Grasshopper New Media Presents...

It’s almost here.

Can you feel it?

The days are getting longer. The air is warm and breezy.

Summer.

And I can’t wait.

To me, nothing signifies the arrival of summer more than a Barbeque. I love nothing more than a gathering of close friends, a few cold beverages (beer, if you please!) and a warm, lazy night.

As someone who cooks for a living, it’s usually expected that my menu will include fancy meals with heavy ingredients. At a summer BBQ, you’d be hard pressed to find anything fancier than orzo salad on my plate. What do I like to serve most of all? Burgers. Good, old fashioned all (North) American hamburgers.

It’s not secret that I make the best burgers going. Everyone has that thing they’re known for and burgers are mine. I am often asked what my secret is and the answers are so simple, they’ll surprise you.

A few tips and my recipe for Extra Mouth Watering Juicy Burgers:

Ingredients:

1lb regular ground beef
1lb ground pork
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 clove garlic, crushed
Italian, Greek or spice combination of your choice
Any add-in you prefer

Why regular ground beef as opposed to lean or extra lean? Not exactly health conscious, I know, but our family eats an extremely healthy diet - so I feel it okay to cheat a little here. Using regular ground beef means a higher fat content, which translates into an extra juicy burger. Pork is usually very lean and absorbs the beef flavour easily, so by using a combo of the two, you gain extra girth, but don’t skimp on taste.

Mix all ingredients together in a large stainless steel or glass bowl. Add-ins can be any flavour that complements the rest of your menu. Salsa for a mexican meal. Black Olives and lemon for greek. A host of many cheeses!

Pull out 2″ round balls from mixture and roll into a meatball form. Pat down in the palm of your hand and round-out the edges.

Heat grill to 400 and then turn heat down slightly.

Place burgers on the grill, about 2″ apart. Close lid and, this is very important, do not open for 5-7 minutes.

After 5-7 minutes, open lid and check burgers. If the sides of the burger are folding down toward the flame, the burgers are ready to flip.

A few things you should never, ever, do to a burger on the grill:

- Squeeze them
- Poke them
- Cut them to check for done-ness
- Flip them before the sides turn under

Trust me!

Flip burgers once and allow them to cook for another 5-7 minutes.

If you follow the above, you will not overcook your burgers or burn them. If you feel they are still not cooked, you can flip them again, but do not squeeze or cut them. When burgers are fully cook they plump in the center.

Remove burgers from heat and place directly on buns, allowing them to sit out for a few minutes before serving.

Serve open-faced and provide a buffet of toppings - of which there are many (and I’d love to hear more!)

Mayonnaise, Dijon Mustard, Sour Cream, Salsa, Avocado, Jalapenos, Red Onions, Olives, Garlic Sauce, Marinara Sauce, Sweet Peppers, Mushrooms, Bacon, and more and more…

Next week … salads! And I’m not necessarily talking lettuce!

For more mouth-watering goodness, please take a moment to subscribe to GNMParents. Simply enter your email address in the box on the sidebar or click on the orange square above our banner. Your taste buds will thank you.

[tags] bbq, summer menu, burger recipe, hamburger, perfect grilling[/tags]

Thanks to dejahthoris for the Creative Commons Photo.