When I first graduated college, I continued eating like I was still in college for much of my 20s. That means for weeks on end, many of my meals would consist primarily of sandwiches, cereal, hot pockets, frozen microwave meals, and maybe some fast food if I wanted to reward myself.
It’s every bit as unhealthy as it sounds. And keep in mind, I did not regularly go to the gym during this time either.
I’ve changed and grown since then. Ever since I moved out on my own, I’ve steadily expanded my cooking skills. In many regards, I had more incentive than most. Both my father and grandmother are exceptional cooks. They’ve been demonstrating amazing abilities in the kitchen since I was a kid. I just took way too long to make use of those opportunities.
Now that I live on my own and have no roommates, I basically have an entire kitchen to myself. And that has given me a chance to explore cooking in my own unique way.
For years now, I’ve gone through some trends of sorts. There was a time when I got really into baking desserts for family and friends. I would make fudge, brownies, cookies, and pretty much anything that would tickle your sweet tooth. In that regard, I have to thank my late grandmother for that. Her desserts are still the stuff of legend in our family.
I also went through a period when I went a little crazy with omelets. Every time I got back from the gym, I would break out this big frying pan, throw at least four eggs into a bowl, and use that as a foundation for these big, overstuffed omelets.
I might have gotten a bit too creative with those at times. For a while, my preferred omlette involved throwing a bunch of crab meat, cheddar cheese, chopped onions, and jalapeño peppers into this burrito sized monstrosity.
Yes, it was delicious.
Yes, I would eat the whole thing.
No, I don’t regret it.
But now that I have to be mindful of cholesterol, I’ve tried to limit my fondness for overstuffed omelets. This leads me to my current obsession in the kitchen, which revolves around cooking my own burgers.
I know it sounds mundane. Burgers have a reputation for being a simple, non-fancy meal that you only cook of you’re not in the mood for something fancy. I respectfully disagree with that sentiment. In fact, I think those who downplay the joys of a simple burger just aren’t using enough imagination.
I only began my imaginative efforts over this past 4th of July. It started when I got some new cookware, which was badly in need of replacing. And since this was the heart of grilling season, I decided to make burgers my main primary focus. It helped that every grocery store had these displays of traditional grilling dishes. It also helped that I hadn’t eaten a lot of burgers lately, mostly because much of those burgers were either overpriced meals at restaurants or cheap fast food burgers.
But once I made my first round of burgers, I realized something. Not only did making burgers on your own terms make them taste better, you actually got a lot more value out of them. Seriously, just look at what an average burger costs and look at how much meat and buns you can buy with that same money. Even if you suck at math, the savings aren’t trivial.
I also realized that there’s something to be said about putting a little care into your burgers. You’re the one doing the grilling. You’re the one who gets to decide how rare, how thick, or how juicy your burgers are. You get to decide what you mix into the meat, how spicy you want it to be, and how to arrange your topics.
That may not make the burger taste too differently on a basic level. But trust me, it still makes a difference.
Since those realizations, I’ve made numerous burgers and refined to making them in my own unique way. And in the spirit of sharing delicious tidbits, I’d like to share my approach. I’m not saying this will make the perfect burgers for everyone. This is just how I, Jack Fisher, make the burgers I truly savor.
First, I craft two patties of 80/20 lean beef. Sometimes, I get the pre-made patties from a butcher. If that’s not an option, I mix in some salt, oregano, and a pinch of paprika while forming the patties.
Second, I heat up two pans on my oven. One is a simple grill pan, which I turn up to medium-high. The other is a cast-iron skillet, which I turn up to medium. I put a little unsalted butter in each and let it melt.
Third, I use two brioche style buns, which are much better than traditional white bread buns. I apply a little butter on both and then put them in the cast iron skillet to toast them. Trust me, toasted buns make a big difference in any burger.
Fourth, I put the patties on the other grill pan and let them cook for two-and-a-half to three minutes. While they’re cooking, I do some light mashing with a spatula. I emphasize light because I’ve found that mashing too hard dries them out. But if you don’t mash at all, the burger just scrunches up and becomes a bit too unevenly cooked.
Fifth, after the first side is grilled, I flip them over. By then, the buns are toasted so I take those off. And shortly after flipping, I apply two slices of cheese on each patty. One is fine, but I’ve found that two creates a much better foundation for the toppings.
Sixth, I do continue to lightly mash the burgers as they cook. As I’m doing so, I prepare the toppings. That usually includes some chopped lettuce, a spritz of mustard and ketchup, and some chopped peppers. If I’m in the mood for something spicy, I’ll use jalapeño peppers.
Finally, once the burgers are done, I put them both on their respective buns followed by the toppings. I then apply a little pressure to both burgers. I’ve found this helps mash a little flavor from both the burger and the toppings, which makes them that bit more savory.
Again, his is just my approach. This is what works for me and I’ll likely continue refining the process, at least until I settle on my next cooking endeavor. But with summer winding down and plenty of opportunities to grill, I wanted to share this newfound fondness of burgers.
Because I don’t care who you are, where you come from, or what your politics might be. Everyone can appreciate a nice, juicy burger.
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