# Steamed burgers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 25, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steamed-burgers/575912 "2011-03-25T01:48:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steamed-burgers/575912/21 "2011-03-25T17:38:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Agreed. I was very skeptical about this, but they’re outstanding. I make a ball, put it between two pieces of wax paper, and smack it with a cast iron skillet. They cook quickly and are remarkably juicy. Yeah, that’s the other technique I use–you see that a lot in fast food burgers in my part of Chicago. The one I was talking about is you put a slightly flattened ball of meat on a very hot pan (don’t handle the meat too much–you just want it to hold together.) Let it cook on one side until it browns. Flip, and press down, hard, with a spatula to flatten the sucker out. Let that side brown, flip once more to finish the first side (the initial browning of the first side is to help the meat stick together. The meat tends to fall apart if you start with the smash.) If you use a thick enough meatball to start, you actually can get medium rare, but (for this style on the pan), I like 'em thin and crispy around the edges. Either way produces similar results–it depends on whether I feel like dealing with wax paper or not. Main tips: No leaner than 15% fat. Grind your own, if you’re able to. Short ribs make the beefiest, richest burgers you’ve ever had; chuck is my second choice. (Or do a 50-50 combo of the two). Don’t handle the meat too much, don’t add anything, not even salt, to your ground mixture. Just salt and pepper the outside of your patties. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steamed-burgers/575912/22 "2011-03-25T21:59:24Z")
It’s a Connecticut thing–you take very fatty burger meat (maybe even 50%), cover the burger with cheese, steam. The fat runs out, the cheese infiltrates the burger. Had them a couple of times in college–surprisingly good. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steamed-burgers/575912/23 "2011-03-25T23:08:58Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > SEYMOUR! The house is on fire! No mother, it’s just the Northern Lights. … You are an odd fellow, but I must say you steam a good ham. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steamed-burgers/575912/24 "2011-03-25T23:17:17Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > You are an odd fellow, but I must say you steam a good ham. Help! Help ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steamed-burgers/575912/25 "2011-03-26T18:18:35Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Why do you torment me? Sorry, man! My kids get grouchy if we don’t eat there at least once a week! 🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steamed-burgers/575912.md?page=1)