Tonight we broke out the grill and made Martha’s All-American Hamburgers from page 34.
Usually, when I make hamburgers, I add a lot of seasoning to the ground beef, and sometimes I’ll fry some onions and put them right into the burgers. All Martha’s recipe called for was adding a little salt and pepper before putting them on the grill. I was concerned that they might not be flavorful enough that way — boy was I wrong! Martha’s recipe really let’s the burger be the star, no bells and whistles, just good ground beef with some cheddar cheese and topped with onions, fresh lettuce and tomatoes.
Here’s a tip for making the perfect burger — don’t press down on your burger with your spatula when you put it on the grill. That only releases the juices and dries it out. You’ve probably seen the guys behind the counter do that at diners, but that’s because it cooks them a little quicker and they’re more concerned about speed than taste. If you just let them cook up with no pressing they’ll be much juicier and more delicious.
These burgers are perfect for outdoor summer grilling, when you don’t want anything too fancy, but you just want to enjoy some good and simple American food!
