Why It Pays To Chill Burger Patties Before Cooking
Grilling the perfect burger may be among the greatest culinary feats for the average home cook. That is simply because everybody loves a good burger. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) via Yahoo, Americans eat about 50 billion burgers each year. With that many burgers flipped annually, it's important to master the cook.
Cooking burgers isn't necessarily difficult, but it can be a very involved process. From shaping the burgers to grilling them until the right temperature, the details can't be overlooked. Additionally, according to MasterClass, directly cooking burgers over high heat is ideal for producing a juicy inside and crisp exterior. MasterClass adds that this method is usually pretty quick, making it important for the griller to pay close attention to the temperature and flip the meat as needed.
If fast-cooking your burgers over high heat sounds like a lot to manage, your grilling confidence might be saved by a simple method in the pre-cook stage that will set you up for success by giving your cooking session a little more flexibility.
Chill it, then grill it
While other meats, like steak, are often only grilled after they reach room temperature (via Steak School), keeping your burgers cold might just be the key to keeping them looking and tasting perfect. According to Country Living, a chilled burger keeps its shape better than a warmer patty. This will prevent your burgers from falling apart as soon as they hit the grill grates and make them easier to flip. In addition to keeping its form, a chilled burger also offers a slightly extended cooking time. According to Food & Wine, keeping your patties in the fridge overnight allows you enough time to get a nice sear on the burger before the inside loses its juiciness.
So next time you're in the mood to grill up a pack of burgers, don't let them sit out. In fact, the USDA discourages keeping ground beef out at room temperature for more than 2 hours to reduce the risk of bacterial growth. Instead, keep those burgers in the fridge until your grill is all fired up, and reap the delicious rewards of chilled burger patties.