Mix the meat gently when adding seasonings or other ingredients and don’t pack the meat down.
Shaping Patties
Assure evenly sized patties by shaping them one of these three ways:
- Use a 1/3 or ½ cup measure to divide the ground beef. Turn the meat out of the measuring cup and gently form it into patties of uniform size.
- Pat the meat between two sheets of waxed paper to a ½ to ¾ inch thick rectangle. Then, use a large, round cookie cutter to cut out patties.
- Form the ground beef into a roll about 3 inches in diameter. Slice off patties ½ to ¾ inch thick.
Time Saving Hints
Save meal preparation time by shaping a large quantity of hamburger patties at one time and freezing them. Wrap the patties separately in clear plastic wrap or waxed paper before freezing so you can use one or two patties at a time as needed. Seal the wrapped patties in a plastic bag or round container.
Frozen hamburger patties do not need to be thawed before cooking but remember to allow a little extra cooking time.
Keep hamburger buns in the freezer also so you can assemble a hamburger sandwich in just a few minutes.
How To Cook
Hamburger patties may be pan broiled, broiled, or grilled. Since all three methods will yield juicy, flavorful burgers, family preference should determine which method you use. To assure a tasty hamburger, avoid flattening the ground beef patty as it cooks, since meat juices will seep out. Learn to judge cooking time to give the degree of doneness desired, and remember that overcooking results in a dry and flavorless patty.
There are many ways to perk up this meat patty in a bun. Toppers such as catchup, mustard, onion, pickle, and pickle relish are for some diners a must with hamburgers. Offer an assortment of these toppers so that each person can make his own combination. Cheese, another popular topper, is so frequently linked with a hamburger that this combination is called a cheeseburger. If you top the hamburger with cheese during the last few minutes of cooking, the cheese melts slightly.
Stuff hamburgers for a scrumptious variance. Simply enclose shredded cheese, onion, pickles, or other ingredients between two thin ground beef patties. Then press the edges together to seal tightly. Enjoy!
