May is National Barbecue Month, capped toward its end with Victoria Day – the unofficial kickoff of summer here in Canada. If you’re looking to grill the perfect burger this Victoria Day, here are 10 tips for doing it on your propane grill:
- Clean your grill. Clean your grill with a wire brush before you start cooking your burgers; get it nice and hot to burn off whatever bits of food are left from the last cook. This will keep the flavor of your burgers pure and help prevent flame flare-ups.
- Oil the grates. Just before you cook, apply a light coating of olive oil to the grill grates. This will give your burgers a good, clean sear.
- Don’t salt your ground meat. Avoid adding salt to your ground meat mixture; it will dry out the meat. Instead, sprinkle your burgers with salt before you put it on the grill.
- Use different techniques for different meats. Different burger meats need different cooking treatments. For a chicken burger, use medium flame and light oil. For a beef burger, use a blend of short loin, chuck and brisket with an 85/15 meat-to-fat ratio. For a veggie burger, use ether potato or sweet potato to bind the patty. For tofu, rubbing grates with olive oil before grilling.
- Cook over direct heat. Unlike hot dogs, burgers cook best over direct heat. Keep them right over those flames!
- Don’t push it. Pressing your burger releases all the natural juices – and the flavor. Don’t do it! Always make your own patty, never buy frozen.
- Don’t over-flip. Avoid the temptation to flip your burgers more than once. If your burger sticks, it’s not ready to flip: your burger will release from the grate if it’s cooked on that side.
- Keep the lid closed. If you constantly open your grill to view cooking progress, you’re releasing most of the heat that will cook your burger properly.
- Give it a rest. Give your burger a few minutes to settle before serving it; this will drive the juices to the center of the burger.
- Get creative. The internet is filled with great burger recipes. Check out some of these sites for creative ways to avoid a “burger rut”:
Victoria Day is coming – fill your propane barbecue cylinders for your big burger bash! Contact Core Fuels / Red Cap Propane today to learn more.