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Well Done Burgers Done Well
Ingredients
1 large slice of quality sandwich bread, chopped and with crust removed 2 tbsp. whole milk 3/4 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1 medium garlic clove, minced 2 tsp. steak sauce 1 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground beef 6 ounces of cheese sliced (optional) 4 hamburger buns or rolls Vegetable oil for cooking grate
Directions For Gas Grill: Turn on all burners to high, close lid, and let it warm up until it is very hot. Scrape the cooking grate clean with a grill brush. Then take a wad of paper towels, dip them in vegetable oil, and, using a pair of tongs, wipe the grate down. Leave the primary burner on high, and turn all others to low. For Charcoal Grill: Use a large chimney starter to light six quarts (100 briquettes) or charcoal and burn until covered with a thin layer of gray ash. Empty coals into the grill and build a modified two level fire by putting all the coals on one half of the grill. Place the cooking grate over the coals, cover, and heat for five minutes. Scrape clean with grill brush. The coals are ready when you can only hold your hand two inches over the grate for three or four seconds. For All Grills: Put the milk and bread in a blender, and blend until it's a fine gooey mess. You should get about a quarter of a cup. Add in salt, pepper, garlic, and steak sauce. In a bowl, pour the panade (bread-milk mixture) over the beef and use your hands or a fork to mix into a cohesive whole. Divide the meat into six ounce portions, lightly roll into a ball, and press into a ¾ of an inch thick patty that's about four and a half inches across. On one side, put an indention about a quarter of an inch deep. If you haven't done this already, take a wad of paper towels, dip them in vegetable oil, and, using a pair of tongs, wipe the grate down. Grill the burgers on the hot side of the grill for about two to four minutes, depending on the desired doneness. This recipe is designed for well done and maybe a little less than, so please don't be expecting medium or lower. Flip the burgers, and then grill for another three or four minutes. Add the cheese two minutes before the burgers are done, if you're using it, and, if desired, you can toast the buns on the cooler side of the grill. Serve with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mayo, mustard, onion. Really anything your heart desires!
Recipe provided courtesy of Americas Test Kitchen. For more great recipes www.americastestkitchen.com