Homemade Beef Burgers

For this recipe, you need a meat grinder. Place all of the grinding attachments, along with a large, stainless-steel bowl, into the freezer. Make sure these are very cold before you start grinding the meat. This is done for two reasons: 1) for food safety; and 2) to keep the ingredients as cold as possible during grinding. The friction of the grinder will cause the meat to heat up and the fat to soften, so keep everything as cold as possible.

To prepare the hamburger fixings, slice the cheese, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Wash and spin the lettuce dry. Thinly slice the onion into rings. Just before grilling, thinly slice the tomato. Gather the condiments. For a fancier set up, place the condiments into small bowls.

A combination of brisket and chuck is often used for a burger. The brisket provides richness and the chuck provides a delicious, beefy flavor, along with a good amount of fat. Cut the meat into 1" -inch cubes and place into a bowl. Transfer to the refrigerator while you set up the grinding machine. It is important to keep everything cold while making burgers.

Once you have set up the grinder with a medium-sized disk in place, remove the cold bowl from the freezer and the meat from the refrigerator. Grind the meat on medium speed. Use the plunger to push the meat through the grinder. Once the meat is ground, season it with salt and pepper. Then grind the meat a second time to ensure it is very tender.

Immediately after grinding the meat, cover a scale with plastic wrap and divide the meat into equal-size portions. For 4 large burgers, divide the meat into 8 ounces each. Alternatively, you can make 6 burgers, roughly 6.5 ounces each. To form the patties, make sure you use a gentle touch. Work quickly and pack the meat as loosely as possible. This will give the burger a light texture and also prevent the burger from shrinking substantially during cooking. Press the center of the burger with your thumbs to make a slight impression. As the burgers cook, the sides shrink more than the center, so this helps to even out the thickness once cooked. Place the burgers onto a tray and keep refrigerated until your grill is ready. Set the grill up for direct grilling and preheat it to high.

Once the grill is hot, brush the grate clean. Using tongs and a paper towel doused in oil, oil the grate. Once the burgers are on the grill, season the tops with a bit more salt and pepper to taste. Grill the burgers about 4 minutes per side (flipping only once for the best crust). Once flipped, season the other side with salt and pepper to taste. Note: Do not press the burgers with the flipper during cooking. This presses out the precious juices from within the burger. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, place the slices of cheese on top of the burgers, if desired. Once the burgers are just cooked, through, transfer them to a plate and place a small knob of butter on the center of each burger for extra flavor and moisture (if there is cheese on the burger, skip this step). Let rest for a couple of minutes before serving. This will help the meat to relax and be even juicier. Note: You can toast the buns, if desired, while the meat is resting.

To build the burger, think about the flavors that will hit your palate first as you bite into it. Place those near the bottom of the burger. Then enjoy one of the best burgers you'll ever have!