Reading through this thread and learning about the process that some will go through in making a hamburger reminds of an anecdote from Lee Iacocca's autobiography. .... The chef went to the fridge, grabbed a thick marbled rib eye, ran it through a grinder, patted up a meat puck, and tossed it on the grill.
And there's yer burger!
Yep, I'm a minimalist with my burgers. Rarely grind my own (but I should), but either way, just gently form the patty, salt it, grill it. With all the condiments, I just don't see the need to fiddle with the meat itself.
Prior to going low carb, I would sometimes have black bean burgers. They are darn good! ...
DW makes black bean patties. They are wonderful. But we don't call them burgers, 'cause they aren't burgers. They are good as they are, w/o trying to pretend they are something they are not. At least that's the way I look at it.
mix 1/2 pork with 1/2 beef.... it will never be a dry burger....
I sometimes mix half Italian sausage with 80/20 chuck and that's the combination DW likes best.
I was thinking ground pork would require longer/higher cooking times, but looking at FDA site, they recc 160F for each. I try to get my burgers to
just past pink, which is probably more like 145F? Answering my own question: FDA say "Some lean ground beef may remain pink at temperatures well above the 160 °F final cooking temperature recommended for consumers." I try to get them to ~ 135F, then set them on the side of the grill to bake a few minutes more and get the cheese melted. I don't always check again, but probably close to 160F by then.
Originally Posted by Retch The Grate View Post ... and nothing is better than calling folks on the east coast in the middle of january and discussing the fact that I am wearing nothing but shorts and am out in the yard grilling.
+1.
I have siblings along I-94/90 from Minneapolis to Missoula. Always fun to rub a little seasoned salt in their frozen wounds during their long arctic winters.
You might want to reconsider if you could read the minds of the people you are talking to. I can just about guarantee you that they are thinking about what a condescending jerk you are being. As if people who live in 4 season climates don't know it is warm in other places in the winter? That they never had a geography lesson? They are idiots? That's what it sounds like to them, they are rolling their eyes at your stupidity while you think you are being oh so 'clever'. Some of us enjoy the winter weather. And it's also not really a choice for many, they may be tied to family (caring for parents who won't move), jobs, etc.
I bet you would not be amused if they called you during a hurricane, earthquake, or wildfire and said "Windy enough for ya?", "Shaky enough for ya?", "Enjoying that smoke?" Hah, hah.
-ERD50
