Celebrity chef Bobby Flay reveals the secret to the perfect burger

The restaurateur and reality TV star is letting us in on some of his best-kept secrets!

10 Best Kept Burger-making Secrets with Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay

Burgers are totally a family favourite beloved by all ages. So it always helps to know how to make great burgers!

Bobby Flay is known for his massive skills with a grill so it makes sense that we should take his advice so we can take our burgers to the next level.

The celebrity chef and dad of one revealed his 10 best kept burger-making secrets with TODAY

1. Use 80/20 ground chuck

Choosing patties that are of a 80-percent lean, 20-percent fat ratio is the key to getting the juiciest possible burger, Flay suggests.

2. Make thumbprints

Use your thumb to make depressions in the center of each of the patties. This will keep the burger from puffing up or bulging.

"Otherwise", says Flay, "it plumps up like a football and people smash it down. That's the last thing you want to do."

This technique leaves you with the exact shape of patty that you want.

3. Use ONLY Salt and Pepper

While you should sprinkle your burger with salt and pepper liberally, you should not season the mixture itself.

Refrain from adding onions, garlic, or onions. "That is meatloaf," Flay told TODAY. "We are making burgers."

4. Use canola oil, cast iron and high heat

"Cast iron has excellent heat diffusion and retention and produces evenly cooked burgers with a really great crust," says Flay.

Make sure to heat your cast iron pan or griddle until it smokes slightly. Then, add canola oil (just a few teaspoons). Place the burgers on the grill but don't touch them until it's time to flip!

5. Flip once

Using a metal spatula, flip each patty over after about 3 minutes. Remember to check if a crust has formed at the bottom.

"Do not even start flipping the burger until a crust has formed or the meat will fall apart, and you will lose that perfect round shape," Flay revealed.

6. Right temperature is key

"To me, a perfect beef burger is pink and juicy in the middle and cooked somewhere between medium-rare and medium which is about an internal temperature of 145˚," says Flay.

Here's a cheat sheet he shared to the right cooking times:

Rare: 6 minutes

Medium rare: 7 minutes

Medium: 8 minutes

Medium-well: 9 minutes

Well-done: 11 minutes

7. Don't be afraid to mix your cheeses

His cheese of choice? American cheese plus white cheddar: "I'm not afraid to say I love American cheese."

8. Water melts cheese

After placing two slices of cheese on each burger, splash with water a few times and cover the pan tightly to lock in the steam.

Cook for 30 seconds, or until the cheese is totally melted for the perfect cheeseburger.

9. Squishy buns only!

"A burger is a sandwich and is meant to be eaten as such. Rolls tend to break up the burger and the next thing you know, you need a knife and fork. Burgers should never have to be eaten with a knife and fork. A soft bun moulds itself around the contents," says the Celebrity chef. His preference? Sesame seed buns!

10. "Crunchify" your burger

"People are putting way too many things on their burgers—the whole burger thing has gotten out control," the chef, who likes to keep it simple, shares.

"One must always crunchify a burger," Flay reveals. "When eating a burger, there is nothing better than getting a mouthful of juicy burger and salty, crispy potato chips in one bite."

Get the full recipe for The Perfect Burger (a.k.a. The Crunch Burger) here.

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them with us!

Written by

Bianchi Mendoza

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