw meat will put bacteria on the lid and you dont want that in your peanut butter) and then mold some meat into this lid and when you cook it, it will shrink a little and it makes perfect round patties
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Handle the meat as little as possible. If you are using a lower fat content than 80/20 you will need one of the binders listed in the other answers. 80/20 is the preferred restaurant fat content, the fat adds flavor and stability. A ground chuck or round is the best for burgers.
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Try putting egg and bread in them.
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RareCatch
Then you have meat loaf. I never do that use a better quality beef! I am a beef farmer! Jan.29
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You want to know where to go and you're craving a WHopper??? Why, McDonald's of course! Walk right up to the counter and order a Whopper :D:D:D
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Step up to a Fuddrucker's... mmmmmm...
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get of your butt and go to white castle and if youy dont live near one they have the frozen burgers with buns at grocery stores.
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Go to Five Guys! They rock!!;)
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