How To Cook Burger On Grill?

Grills are very versatile, and it allows you to cook almost any food on them, but as you can easily guess, they are most used to grill burgers.

Have you ever noticed that a burger can taste better or worse depending on who grilled it? It’s because if you want to obtain the perfect burger on the grill, you need to know how to do it.

And do you know according to Statistica, 19% of Americans prefer cooking burgers on a grill?

So how to cook a burger on grill? How long to grill? In this article, you’ll find out the perfect way of grilling a burger.

Key Takeaways

To cook the perfect burger, make sure that the beef is cold.
For the perfect grill, you need to expose the burger to high temperatures.
You should let the burger grill for 3-4 minutes per side for the perfect cooking.
Changing the side of the burger again and again while cooking may ruin its taste.
The ideal temperature for cooking the burger should be 130-165 degrees.

1. Your Choice Of Beef Matters the Most

To obtain the perfect grilled burger, it all starts with the choice of beef.

The best for a burger is grass-fed beef. But, if you want a sweeter or richer taste, you can select a grain-finished option.

You should also check the fat content of the beef to make a juicy and delicious patty.

Ground beef has a fat content of 20-25% is ideal. Buying beef with less fat content will render a dry patty with a dull taste.

2. Before Grilling

To obtain the best burger, it’s important that you keep the meat cold and you do not overwork it. So, these are the simple rules you want to keep in mind:

Keep the beef in the refrigerator until it’s time to form the patties
Put the patties back in the refrigerator until it’s time to grill them

Furthermore, these are some tips on how to form the patties without overworking the meat:

Wet your hands with cold water (it will prevent meat from sticking to your hands)
Cup the portioned beef in your hand to form a ball
Press the ball into a 1-inch thick and 3-inch wide disk
Press a small dentation into the center of the patty: it helps the patty cook more evenly.

3. Grilling

It’s finally time to grill the burgers. Burgers need to be exposed to high temperatures, so you want to – of course – heat the grill before cooking.

Before putting the burgers on the grill, make sure to generously salt and pepper both sides.

Now, put the burgers on the grill grates. ¹

Tips From Reddit Users

Grilling burgers – target temperatures – lid closed or open?
by u/Queswork in grilling

Read: How Long To Grill Hamburgers?

Also Read: How Long To Grill Corn In Husk?

How to Grill a Perfect Burger?

Gas Grill Vs. Charcoal Grill

Both Charcoal & Gas grill have their pros and cons, and choosing among the two is a spinner.

Gas grills are easy to control; they cook up quickly and have a temperature controller, but they leave hot spots on the burger if not moved around.

A charcoal grill, on the other hand, adds more flavor to the food, but preparing the charcoal and learning how to control the temperature can be challenging.

So you should choose the one that you are more comfortable with. ²

How Long To Grill A Burger?

The burgers need to be grilled uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes per side.

If you feel like adding some cheese, then add it at the last minute and take the burger away as soon as the cheese starts melting.

The secret to obtaining the perfect burger on the grill is to avoid changing the side again and again. Put the burger on the grill, wait for 3 to 4 minutes, and turn it upside down only once.

It may be a guess the first time you grill, but with time and some experience, it’ll become easier to guess the exact time to turn the burger. ³

What’s the Ideal Grilling Temperature?

The last thing you need to know is the temperature to which it is ideal to cook the burger. Well, it depends on how well-cooked you like the beef to be.

See, when you want to create a brown burger, you don’t have to leave the burger longer on the grill but cook it at a higher temperature.

Medium rare: 130 degrees
Medium: around 150 degrees.
Well done: 160 to 165 degrees

Internal Temperature for Burgers

Medium rare: 130° to 135°F
Medium-well: 150 to 155°F
Medium: 140° to 145°F
Well-done: 160°F

Check Out 6 Things To Consider Before Buying Any Grill

Tools You Need to Have For Cooking the Best Burgers

The first and obvious thing that you should have is a long-handled spatula to flip the burger patties without breaking them.
You should also get a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the patty and to achieve the perfect cook. You will be able to use a meat thermometer with all kinds of meat and not just for burger patties, so it is a good investment.
You can also buy a meat grinder if you are willing to go that far. A meat grinder will help you in getting a perfect consistency each time. ⁴

Wrapping Up

Who doesn’t love a perfectly cooked burger with a juicy patty and delicious toppings? And the key to obtaining the perfect burger lies in the patty.

In the above guide, we shared all the essential tips that you should know to cook a delicious burger. Hope this was helpful.

FAQ’s

How should I store my burger patties?

Raw ground beef lasts only for a day or two, so you should freeze the uncooked patties, and you can also store the cooked patties for three-four days in a fridge.

What are the different types of Burger toppings?

You can add so many kinds of toppings to your burger according to your taste and preference.

Here are some favorite burger topping ideas:

Using mayonnaise, mustard, pickle, or ketchup.
You can add lettuce for crunch, onion rings, or some tomato slices.
You can add olives or cucumber slices.
Using different types of sauces like BBQ sauce, chipotle, or toppings like avocado or guacamole, unique cheese, caramelized onions, etc., would also bring in a lot of flavors. ⁵

How many times should I flip the burger patties while cooking?

Flipping the patties again and again, can result in uneven cooking. We recommend flipping the patties only once.

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Shefali Jain

Shefali Jain is a Content Editor & Writer at National Planning Cycles.
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes.

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