Selecting Beef for the Best Hamburger

There are some people that cook hamburgers, and then there
are Master Grillers. Anyone can buy those frozen things
that appear to be hamburgers in the grocery store, throw
them on a grill and transform them into something that
tastes about like rubber tire.  I wouldn't even call those
things hamburgers.  Or at least they don't taste like a
good hamburger.

A real griller knows how to select  good ground beef, or
either make their own, and properly season and cook it, and
present it on a nice soft bun.  Others overcook the burger
and smear some mustard and ketchup on bread, and call it a
hamburger. When selecting your ground beef for your
hamburgers, make sure to select good beef.  Chuck roast
ground makes the best hamburgers, with about a 20% fat and
80% lean meat.  If you really want good tasting hamburger,
try Angus or Herford ground beef.  The flavor really comes
out and you can tell a difference.  Any ground beef with
less fat than 20% is too lean.  You will not get the
maximum flavor and taste for a great hamburger, unless you
have enough fat in your meat. You can have your butcher
grind your ground chuck for you and if chuck is not
available, the second best choice is ground sirloin,  or a
round roast. Seasoning for your burger?  If you use a good
beef, you don't want to ruin the taste with any kind of
seasoning.  Just the smoke from your grill is all the
seasoning you will need.  If you prefer, you can use salt
and black pepper to taste.

After you make your ground beef into patties, let the
patties warm to near room temperature before placing on
your grill.  Of course you should practice good food safety. 
Your grill should be medium hot and place your
burgers on the grate.  You should hear a sizzling when the
meat touches the hot grill.  Right at first the patties
will stick to the grill but after a few minutes, they will
loosen from the grill and this is when you know it is time
to turn them over.  When this side no longer sticks to the
grill, it is time to take the burgers off and prepare to
serve them. 

When your burger is cooking, don't take your spatula and
press down on the burger and squeeze the juice out of it.
This will only dry your burger out.   Flare-ups are a part
of grilling. For most, simply close the lid of the grill;
the reduction in oxygen should be all that's needed to
quell the flames.