Gordon Ramsay's Juicy Burger Hack Doesn't Skimp On Butter
Making your own burger patties can be easier said than done. Finding the right meat, perfecting the ratio of seasonings, and figuring out the perfect binding agent for your meat to keep the patties moist, solid, and flavorful can be a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, Chef Gordon Ramsay has the perfect solution.
In a YouTube video taken in his home kitchen, Ramsay, who owns two burger restaurants that are known for their juicy burgers, Gordon Ramsay Burger, shared that his secret ingredient is a simple kitchen staple: butter.
Before forming his patties, Ramsay shares that he grates blocks of frozen butter like shredded cheese. Then, he mixes the butter into the seasoned meat with an egg yolk as a binding agent. "We get that nice, rich, buttery, smooth flavor inside that delicious burger," he explains.
When the burgers cook, the butter melts and is released into the meat, creating savory, juicy flavors. But inside the patty isn't the only place Ramsay is generous with butter.
Bring on the butter
According to his YouTube tips, Ramsay also bastes his burgers with melted butter while they cook on the hot grill, a tip the Chicago Tribune confirms is replicated at the Gordon Ramsay Burger restaurants, contributing to the acclaimed flavor.
Additionally, Ramsay demonstrates that butter can be used to create extra moisture for the burgers during the application of cheese. Once the burger is mostly cooked and the cheese is being put on, the chef takes a bit of chopped butter, places it on the griddle next to the burger, and places an empty pot over the whole thing, essentially trapping the heat and steaming the burger with the melting butter to help melt the cheese faster and keep the meat from drying out.
While it's probably a safe assumption that these butter-heavy burgers are not the most heart-healthy dinner option on the menu, it's hard to argue with the results when you're biting into a perfectly cooked burger that's dripping with flavor.