You Probably Need to Salt More Hamburgers.
The importance of salt cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to meat. While I had never salted my ground beef before smashing it in the pan, it took me a trip to faraway lands to realize (on the patty) there was still room for improvement (more salt).
Before traveling to Copenhagen, I watched and read as many shows and articles about the city as I could and noticed a certain enthusiasm for the Gasoline Grill, an American-style burger that started (and still exists) in a gas station. And while I can’t say I agree with all of their stylistic preferences – they used brioche buns (too sweet and soft) and cheddar cheese (doesn’t melt well) – I will say that the alarming amount of salt they use made for a very delicious beef cutlet.
As Alice and I watched them prepare our burgers, we were fascinated by the handfuls of salt they poured on each side of the patty – you could see a white layer a few yards away. Taking as much salt as he could hold in one hand would give you a good idea of the scale we’re talking about. The salt (obviously) adds flavor to the meat, but it also helps create a fantastic, deeply savory crust that gives the burger the flavor and texture it needs to withstand many types of toppings. Also, I noticed that the good people at Gasoline Grill grind the peppers right on the melting cheese, which is honestly very smart as it makes sure the peppers stay in place and don’t burn on the grill. It’s very elegant indeed.
One thing to remember: In your quest to aggressively salt your burger, be sure to apply sodium chloride to the meat right before it enters the pan , as adding salt to the meat will give you a firm, bouncy beef washer, and that’s not what we are going to. So salt heavily, but salt late, and God bless American cheese.