Americas Test Kitchen Burgers Food

YOU'LL NEVER BUY GROUND BEEF AGAIN ONCE YOU LEARN THIS BURGER HACK

Steps:

• Place beef chunks and butter on large plate in single layer. Freeze until meat is very firm and starting to harden around edges but still pliable, about 35 minutes.
• Place one-quarter of meat and one-quarter of butter cubes in food processor and pulse until finely ground into pieces size of rice grains (about 1/32 inch), 15 to 20 pulses, stopping and redistributing meat around bowl as necessary to ensure beef is evenly ground. Transfer meat to rimmed baking sheet. Repeat grinding in three batches with remaining meat and butter. Spread mixture over sheet and inspect carefully, discarding any long strands of gristle or large chunks of hard meat, fat, or butter.
• Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon salt and one teaspoon pepper and over meat and gently toss with fork to combine. Divide meat into four portions. Working with one portion at a time, lightly toss from hand to hand to form ball, then gently flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patty. Press center of patties down with your fingertips to create 1/4-inch-deep depression. Transfer patties to platter and freeze for 30 to 45 minutes.
• For a charcoal grill: Using skewer, poke 12 holes in bottom of disposable pan. Open bottom vent completely and place disposable pan in center of grill. Light large chimney starter two-thirds filled with charcoal briquettes (four quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into disposable pan. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about five minutes.
• For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.
• Clean and oil cooking grate. Season one side of patties liberally with salt and pepper. Using spatula, flip patties and season other side. Place burgers on grill (directly over coals if using charcoal) and cook, without pressing on them, until browned and meat easily releases from grill, four to seven minutes. Flip burgers and continue to grill until browned on second side and meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 degrees (for medium), four to seven minutes longer.
• Transfer burgers to plate and let rest for five minutes. Serve on buns.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN BURGERS

Steps:

• Crumble bread into mixing bowl.
• Add milk 1/2 Tbsp at a time and mash with fork until a paste-type mixture is formed. This may require an adjustment to the amount of milk, we mostly just eyeball it.
• Once paste is formed, add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Form into 1/4 lb patties and grill or pan-fry. Top with cheese if desired.
• 1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce can be replaced by 2 Tbsp A1 Steak Sauce.

BURGERS, WELL-DONE BUT STILL JUICY!

Steps:

• Heat grill.
• Mash bread and milk in large bowl with fork until pasty (you should have about 1/4 cup). Stir in salt, pepper, garlic, and steak sauce.
• Break up beef into small pieces over bread mixture. Using fork or hands, lightly mix together until mixture forms cohesive mass.
• Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Gently toss one portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Gently flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patty that measures about 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Press center of patty down with fingertips until it is about 1/2 inch thick, creating a slight depression in each patty. Repeat with remaining portions of meat.
• Lightly dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill burgers on hot side of grill, uncovered, until well seared on first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, flip burgers and continue grilling, about 3 minutes for medium-well or 4 minutes for well-done. Distribute equal portions of cheese (if using) on burgers about 2 minutes before they reach desired doneness, covering burgers with disposable aluminum pan to melt cheese. While burgers grill, toast buns on cooler side of grill, rotating buns as necessary to toast evenly. Serve burgers on toasted buns.

AMERICA'S GREATEST GOURMET BURGERS

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE BOUDRAN SAUCE:.
• Place the vinegar in a large bowl. Gradually add the oil, whisking constantly, until blended.
• Whisk in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk in the ketchup, chives and tarragon. Set aside.
• TO PREPARE THE BURGERS:.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy nonstick small.
• sauté pan over medium heat. Add shallots.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes or until translucent.Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Gently mix the ground beef, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes(if using), shallots and garlic in large bowl until well blended. Mix in egg. (Don't overwork it - it will become too dense!).
• Divide the beef mixture into 4 equal mounds and shape each into a 4" diameter patty. Set the patties aside.
• Lay the bacon slices in a heavy nonstick large frying pan and cook over medium heat about 8-10 minutes or until crisp and golden. (Can also use the microwave method).
• Remove from heat and set aside; allow to rest for 1 minute. Transfer to paper towels and break the bacon slices in half.
• Lightly toast the brioche buns cut side up for 1-2 minutes or until lightly toasted.
• Meanwhile, heat a heavy large nonstick griddle pan or heavy large sauté pan over medium heat.
• Drizzle the pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the patties 2-3 minutes or until brown on the bottom.
• Turn the patties over. Top the patties with Gruyère cheese and cook about 3 minutes longer or until the patties are cooked to medium-rare doneness.
• Set the patties on the bun bottoms. Place the crispy bacon on top of the patties.
• Heat a heavy large nonstick sauté pan over high heat until it begins to smoke.
• Add the foie gras (if using) and cook for 25 seconds on each side until the foie gras is cooked on the outside but still soft in the center (you will need the fan on full force for foie gras it will release a lot of fat that will begin to smoke - next to health reasons - another reason we did not cook - all the smoke alarms!).
• Place the foie gras on top of the bacon on the patties.
• Shave the truffle(if using, we didn't, price.
• too exorbitant, and we dislike them)very thinly over the foie gras (you may not need the entire truffle - Curtis used summer truffles, said they are cheaper).
• Serve a little drizzle of the Boudran sauce on top of burgers and then cover with the bun tops.
• We served it with Boudran sauce, sautéed mushrooms, oven fries, mixed greens salad and a dessert of fresh fruit.
• We made a fancy burger into a classy meal!

JUICY GRILLED TURKEY BURGER (AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN)

Steps:

• Place turkey pieces on large plate in single layer. Freeze meat until very firm and hardened around edges, 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over chicken broth in small bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Pulse mushrooms in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 7 pulses, stopping and redistributing mushrooms around bowl as needed to ensure even grinding. Set mushrooms aside; do not wash food processor.
• Pulse one-third of turkey in food processor until coarsely chopped into 1/8-inch pieces, 18 to 22 pulses, stopping and redistributing turkey around bowl as needed to ensure even grinding. Transfer meat to large bowl and repeat two more times with remaining turkey.
• Return 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) ground turkey to bowl of food processor along with softened gelatin, soy sauce, and baking soda. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly drizzle in oil, about 10 seconds; leave paste in food processor. Return mushrooms to food processor with paste and pulse to combine, 3 to 5 pulses, stopping and redistributing mixture as needed to ensure even mixing. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl with ground turkey and use hands to evenly combine.
• With lightly greased hands, divide meat mixture into 6 balls. Flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patties about 4 inches in diameter; press shallow indentation into center of each burger to ensure even cooking. (Shaped patties can be frozen for up to 1 month. Frozen patties can be cooked straight from freezer.).
• FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
• FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s).
• Clean and oil cooking grate. Brush 1 side of patties with oil and season with salt and pepper. Using spatula, flip patties, brush with oil, and season second side. Place burgers over hot part of grill and cook until burgers are well browned on both sides and register 160 degrees, 4 to 7 minutes per side. (If cooking frozen burgers: After burgers are browned on both sides, transfer to cool side of grill, cover, and continue to cook until burgers register 160 degrees.).
• Transfer burgers to plate and let rest for 5 minutes. While burgers rest, grill buns over hot side of grill. Transfer burgers to buns, add desired toppings, and serve.

PUB-STYLE BURGER SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients.
• Use to smear burger buns or if you like, other sandwich breads.