The art of making hamburgers

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I like to eat raw meat, and a good way to make sure not to get sick is to marinate it in a brine solution before grinding it. I like to do a coarse grind of lean bison with onion and parsley, then eat it sprinkled with black pepper.

Do you put that on toast or a slice of bread or something?

Over here we have something similar and it's called Filet Americain ...

though if you buy it in the shop it's probably filled with preservatives, since it's raw meat after all. also it sounds like our variant has more spices and things in it than what you describe.

ah it's called Steak Tartare in english: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak_tartare

I just call mine "raw meat", but I guess it could be steak tartare. Usually there's an egg on Steak Tartare though, and capers. I am not fond of capers.

I don't like to eat mine on toast, I just eat it with a fork. The parsley is crucial.

Sometimes I make a version that's a lot more like poke, with a bit of soy sauce, rice vinegar, seaweed, and sesame oil. Totally good.

[LMNO]

I'm not a fan of white pepper, and Nigel I'd eat the shit out of what you just described right thuuur.

Squid gets the butt-flu, ITT.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

 

[Jasper]

Never noticed that divet trick with beef patties.  Very very very...

Yes. 

It is good.  Mm.

[Requia ☣]

I usually add a garlic and minced red pepper mix to my burgers.

Check out what I read about salting burgers before they're grilled--
http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/12/the-burger-lab-salting-ground-beef.html

What do you think?

The pre salted one actually looks really good, just not for hamburgers.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Mmmmm this thread made me grind up some meat and onions, which I am now stuffing into a hole in my face. 

[Pope Pixie Pickle]

I can't remember what Payne put in his burgers but he is good burger making spag. Mmm.

[NotPublished]

Mmmmm this thread made me grind up some meat and onions, which I am now stuffing into a hole in my face. 

the face hole? 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Mmmmm this thread made me grind up some meat and onions, which I am now stuffing into a hole in my face. 

the face hole? 

YES

I FEEL SO DIRTY!

[hooplala]

OK, made some burgers from scratch for the first time last night... they sort of fell apart on the grill.  Is there a trick?  Did I simply not pack them tight enough?

[LMNO]

Need more details.  Type of meat, flavorings, etc.

[hooplala]

Need more details.  Type of meat, flavorings, etc.

I basically used your recipe, except that it was ground sirloin, and I didnt add the capers.

[Adios]

Ground sirloin may have been too lean.

[hooplala]

That could very well be it, except that I mentioned this to my wife last night and she informed me that it was not in fact ground sirloin, but plain medium ground beef.  So I'm an idiot who doesn't know what he cooks with, and can't make a hamburger.

[Jenne]

Sounds like you needed a gluing agent, some use egg, some use breadcrumbs, etc.  I'm no expert, but it sounds like they were a mite on the dry side and that's why they fell apart.