Help! Can Someone Please Tell Me How to Make a Professional Hamburger?

I have been trying for years and years to make a real professional hamburger at home just like I get at a Carl's Jr or at an independent Hamburger Stand like we have here in California like a Jim's Burgers or Tom's Burgers and so on.

The problem I Always have is that no matter if I buy the store pre-made hamburger patties or make my own with fresh ground beef they Never come out like what I find at a Hamburger stand.

No matter what I do my patties they always shrink from the sides and become too thick compared to a charbroiled patty at fast food place that is wide as the bun and thin, not to mention they taste great.

Is there a secret to where all the fast food places get there patties from?

And how about the buns and the dressings?

What can I do to make a professional hamburger at home just like a hamburger stand?

I appriciate any help anyone can give.

Thanks
Len

To begin, if you want your burgers to fit the bun make the patties larger than the bun to account for shrinkage. Second, if you want them to taste anything like a fast-food hamburger, and to be flat and not puff up, be sure to flatten them often with a spatula while they are cooking in order to make sure all the fat runs out of them. Whatever you do, don't season the meat before making it into patties. That might provide flavor, and if you want your burger to taste anything like a fast food burger you certainly don't want that. Never grill the buns as that might impart some flavor to them. For dressings, and I'm guessing you are referring to lettuce and tomato and possibly onion, remove the lettuce and tomato from the refrigerator way ahead of time, slicing the tomato well in advance of starting to cook the meat. Slice the onion way ahead of time, too. These things  should enable you to make a hamburger that is a lot like the fast food delights you favor.

By the way, welcome to Roadfood.

Making a great Burger is a passion of mine too!!!
 
I've cooked hundreds of pounds of burgers in my lifetime and have not been satisfied with any of them! 
I'm not trying to copy A "Semi-Fast Food" Burger. What I'm trying to achieve is a  loosely packed, thick, juicey, flavorful burger wih a crust on the outside, with edges that are not uniform and are crunchy.
SOMEBODY, anybody, tell me how to achieve my Dream!

  One of the things that you might want to do is make sure that when you press the burger that it is thicker on the perimeter than in the middle. This prevents "shrinkage" and the burger will not be fat in the middle. You will also get those crispy edges that we all love. Be sure to make the patty about 30% larger than the bun as it will get smaller as it cooks.

  Most burger joints use a preformed patty which you can buy at your local food mart. Personally, I prefer to pat out my own burger. I use a cottage cheese lid lined with plastic wrap to achieve a uniform size and weight, about 1/4 pound. 

  You need to cook said burger in a well seasoned cast iron skillet at high temperature to insure a crispy exterior.

  1000 island dressing is a must if you want it to taste anything like you can get at a chain restaurant. You can make your own or buy a store bought brand, but I have found that this is a key ingredient!

JMHO


David O.

Foodbme -- Cook's Illustrated magazine, put out by America's Test Kitchen, had an article in their July/August 2008 issue entitled "Reviving the Original Drive-In Burger."  It is two pages of information, but the main points are:

1.  Grind your own meat, and don't use chuck, use a mixture of sirloin steak tips (for big meaty taste) and boneless short ribs  (well-marbled to lend the fat that keeps the burgers juicy".  They say use 10 ounces sirloin tips and six ounces beef ribs.

2.  Cube them, and chill in freezer until firm but still pliable, then pulse in a food processor.

3.  Spread the mixture into a metal baking sheet and divide into four piles.  Don't pick it up any more.

4.  Then quote:  "Without lifting or compressing, gently form meat into thin (and loose) patties with rough edges and textured surface." 

5.  Season with salt & pepper; then flip with spatula and season other side.
 
6.  Cook in heavy skillet over high heat on one side without moving for three minutes; then flip and cook one minute more, then add cheese if desired and go another minute until cheese melts.  Serve on toasted bun. 

The reason for partial freezing is so the meat won't get too warm, and therefore prevent "smearing" while being cut in the food processor instead being "cleanly chopped." 

Most of their tasters preferred American cheese, as it melted and filled the cracks better than Cheddar or Swiss, and did not compete with other flavors.

They do  agre with Boyardee65's remark about Thousand Island Dressing.  They make their own version, and say it "proved to be the best foil for the juicy, salty burger."  That and the cheese and a little sliced raw onion made the best burger for them.

If you don't have this magazine, maybe your library Does?

By coincidence their sister magazine, Cook's Country, arrived today, and it features that New Mexico treat,the Green Chile Cheeseburger.  They call it "...the best burger you never heard of."  I guess they never heard of Roadfood.

BurgerNut -- good topic.  Everybody wants a better burger.
 

I'd suggest a powerful source of heat is important.

To me the key is at least 20% fat content.  Salt, pepper, cook it hot and cook it fast.

two all beef patties special sauce cheese lettuce on a sesame seed bun?

GNeedles59


two all beef patties special sauce cheese lettuce on a sesame seed bun?

You forgot the pickles.:)

Easydoesit!,
THANX!!! for the info. I've found America's Test Kitchen & Cooks Illustrated to be  great resources. I don't have a Food Processor so I'll ask my Mom & Pop Butcher Shop Guy to handle the first part and give it a try. THANX!!! again!

jman

GNeedles59


two all beef patties special sauce cheese lettuce on a sesame seed bun?

You forgot the pickles.:)

and onions...Russ

Michael Hoffman


To begin, if you want your burgers to fit the bun make the patties larger than the bun to account for shrinkage. Second, if you want them to taste anything like a fast-food hamburger, and to be flat and not puff up, be sure to flatten them often with a spatula while they are cooking in order to make sure all the fat runs out of them. Whatever you do, don't season the meat before making it into patties. That might provide flavor, and if you want your burger to taste anything like a fast food burger you certainly don't want that. Never grill the buns as that might impart some flavor to them. For dressings, and I'm guessing you are referring to lettuce and tomato and possibly onion, remove the lettuce and tomato from the refrigerator way ahead of time, slicing the tomato well in advance of starting to cook the meat. Slice the onion way ahead of time, too. These things  should enable you to make a hamburger that is a lot like the fast food delights you favor.

By the way, welcome to Roadfood.

 
Absolutely fantastic.
I could not write it any better.
 

 

I'm still trying to find a 'professional' burger that tastes like its home made...without the added beef-like flavorings which are manufactured in New Jersey...

fabulousoyster

Michael Hoffman


To begin, if you want your burgers to fit the bun make the patties larger than the bun to account for shrinkage. Second, if you want them to taste anything like a fast-food hamburger, and to be flat and not puff up, be sure to flatten them often with a spatula while they are cooking in order to make sure all the fat runs out of them. Whatever you do, don't season the meat before making it into patties. That might provide flavor, and if you want your burger to taste anything like a fast food burger you certainly don't want that. Never grill the buns as that might impart some flavor to them. For dressings, and I'm guessing you are referring to lettuce and tomato and possibly onion, remove the lettuce and tomato from the refrigerator way ahead of time, slicing the tomato well in advance of starting to cook the meat. Slice the onion way ahead of time, too. These things  should enable you to make a hamburger that is a lot like the fast food delights you favor.

By the way, welcome to Roadfood.

 

 
Absolutely fantastic.
I could not write it any better.
 

 

 

I really messed up last night. I tried my best to make a burger like the kind you can get at Carl's Jr., and other such places, and I failed miserably. The hamburger patty was so juicy that I needed a shower after dinner. Not only that, it was jam-packed with extraordinary flavor. I guess I'll never learn to make one right.

boyardee65


One of the things that you might want to do is make sure that when you press the burger that it is thicker on the perimeter than in the middle.

I've seen this taken to such an extreme that the end result is basically a ground beef "doughnut".  I haven't tried it myself but have read positive things about it.
 
Brad

Michael Hoffman


I really messed up last night. I tried my best to make a burger like the kind you can get at Carl's Jr., and other such places, and I failed miserably. The hamburger patty was so juicy that I needed a shower after dinner. Not only that, it was jam-packed with extraordinary flavor. I guess I'll never learn to make one right.

You should have followed the recipe that you gave above and I think that you would have had a professional hamburger!

Greymo

Michael Hoffman


I really messed up last night. I tried my best to make a burger like the kind you can get at Carl's Jr., and other such places, and I failed miserably. The hamburger patty was so juicy that I needed a shower after dinner. Not only that, it was jam-packed with extraordinary flavor. I guess I'll never learn to make one right.

You should have followed the recipe that you gave above and I think that you would have had a professional hamburger!

True dat!

The way I do my burgers is I divide it into balls and handle it as little as possible. I just barely shape them, flatten them out and let them cook without pressing them out on the grill.



Dennis in Cary

Michael Hoffman


To begin, if you want your burgers to fit the bun make the patties larger than the bun to account for shrinkage. Second, if you want them to taste anything like a fast-food hamburger, and to be flat and not puff up, be sure to flatten them often with a spatula while they are cooking in order to make sure all the fat runs out of them. Whatever you do, don't season the meat before making it into patties. That might provide flavor, and if you want your burger to taste anything like a fast food burger you certainly don't want that. Never grill the buns as that might impart some flavor to them. For dressings, and I'm guessing you are referring to lettuce and tomato and possibly onion, remove the lettuce and tomato from the refrigerator way ahead of time, slicing the tomato well in advance of starting to cook the meat. Slice the onion way ahead of time, too. These things  should enable you to make a hamburger that is a lot like the fast food delights you favor.

By the way, welcome to Roadfood.

 
Mr. Hoffman, you forgot to mention that after making the patty, you need to step on it before frying!

To answer the original question-no, I can't and won't.

BurgerNut


I have been trying for years and years to make a real professional hamburger at home just like I get at a Carl's Jr or at an independent Hamburger Stand like we have here in California like a Jim's Burgers or Tom's Burgers and so on.

The problem I Always have is that no matter if I buy the store pre-made hamburger patties or make my own with fresh ground beef they Never come out like what I find at a Hamburger stand.

No matter what I do my patties they always shrink from the sides and become too thick compared to a charbroiled patty at fast food place that is wide as the bun and thin, not to mention they taste great.

Is there a secret to where all the fast food places get there patties from?

And how about the buns and the dressings?

What can I do to make a professional hamburger at home just like a hamburger stand?

I appriciate any help anyone can give.

Thanks
Len

 
Why not buy 50 or so Carl's Jr. burgers, freeze them, them heat them up in boiling water? MMMMM good!

why would you want to make something at home that tastes exactly like what you get out.
isn't that why you go out in the first place for something special you can't get at home?

I use the Wegman's "food you feel good about" beef in 80/20, handle the meat as little as possible, and grill them medium rare. They usually come out much better than most burgers I've had in restaurants.

Foodbme,

You can replicate a great greasy spoon type burger at home pretty easily.

Press your meat out about 1/4 inch thick (allow for considerable shrinkage according to the bun you will be using and fat content of beef). If you really want it to look like a fast food burger, cut patties into square shapes using a pizza cutter.

Season the meat LIGHTLY with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder (or a basic store bought seasoning salt).

Place meat patties in freezer to firm up for about fifteen minutes and heat a CAST IRON skillet to medium high to high heat.

Place patties into the hot pan and do not attempt flipping until the meat releases from the hot pan.

Flip and cook to desired doneness.

Place said burger on a simple bun (warmed in the microwave) accompanied with mayo (yuck), ketchup, mustard, pickles, lettuce and onion- whatever you like but keep it simple.

The key is the cast iron skillet and not manhandling and overseasoning your meat.

Much like cooking steak indoors, if you don't see some smoke you're probably not doing it right. A cast iron skillet is the closest thing to a mom and pop flat top grill you will find.

If smoking up the dwelling is an issue and you have a turkey fryer that goes unused 11 months out of the year- drag that sucker outside and replace the frying vessel with yer 12 or 14 inch skillet.

May be easier to pick up a sack of burgers if you have a decent spot around the corner but if you are entertaining folks or trying to save a dime it is well worth the effort.

Hope that helps,
-b

Michael Hoffman


To begin, if you want your burgers to fit the bun make the patties larger than the bun to account for shrinkage. Second, if you want them to taste anything like a fast-food hamburger, and to be flat and not puff up, be sure to flatten them often with a spatula while they are cooking in order to make sure all the fat runs out of them. Whatever you do, don't season the meat before making it into patties. That might provide flavor, and if you want your burger to taste anything like a fast food burger you certainly don't want that. Never grill the buns as that might impart some flavor to them. For dressings, and I'm guessing you are referring to lettuce and tomato and possibly onion, remove the lettuce and tomato from the refrigerator way ahead of time, slicing the tomato well in advance of starting to cook the meat. Slice the onion way ahead of time, too. These things  should enable you to make a hamburger that is a lot like the fast food delights you favor.

By the way, welcome to Roadfood.

I couldn't have written it better myself!

There were some really interesting tips in this thread. Thanks for sharing, everyone!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

No matter what I do my patties they always shrink from the sides and become too thick compared to a charbroiled patty at fast food place that is wide as the bun and thin, not to mention they taste great.
You can avoid this by dimpling the burger with your finger in the center before cooking. Please don't mash the burger while cooking.

Are you looking more for a dinner house type burger or a real greasy spoon type?
To beging with you want a buger thats not only has flavor but remains juicy after cooking.  Top of the line ground sirloin isnt the answer.  A more flavorful cut like chuck or round works best.  The best mix is 80/20.  That makes the finished burger perfect.
If you want an upscale type burger most use a half lb of meat per patty.  The next key point is dont overmix the meat.  We used to use a lexan form.  The meat was portioned and just gently pressed to shape.  You can do just as well with your hands.  If smash the meat together  it will be tough.  Just work it the bare minimum to shape it.  This allows the juices to flowevenly and lets air in.  With quality meat and an 80/20 mix it will hold together beautifully.
 
For a diner styleI only made a 5/1 size burger at one place.  I worked for a orraccan gent that owned a place in Golden Co and served a bunch of specialty burgers.  What he did was use 2 saucer sized plates.  Again the 80/20 beef just portioned and worked as little as possible and pressed gently into shape.  I did forget one thing.  its best to line the saucer with patty paper or wax paper so it doesnt stick.
 
For the big burgers the best bet is throw them on the grill  When you place the burger on the fire then season the top and again when you flip it.
 
And last,  Nothing ruins a burger like a soggy bun.  If you are grilling outside, brush the bun with melted butter and carefully toast it over the fire.
 
For the small burger a griddle or fry pan would ne best. 
Good luck in your search.  If you use the right mix and cut of ground beef your almost there.
britt

The OP never came back to comment.

Huh.

Toad... big surprise. :~)

Some good advice here though.

My sweety pan fries a great burger. She mixes eggs with tha meat and seasons w/ salt and pepper. Nothing like I have ever had anywhere else though.
Joe

Bubba Burgers. They're expensive, but if you find them on sale, give them a try.

Joe

  True, but we all got to see a kindler,gentler  M. Hoffman.... pretty good trade-off..... 

Last year we got a 3lb box of frozen 8oz patties.  it was called Viadallia Bros.  The gimmick was sweet onion mixed in the meat.  Id buy them again

Tried a piece of top round KOBE beef, ground it myself with some onion added to the grinder, salt and pepper.  Delicious!!!!!!!

jman
To me the key is at least 20% fat content.  Salt, pepper, cook it hot and cook it fast.

I was hoping someone would mention that; I've heard it from numerous sources, most recently Bobby Flay (who now has a chain of burger places). Frankly, given a choice, I stay away from the fast food burgers; ideally, I charcoal broil, broil, or fry on a cast iron pan (my grandma's trick was putting a couple of shakes of coarse kosher salt on the pan before cooking).

One thing to try for the fast food look & feel, not to mention consistency: using one of those patty makers you see in the supermarket or dollar store. That gives the "fast food" shape to them.

One trick I've tried in the broiler was to take a 1/3 to 1/2 pound, thick burger, and poke several holes with the thick end of a chopstick (trying to duplicate the ones I tried at Jackson Hole). Makes a little more of the "crispy parts", while still allowing me to cook it rare to medium.

Yeah, I can see why poor Len never came back. What snide nasty comments!

So Carls, Jr. is Len's comfort food. Who are you to criticize?

My mother always complained that her burgers were never the same as the nice juicy ones she got when she went out. I said, "Mom, when you go to the grocery store, you always buy the leanest beef you can find, don't you?" "Of course." "There's your problem."

She wants a slim waistline and nice juicy burgers. Good luck with that.

I make mine with Indonesian sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), salt, and garlic powder, and fry them in olive oil. The kids love them.

Have a contractor build a drive thru window at your house. Just kidding!!!

Seriously, if you can find good quality 75/25 chuck, you'll have a really good authentic, "burger stand" experience.
One thing I always do to keep the burger from puffing up in the middle while on the grill is to, poke a small hole in the center of the patty before putting it on the grill or flat top. And no larger than 1/3 pound. 1/4 pound is even better. I always season, after the patty is on the grill.

Michael Hoffman


I really messed up last night. I tried my best to make a burger like the kind you can get at Carl's Jr., and other such places, and I failed miserably. The hamburger patty was so juicy that I needed a shower after dinner. Not only that, it was jam-packed with extraordinary flavor. I guess I'll never learn to make one right.

Thank you, Michael for sharing your experience with us. Hopefully, we can all learn from your mistake.