10 Best Tips for Making Perfect Burgers and Hot Dogs
This is the best time to grill burgers and hot dogs, whether you throw them on the grill or cook them indoors. Take these classic foods to the next level with our top 10 burger and hot dog tips.
10. Pickle hot dogs for flavor.
You’ve probably already marinated chicken and possibly steaks for extra flavor, but hot dogs? Yeah. Cut out the shading patterns on the hot dog so that the marinade of ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar and some spices can seep in.
9. Be careful when preparing burger patties.
Pack the minced meat as if you were holding a newborn baby and you will have the best crust when you make your burger because the surface will not be completely smooth.
8. Steam buns when cooking hot dogs.
Kill two birds with one stone: While your hot dogs are cooking on the stove, heat the buns with steam in a strainer, or strain the lid over the top of the pot.
7. Get the perfect burger shape with a shallow notch.
If you are a stickler for perfect burgers and want to avoid the usual but sad bump in the middle, make a shallow thumbprint on your tortilla before cooking. It produces a more evenly cooked burger compared to other methods of shaping burgers (deeper indentation, no indentations, or one with small incisions). Or, if you want a completely different burger, turn the patties into edible bowls so you can skip the bun.
6. Break up burgers correctly.
Maybe you prefer a smashed burger than a fuller patty – lots of delicious browning! If that’s the case, know how to smash your burger for maximum flavor and juiciness: smash it just once within the first 30 seconds, the Serious Eats’ Food Lab tells us.
5. Salt the burger patties right before cooking for the perfect texture.
Just as you don’t want to pack too much ground beef, you shouldn’t add salt too early because it will make the patty tough. Wait until the patty is salted, until it hits the pan or grill, and you will be rewarded with juicier burgers.
4. Smash the hamburgers as many times as you like.
As with steaks , hamburger flipping strategies can be somewhat conflicting. Turn it over at least once? Every couple of seconds? Well, data shows that if you flip a burger multiple times, it cooks more evenly and much faster .
3. Use water to keep the burgers moist.
One of the secrets to making the perfect burger is water. Add water to the grill and the steam cooks up the burger nicely on the sides . And ice water added to a hamburger can make burgers juicy and evenly seasoned .
2. Spiral cut hot dogs before grilling.
Regular hot dogs are great for grilling, but if you want to take it up a notch, make a spiral cut in the dog . You will have more surface to convey the great taste and flavor of grilled and other toppings.
1. Grind your own burger meat.
With only a food processor and freezer, you can grind hamburger meats for healthier , safer , tastier, better quality burgers. When it comes to the best burgers and hot dogs, it’s important to be in control of the little details.
Bonus: Turn hamburger patties into edible bowls , weave bacon burger fillings, and cook hot dogs in a Pringles can .