# Your perfect burger **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281 "2012-02-09T05:33:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [February 10, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281/41 "2012-02-10T17:43:25Z")
Oh, and to be more specific. If I’m going for the thinner styles of burgers I generally prefer, I like them cooked in a pan or a griddle, not a grill. The crispy brown sear this produces works better for me than the flavor grilling imparts to it. When I do thin patties, I want them fast-food style. For 1/2 lb burgers or bigger, I prefer those grilled, and no further than medium-rare. If you’re going to err, please err on the side of rare for me. The thin burgers work well for me at higher levels of doneness, but the thick burgers need the textural counterpoint and flavor of the rarer meat. It just makes for a more satisfying texture and flavor. As for the meat itself, I’ve been pretty much doing all-boneless short ribs burgers when I grind my own. That just makes a rich beef bomb. I don’t think there’s a cut of meat on the cow with a more meaty flavor, and the meat-to-fat ratio is perfect for hamburgers (which I like to be at least 20% fat, up to about 30% fat.) Some like to cut it with sirloin and chuck, but I’m not that fussy and short ribs give me unctuous burgers every time, so I’ve felt no need to complicate the process. I’ve never tried making them with skirt steak, but I think that’s a fabulous idea. If I’m lazy, the 80-20 ground chuck is what I go for. The patty contains no ingredients inside other than the beef, and should be handled very lightly. Just enough to have it come together. A good burger should have a relatively light and airy texture. We’re not making a densely packed sausage. Salt and pepper always goes on the outside of the patty. Putting salt in the ground beef before mixing it changes its texture to something more sausage-like than burger-like. I had no idea how dramatic of a difference it makes, until I saw [visual proof on this website.](http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/12/the-burger-lab-salting-ground-beef.html) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281/42 "2012-02-10T17:55:51Z")
I keep it fairly basic: burger, medium rare (I’ve become an adherent to the smashed patty style, but only if I make them) bun of some sort, or a ciabatta roll, lightly toasted a bit of mustard and a smaller bit of ketchup pickles salt & pepper ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281/43 "2012-02-10T18:13:29Z")
Burger York ham Cheese Pineapple Mayo ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281/44 "2012-02-10T22:40:06Z")
Bun Patty (must be high quality beef so it can be cooked medium rare) Nice thick slice of swiss cheese, melted Canadian bacon Bun Simple and wonderful. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281/45 "2012-02-11T11:26:20Z")
Hmm, my standby favorite. Pretty simple really. Buttered and grilled onion roll Dijonaise, or a mix of Duke’s and some spicy mustard Thinly sliced tomatoes, patted dry 2-3 leaves of lettuce, any crunchy kind 1-2 slices of chewy bacon 1/3 lb chuck burger with sharp cheddar melted onto it, cheese side down A full round slice of raw sweet onion More Dijonaise/mayo mustard mix Buttered grilled onion roll top The construction being just as important as the ingredients, this is how I have mastered the drips and making sure it doesn’t slide around too much. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281/46 "2012-02-11T13:45:14Z")
Fresh! Fresh! The beef _ **must** _ be fresh! No frozens! ---
**Author:** ![missinformation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@missinformation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missinformation)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281/47 "2012-02-12T00:37:31Z")
Kaiser roll with the top dough pulled out, please sauteed onions, mushrooms, and garlic (sauteed in extra virgin olive oil) heinz ketcup baby swiss or muenster cheese grilled sirloin (just dance it across the grill on its’ tip-toes (tip-hooves?), \ bottom of Kaiser roll [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-perfect-burger/612281.md?page=2)