How to over-cook grass-fed beef hamburgers? page

[Cyclops]

The label on U.S. Wellness Meats says, "be careful not to overcook grass-fed beef". Well, so far I haven't managed to overcook it - at least the inside, which, is consistently pink, if not raw

I first tried cooking them like regular hamburger meat, which didn't work. I've tried various temperatures and times, but nothing has resulted in a burger that is cooked throughout, and not burnt on the outside.

So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions. Here is what I am using:

• An Electric stove (Yes, although every cooking book I've seen, thinks you should be cooking with gas - my apartment has an electric stove, so that's what I use.)

• U.S. Wellness Meats pre-formed, grass-fed, 75% lean burgers. This is 25% fat, which is higher than the standard burgers I used to cook. I'm sure the fat content affects cooking - I'm just not sure how.

• 12" Calphalon non-stick skillet (although I'm wondering if I should replace it, that's a separate issue).

• Infrared thermometer - very nice tool, I can't imagine not having one after using it.

• An Electric stove (Yes, I said it twice - I don't care how you cook burgers on a gas stove

I'd appreciate detailed, step-by-step instructions, if anyone has them. Even the so-called basic cookbooks seems to give just one-liners.

For instance, one situation I don't know what to do about - after about a minute, the burger starts to bow up, so the underside isn't touching the skillet. It's obviously not getting cooked, so now what? I've seen posts saying you shouldn't press down grass-burgers. Most of the time, I'll flip it after a minute, so it's flatter. Is that a good method? I have no idea.

Seriously - for growing plants, the opposite of green thumb is brown thumb - I don't know what the opposite of chef is, but I'm definitely that. Maybe anti-chef? I read the books, but when it comes down to cooking (on my electric stove), it never goes like the books say.

I've actually gone through more than one order of grass-fed burgers, and I'm getting tired of not cooking it right, so I'm finally biting the bullet, and asking. Thanks for any advice.

[DinoHunter]

Just for the record.. I hate electric hobs....
But since that dosent help you.....

I would switch to cooking on cast iron if possible.
If you still find its not cooking through you could cook on the hob long enough to seal the burger (both sides) & then pop in the oven to cook through.

[PBNewby]

How thick are the burgers?

I believe the reason not to press-down on burgers is that it squeezes the juice out, resulting in a dry final product. Flipping them over when they rise up in the middle is probably better than pressing them down (IMO). You might also try cooking them more slowly (use lower heat than you are now). Not sure if that will help, but it might reduce the tendency of the outside to become over-cooked.

Do you add any filler, like egg?

[meeshar]

I have this issue too, I personally don't mind pink in the middle, but not everyone in my family does. I use cast iron, sear the burgers on med-high heat on the stovetop and then put them in the oven (preheated to 400, it's old though so that may not be accurate) for 5-8 minutes. Also, I do press down on mine, but not too hard because I don't want to lose all of the juices/fat. Just enough to make sure the patty browns all the way.

[Cyclops]

PBNewbye, no filler, they're pre-formed burgers (see the link in OP). Somewhere roughly three-quarters inch thick, I think.

Meeshar, that's an interesting thought - fully cooking them in an oven. What kind of object do you cook them in? Glass bakeware, metal plate? Thanks.

[seaweed]

we dont have beef that isnt grass fed here. all i do is throw them in the fry pan or on the bbq and turn them when they are browned. brown the other side and then keep flipping them every now and then till they are cooked. it has never been an issue. what i have found with other things like say a thick fillet of fish, is you can end up with the outside burnt and the inside raw. the way i avoid that is stick a iron pot lid over it while it is cooking in the pan to keep the heat in. i guess the equivalent of finishing it off in an oven.

[RichMahogany]

Lower the heat. Let the pan get hot. I used to have this problem, because I was being impatient about letting the pan get hot, then keeping the heat way too high. I never turn a burner on the stove past 4 anymore and I don't have this problem or the coconut-oil-splattering-everywhere problem.

[meeshar]

PBNewbye, no filler, they're pre-formed burgers (see the link in OP). Somewhere roughly three-quarters inch thick, I think.

Meeshar, that's an interesting thought - fully cooking them in an oven. What kind of object do you cook them in? Glass bakeware, metal plate? Thanks.

I use a cast iron frying pan, that way I can brown them on the stovetop and then put the pan into the oven.

[irishfoxy]

#1 - Use a lid, it will hold the heat around the burger evenly, letting it cook through faster

stick a iron pot lid over it while it is cooking in the pan to keep the heat in. i guess the equivalent of finishing it off in an oven.

#2 - A lower heat will definitly help cook through without burning one side. Get friendly with the lower half of the dial.

Lower the heat. Let the pan get hot. I used to have this problem, because I was being impatient about letting the pan get hot, then keeping the heat way too high. I never turn a burner on the stove past 4 anymore and I don't have this problem or the coconut-oil-splattering-everywhere problem.

#3 - This is bad. NEVER eat preground meat that isn't cooked through, you're just begging for a hospital trip. This is because the outside surface and air have bacteria, and are turned and ground into the middle, not like whole cuts of meat which are seared off when cooked. I wouldn't see a problem grinding it yourself and cooking to whatever done-ness you want, but you just can't guarantee the cleanliness of the slaughterhouse and factories that created the burgers or ground meat. And since XL Foods (just a couple hours away from where I am) has been in the news a ton about their inability to bring their standards up, I'm sure everyone has heard something about recalls due to tainting?

I personally don't mind pink in the middle, but not everyone in my family does.

[Chaohinon]

If you're into mid-well - well done burgers, the trick is to press the patty down until it's as thin as possible. Take it from me, I'm a professional burger flipper (would you like fries with that?). Burgers puff upwards a lot while cooking, so you have to start with a really flat patty if you want it overcooked. At work, when we need a rare/mid-rare to come up alongside a mid-well/well-done, one patty will be pressed ultra thin while the other stays about an inch thick, works every time.

Like others have said, get your pan hot first. Like, dangerously, screaming, smoking, Beyonce's booty hot. Also, do not press it after it's started cooking! This will squeeze out the juices and murder the flavor. Retaining those juices is essential to having a flavorful burger anywhere beyond medium.

If you're still having trouble, you could try cooking it on a stovetop to start, then finishing in the oven. Although I'm not sure how this might negatively effect flavor and moisture. And don't use a lid, ew.