The Best Homemade Burger

I make a pretty mean hamburger.  I don’t waste my time adding tons of spices, or mixes or sauces.  I want to taste the meat. Here’s my secret. I use a mixture of half ground chuck and half ground sirloin.  Break it up in a bowl and form the patties.  Don’t pack the meat too tightly.  I put a small crater in the center because the hamburger tends to puff up from the middle.  I season it with salt, pepper, and a dusting of onion powder and garlic powder.  That’s it. Fire up the grill, and before you place the patty on the fire, take a paper towel, dip it in cooking oil and swab the grate.  Use a long handled tong.   You’ll thank me.  During cooking never press down on the patty.  Yes, you do get some nice flames shooting up, but you lose a lot juice.   One more tip, flip only once.  Cook until done.  Medium rare, about 4 minutes a side, Medium about 5.  Adjust the cooking times according to the thickness of the burger and intensity of the flame.  If you want a cheeseburger, use American cheese.  I mean really! Add it about a minute before the burger is done. Right before you remove it from the grill, toast the bun.  You can add a little butter for a richer taste.  Don’t leave the bun on too long.  A few seconds on a hot grill will do the trick.  Remove the bun, put the burger on it, some lettuce, and tomato.  Voila!  The Best Burger.