The Best Method for Making Homemade Burgers

I grew up disliking homemade burgers: big, overly think, tasteless, and tough patties. When I grew up and tried to make them on my own (usually with turkey), I would used the only method I knew, making a ball and shaping it into as thin a patty as I could, which would just bulk up anyway. I gave up on the whole idea. Then one day, I was watching one of my favorite cooking shows on PBS, Everyday Food. They were making classic cheese burgers. Lucinda talked about the common problem with homemade patties that I had always experienced. She then presented a different method that keeps the patties tender and delicious.

Best Burger Method:

• Lay out wax paper onto your counter (I will use plastic wrap in a pinch) 
• Simply pull off the amount of ground meat you want for your patty, do not form it into a ball, keep it loose 
• Place the meat onto the wax paper and continue pulling and placing meat onto wax paper, leaving space between each mound 
• After all the patties-to-be are laid out, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the meat 
• Use a rolling pin or wine bottle to lightly roll over the meat till it is about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick, don't worry about the patties not being perfect circles. If any little pieces look like they will fall off in cooking, just gently squish them on. Remember, the key to tender burgers is handling the meat as little as possible. 
• Pull off the plastic wrap and then generously salt and pepper the top of the patties 
• I like to use a nice wide spatula to gently move each patty to the (preheated to medium high) grill. You can use a skillet or griddle, but I like to use the cast iron stove top grill we have. Turn over the patty as you put it on the grill so the seasoned side is down, then season the other side 
• Cook about 3 minutes and then turn and cook a couple more minutes (add cheese about 1 minute from done if you want). The most important thing is to keep watch over them, they cook pretty quickly.  

I made sliders with this method for the Super Bowl this year. I put the mini cheese burgers on Hawaiian rolls, made my own thousand island dressing, and set out a build your own slider bar with all the fixings. They were a hit! Those little tasty, tender patties on those soft, sweet rolls just melted in your mouth. I paired them with kettle cooked potato chips. I made sliders with this method for the Super Bowl this year. I put the mini cheese burgers on Hawaiian rolls, made my own thousand island dressing, and set out a build your own slider bar with all the fixings. They were a hit! Those little tasty, tender patties on those soft, sweet rolls just melted in your mouth. I paired them with kettle cooked potato chips.

-Home Sweet Loft