Tip of the week: How to grill a perfect burger

Grind your own. Using a home grinder “means you can use real cuts of meat” instead of the scraps supermarkets use. Form patties loosely; you want them “riddled with little pockets that trap tasty juices.”

Use more salt. The perfect amount of salt is “somewhere north of double” the amount that most home chefs use. With a thin patty, “rain” kosher salt over each side until you can see the grains.

Adjust the heat. Start burgers on a hot grill to achieve a “dark, intense, ultra-meaty crust,” but remember that thick patties will char before the middle’s done, unless you move them to a cooler part of the grill. To test doneness, use “the lip trick”: Insert a metal skewer into the patty’s middle for five seconds, then touch the tip to the skin below your lips. “If it’s cold, your burger’s raw in the middle; warm means it’s medium.”

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Source: The Wall Street Journal