# "Cook until juices come through" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [January 31, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625 "2017-01-31T00:55:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/1 "2017-01-31T00:55:09Z")
On a package of frozen hamburgers, instructing how to pan fry. What exactly does this mean? I ask because I’m cooking one now, and I thought it meant until I see juices in the pan, but it went way over the estimated cook time and I didn’t see any, so I’m winging it for now. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/2 "2017-01-31T01:18:45Z")
I would take that to mean juices noticeably appearing on the surface of the meat. In my experience, that usually signals the point we’re passing through the medium-rare stage. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/3 "2017-01-31T02:49:25Z")
Typically when you cook a frozen hamburger, it’ll look frozen on top for a good long while. Eventually though, the patty will thaw some, and juices will begin to be forced upward, and they’ll come through the top and start to make little pools on the top of the burger. Which will still be raw, mind you. It’s a good indication that the patty’s mostly thawed, and that you can flip it without leaving it raw. Also, depending on the thickness, it may be a somewhat reliable indicator that you’ve cooked the down-side enough to get some good crust on it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/4 "2017-01-31T04:09:02Z")
Ohh, through the TOP. Okay, makes sense. Like I said, I just winged it, and the inside didn’t look pink, so I just assumed. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/5 "2017-01-31T13:48:15Z")
I never have very good luck with frozen hamburger patties. I cook them on one side until the top starts to look thawed out, then flip and cook the other side. But even when it looks done (both sides browned) if I stick it with a knife I’ll get a bunch of bloody juice gushing out, which tells me it’s still not done in the middle. I wind up cooking it about twice as long as the package directions. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/6 "2017-01-31T16:18:46Z")
Frozen hamburger patties are an abomination. The way you tell if the burger is done is that the juices run clear. If the juices are pink you need to keep cooking if they are clear then the burger is done. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/7 "2017-01-31T16:35:30Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > The way you tell if the burger is done is that the juices run clear. If the juices are pink you need to keep cooking if they are clear then the burger is done. Not for me. I like to make 1/2 pound patties of freshly ground steak. I freeze them for ten minutes, just enough to vacuum seal them. Then cook sous-vide at 120 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour. That gives you a perfect rare burger. I then do a 15 second sear on each side. [Serve on a bun.](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/image_zpstde4o0fu.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/8 "2017-01-31T17:29:52Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Not for me. I like to make 1/2 pound patties of freshly ground steak. I freeze them for ten minutes, just enough to vacuum seal them. Then cook sous-vide at 120 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour. That gives you a perfect rare burger. I then do a 15 second sear on each side. [Serve on a bun.](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/image_zpstde4o0fu.jpeg) Yeah, well _I_ like to slaughter my champagne fed Kobi calves with golden butcher knives, use a pepper mill for the finest grind and heat over a vintage Zippo lighter for 13 hours, keeping the burger in constant motion to insure an even sear. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/9 "2017-01-31T17:39:24Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Yeah, well _I_ like to slaughter my champagne fed Kobi calves with golden butcher knives, use a pepper mill for the finest grind and heat over a vintage Zippo lighter for 13 hours, keeping the burger in constant motion to insure an even sear. 😃 Seriously, it’s very simple and straightforward. The sous vide cooker is even wifi and Bluetooth enabled, so I can tweak my settings from afar. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/10 "2017-01-31T18:01:06Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > 😃 Seriously, it’s very simple and straightforward. The sous vide cooker is even wifi and Bluetooth enabled, so I can tweak my settings from afar. “Everything is better with Bluetooth.” -Sheldon Cooper > [@Biggirl](#): > > Yeah, well _I_ like to slaughter my champagne fed Kobi calves with golden butcher knives, use a pepper mill for the finest grind and heat over a vintage Zippo lighter for 13 hours, keeping the burger in constant motion to insure an even sear. Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/11 "2017-01-31T18:23:35Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Yeah, well _I_ like to slaughter my champagne fed **Kobi** calves with golden butcher knives, use a pepper mill for the finest grind and heat over a vintage Zippo lighter for 13 hours, keeping the burger in constant motion to insure an even sear. You make hamburgers from [yard-mowing robots](http://thekobi.com/)? 😕 ObPedantry: “Kobe”. From the [city and region of Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe) in which the [distinct variety of wagyu beef](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_beef) is grown. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/12 "2017-01-31T20:07:59Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Not for me. I like to make 1/2 pound patties of freshly ground steak. I freeze them for ten minutes, just enough to vacuum seal them. Then cook sous-vide at 120 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour. That gives you a perfect rare burger. I then do a 15 second sear on each side. [Serve on a bun.](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/image_zpstde4o0fu.jpeg) That is a long time for a hamburger. How are you getting enough fat by grinding a steak? Do you put spices in the packet while you cook? You must have a really hot pan for a fifteen second sear. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cook-until-juices-come-through/778625/13 "2017-01-31T20:29:25Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > That is a long time for a hamburger. > How are you getting enough fat by grinding a steak? Do you put spices in the packet while you cook? You must have a really hot pan for a fifteen second sear. I season the meat when I form the burgers, just salt/pepper/maybe some garlic mince. I put a cast iron pan over high heat for 10 minutes, then pat my burgers dry and SEAR for fifteen seconds (or less). Just to add a bit of char for flavor. Never had a problem, fat-wise, but we tend to like lean cuts.