How To Keep Burgers From Shrinking On The Grill

Grilling is one of the most common, ancient and prevailed methods of cooking food. It has given liberty to people to cook multiple types of food. These food items include seafood, chicken, meat, veggies and many more. Apart from these food items, fast foods can also be cooked on the grill. Fast food items which can be cooked on the grill include burgers, sausages, nuggets, burger patties and many more.

When grilling anything on the grill, you have to ensure that you follow certain instructions and general protocols. One of the major protocols which you have to follow when grilling food items include preheating the grill. You have to preheat the grill well so that all the previous remnants of foods get dissolved and shed away. Preheating the grill also ensures that the food is cooked fast and promptly. In addition to this, always season your grill. Seasoning your grill is also essential when cooking food. Seasoning the grill reduces friction and allows the food to be grilled with ease.

When grilling burgers, you have to ensure that your burgers don’t shrink. To do so you have to follow certain instructions. Shrinking of burgers is a major problem when grilling burgers as it significantly reduces the size of the burgers. You can include spices when grilling burgers. The spices which are commonly used as seasoning when grilling burgers include kosher salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper.

Guide On How To Keep Burgers From Shrinking On The Grill

You cannot gain expertise on grilling until you practice or have a good grip over it. There are many tips to follow and precautions to take when you grill food. When cooking burgers, one of the most common issues encountered is shrinking of burgers. However, you can take steps to prevent shrinking of burgers on the grill.

Following are the steps you can follow to prevent burgers from shrinking on the grill.

• Fat

Burgers which are high in fat will ultimately shrink. This is because the fat will melt when heat is provided and hence will drain away. You should always opt for meat which is leaner cut. This is because, the leaner the cut the lesser it will shrink. Although there are multiple options for the type of meat you want but if you have issues with size reduction of your burgers then always go for leaner cut.

• Temperature

Temperature also has a significant effect on shrinking of the burgers. Higher temperature will always result in greater shrinking of burgers and hence, will yield smaller sized burgers. This surely creates a problem with your cooking technique and renders confusion in cooking methods. Hence, if you want  well cooked burger with a good size then opt for cooking the burger in open flame. This is because in open flame the temperature rises slowly and gradually. However, cooking with closed lid, the temperature will rise instantly resulting in small sized burgers.

• Patty Size And Shape

If you are making your patty of the same size as you want in the end after cooking, you are following an absolutely wrong technique. Always formulate your patty in a bigger or a wider size than you want your final patty to be. In addition to this, always make a dimple in the center having a deeper circumference than the whole patty. This way even if your burger will shrink, the final size of the burger will be same as you desire.

Tips To Grill Burgers

You all must have cooked burgers on stoves. However, cooking burgers on the grill requires many skills. You have to follow many tips along the process to ensure that the final result is appetizing, good and satisfying too.

Following are the tips you should follow to cook the best burgers on the grill.

• Cold Ground Beef

Making burgers is not just about patties but you have to make sure that the patty you intend to make has the appropriate type of meat which is the perfect fit for the burger. To do so, you should always use cold ground beef. The beef which directly comes from the fridge will grill in the most beautiful way. It will render perfect crispy crust for you which will allow you to enjoy the burger even more.

• Use Butter

Always prefer using butter rather than loading your burger with seasoning like herbs and onions. Using too many herbs will allow your burger patty to fall apart and always remember that you are not making a meat loaf. Rather than using seasoning, use butter. For every 1.5 pound of beef use a cold stick of butter. Make sure that the butter is unsalted. Butter will add fat and moisture to your burger.

• Overworking the Meat

Overworking the meat is one of the most common mistakes people do when cooking burgers. You don’t have to wrestle with the burger. Rather just toss it in your hand and press when the thickness is one inch or less. In addition to this, make a small impression in the middle of the patty. Overworking the burger will allow the fat and proteins to melt due to the heat of your hands.

• Seasoning

Seasoning the burgers is surely a good idea. However, never season your ground meat rather season when the patties are just about to be grilled. This is because most people use salt and pepper for seasoning hence, seasoning with salt a long before will melt down all the proteins present in the meat. Always season when the patties are on the grill. Sprinkle salt and pepper 6 to 7 inches from above the grill.

Conclusion

One of the most common issues encountered is to prevent shrinkage of the burgers when grilling them. Hence, you should always take precautions to yield bigger burgers. To do so, you just have to follow simple steps which include choosing the right amount of fat, temperature and perfection in choosing patty size and shape too.