To Make My Burgers Tastier, I Treat Them With Baking Soda.
When I wrote about adding baking soda to ground beef for better browning and moisture retention, the readership was sharply divided between those who think this chemical reaction is pure snake oil and those who want to immediately learn how to apply this technique to hamburgers. Well, for those of you planning a grilling game this Memorial Day weekend, saddle up. This very real chemical reaction is truly perfect for enhancing your summer burgers.
How does baking soda make meat tender?
Baking soda reacts with the proteins in meat, whether ground or not, preventing it from curling as tightly as it normally would when cooked. This is a technique that has long been used in Chinese cooking and is called “velveting” . You’ve probably seen steaks, chicken, bacon and hamburgers not treated with baking soda shrink dramatically after cooking. The protein network begins to shrink and shrink when heated, displacing the meat’s natural juices. When you bite into it, the meat feels rubbery and dry because the whites are tightly wound and the juices are left in the pan or charcoal pit.
Meat treated with baking soda has looser protein networks that retain a relatively larger amount of natural juices. It tastes like a tender, juicy, more flavorful hamburger patty with a crispy brown crust. Yes, about that: the browning gets better too.
How does baking soda improve browning?
It turns out that the Maillard reaction (the attractive and flavorful browning that occurs in foods cooked at about 300°F) occurs faster in a more alkaline environment. A small amount of baking soda is all it takes to raise the pH and promote more pronounced browning, whether it’s on banana waffles or meat. It literally creates a new flavor in your food, so your burger will be more flavorful with a pinch of this pantry staple.
To demonstrate, I divided a pound of 93% lean ground beef and added half a teaspoon of baking soda to half the meat. I formed the meat into patties and grilled both types of burgers with a light drizzle of canola oil to ensure good heat contact. I cooked each burger to between 140 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare. As you can see in the picture, it’s pretty easy to tell which one was treated with baking soda.
How to Make the Best Burgers with Baking Soda
This small amount of baking soda leaves no off-flavors in your burger and reduces moisture loss, which keeps shrinkage to a minimum (you won’t end up with tiny burgers on huge buns). As a result, the meat is tender and you are rewarded with a beautiful brown crust. This is how I do it.
1. Season the minced meat
I add the hamburger mince to a large bowl and season with salt. Add any other seasonings you like. Then sprinkle baking soda on the surface of the meat. For every eight ounces (half pound) of ground meat, I used a half teaspoon of baking soda.
2. Mix thoroughly
Then you need to get your hands dirty. I’m sure you could do this with a spoon, but I find it much quicker to do it with your hands. I find that the seasoning is distributed more thoroughly this way. If you want to keep your hands clean, wear food-safe vinyl gloves. Squeeze and stir the meat in a bowl until well combined.
3. Form cutlets and cook.
Form the patties with your hands and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a plate for small servings. Let them sit in the refrigerator while you prepare the pan or grill. Cook as usual.
I recommend checking the doneness of the meat with a thermometer rather than by color. Due to the accelerated browning of the outer surface, the burger should not be removed too early. I use Thermapen One and love it. Try to insert the end of the probe as close to the center as possible. You want readings for the center, not to penetrate to the other side. After that, let your burgers rest from the heat for a few minutes—which I think happens naturally when you plate them and top them with fixins—and enjoy your first bite of the summer grilling season.