Before shaping the burgers, gently blend 1 teaspoon sea salt into the meat. Try to distribute the salt evenly, but handle the meat as little as possible.
Shape the beef into patties about 3/4-inch thick. (I like to make them on squares of wax paper. It makes it easy to transfer them to the grill.) With 1½ pounds of beef, you can make four 6-ounce burgers or six 4-ounce burgers. (Using my kitchen scale, I actually made two manly 6-ounce burgers and three daintier 4-ounce burgers.)
So here’s your tip of the day for shaping the burgers. Don’t pack them too tightly. Just shape them enough so they hold together. Make an indentation in the center of the burgers. When burgers cook, they swell up in the center. If you make an indentation, you’ll end up with a nice, even flat burger, instead of a puffy burger. (Thank you to the food scientists at Cooks Illustrated for the indentation tip!)
Once your burgers are shaped, it’s time to get the rest of the dinner ready.
Directions
- 1. If you’re not planning on toasting the buns on the grill, toast them under the broiler before you start the potatoes.
- 2. Preheat the oven to 425˚ for the potatoes. Scrub the potatoes and cut each into 8 or 10 wedges. Put on a baking sheet and toss with a bit of olive oil. Arrange them skin-side down and sprinkle with salt and a bit of paprika. Put in the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes.
- 3. Get the condiments ready for the burgers. Wash and dry lettuce, slice onions and tomatoes, slice cheese for cheeseburgers. (Slice pickles, if you have them. We were out. A “pickle emergency” as Bob says.) Get the ketchup and mustard out.
- 4. Wash and dry lettuce for the salad, and add whatever salad vegetables you’re using. (The lettuce could have been washed and dried in advance and stored in the refrigerator, wrapped in paper towels in a plastic bag.)
- 5. After the potatoes have cooked for about 10 minutes, turn on the gas grill to preheat. (Or preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, if you’re cooking the burgers on the stove. If you’re using a charcoal grill, you’re on your own figuring out when to start the fire. It should have been a while ago, though, for the coals to have time to cook down.)
- 6. When the 20 minutes are up for the potatoes, take them out of the oven. Gently stir them, and put them back in the oven for about 10 minutes more.
- 7. Now it’s time to start cooking the burgers. Put the burgers on the grill (heat lowered to medium works on mine) and set the timer for 5 minutes. (Or generously sprinkle the pan with salt and put the burgers in the pan.)
- 8. While the burgers are cooking, you can toss the salad. Use a bit of olive oil and toss well. Add salt and pepper and a bit of vinegar or lemon juice and toss again. Slice up an avocado if you’re using it for your salad or burgers.
- 9. Put the salad bowl and condiments on the table.
- 10. After five minutes, flip the burgers. Cook for an additional 3 – 5 minutes, depending on how well done you want them. I cook them for about 5 more minutes, but check them. If your fire is too hot, you may need less time. Add cheese slices, if you’re using them, for the last minute or so.
- 11. Put the burgers together; take the potatoes out of the oven and serve them with the burgers.
