Here are five tips to help you grill delicious burgers:
First, when cooking burgers, be sure to brown both sides of the burgers over high heat. Next, move the patties to the top rack or to an area of the grill that does not have flames or coals underneath (the coldest zone) to complete cooking to the level you want. Browning the meat helps keep the juices in.
You can also add finely chopped or grated onion to meat before grilling. The onions will release their juice as you grill and add flavor at the same time. You can also try other types of chopped or grated vegetables or even fruits to add moisture with a very different taste. Consider apple sauce or crushed pineapple.
Be sure to use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to cook the patties to your desired temperature (around 140 degrees) but not higher. This will prevent the burger from losing extra moisture from cooking too long.
Do not push the burger down with the spatula while it is broiling. This simply takes out all the juices. Instead, poke a hole in the middle of the burger. This makes the patties thicker on the outside than in the middle and you won’t be tempted to squish them while grilling.
Finally, you can mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 2 tablespoons of water for every pound of meat. Add pepper, according to your taste. Mix the seasoned water with the meat. Spiced sausage is made in a similar way. The liquid helps distribute the seasonings while giving the meat extra moisture. Next, crush two ice cubes and gently mix the crushed ice cubes into the meat. Make 1/4 pound patties and grill.