Burgers on Cast Iron Skillet

[scottv]

I live in NYC and sadly cannot have a grill. I have tried to make hamburgers a few times and the outsides usually get burned and insides are very red.

I am planning on making them tonight. Do you think I have the gas turned up to high on the stove? I should only flip the burgers once, correct?

Thanks again!

 

[VeraBlue]

Yes, flip once...and you do probably have it turned up too high.

As you learn to get accustomed to your technique and flame, don't make your burgers too thick. You can always get to a point where you can cook a 1 inch thick burger, but why learn on burned dinners...take you time and start with something just about half an inch thick. Make sure it's firmly packed, but don't overwork the meat, either. Don't season the meat, I believe the salt will toughen it during the cooking process. I'm not opposed to seasoning the outside of the burger, once it's shaped.

Make sure the pan is hot. You should hear it sizzle when you place the burger on it. Watch it....when you start to see blood forming on the top, it's almost ready to flip, depending on how rare you like it. When you are satisfied with the amount of blood on top, flip it, but don't squish it. You'll force all the juices out of it. Put you cheese on now, right after you flip it, so the heat from the meat helps melt the cheese.

If you do a burger about half inch thick, and cook on medium to medium high, it should take about 3 minutes per side. It's not exact...but it's ball park.

good luck, and don't forget to tell us how it turned out.

 

[keltin]

Also, it helps to cover the pan with a lid or foil. This traps the heat and increase the amount of heat available for cooking so that you are cooking all around the burger instead of just where the burger is touching the pan. As Vera said, start with thinner burgers, don't press on them, and keep your heat around medium or so.

 

[VeraBlue]

Also, it helps to cover the pan with a lid or foil. This traps the heat and increase the amount of heat available for cooking so that you are cooking all around the burger instead of just where the burger is touching the pan. As Vera said, start with thinner burgers, don't press on them, and keep your heat around medium or so.

Agreed....sometimes, I'll even toss a couple of ice cubes in too...the steam gives the whole venture a wonderful texture.

 

[keltin]

Agreed....sometimes, I'll even toss a couple of ice cubes in too...the steam gives the whole venture a wonderful texture.

OH! I saw an episode of Dinner, Dives, and Drive-Ins (I think that was the name of the show) on FoodNetwork the other night where they made a burger, an when it was nearly done, then covered the patty, right on the “grill/griddle” (large indoor metal cooking surface like at Waffle House) with about 2 cups of cheese. Naturally, the cheese ran all down the side and made something of a pancake of cheese all around the burger....which was the desired effect.

When it was done (the cheese was getting dark and crunchy at the edges), they threw ice cubes all around it and covered it with a lid for a few seconds. This caused the cheese to lift off the grill easily. What a cool trick.

I never thought about using ice cubes for anything other than drinks before. Thanks for the great tip! I'll try that the next time I pan fry a burger!

 

[college_cook]

Try finishing your burger in the oven. Before you start heating your cast iron, preheat your oven to around 400 or so, and once you develop a nice crust on the first side of your burger, flip it, and then drop the whole pan down into the oven. This way you'll continue to develop a crust on the bottom of your burger, as well as continuing to heat the top and sides of your burger. This technique takes some getting used to, so you dont over- or undercook your food, but I think its the quickest and most reliable method to use.

 

[GB]

I disagree about not seasoning the meat. I always season my meat before I make the patties and my burgers are never tough. I would not want a burger that only has salt on the outside and none on the inside. That would be seriously lacking to me.

Yes your heat was too high. Turn it down a bit and try again. I would shoot for a medium heat, but you need to play with it because your medium and my medium are not the same.

 

[Constance]

Your flame needs to be half way between medium and high.

If you sprinkle the bottom of your skillet with salt, it will help keep the burgers from sticking. I put my burgers in the skillet, then sprinkle the tops with S&P. When I turn them, I season the other side.

I cook the burgers with the lid on but slightly cracked. If you don't have a lid, foil will work fine. Covering the skillet also helps keep the grease from popping all over the place.

You can tell the burgers are done when you press on one with a spatula, and the juice comes out clear. Don't overcook them, or they will taste like hockey pucks.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I'm with GB! I like to add seasonings to the meat immediately prior to making patties. Season, patty, fry/grill whatever. I can't see any adverse effects.



Fun!

 

[jpmcgrew]

I dont season meat either, I throw patties in pan then salt and pepper and the sprinkle patties with a few drops of worchestershire when I flip burgers I do the same thing.

 

[SierraCook]

In the winter I cook hamburgers on a cast iron griddle. I season the hamburgers before making the patties with seasoning salt and dehydrated onion flakes. A piece of foil goes over the hamburgers to speed up the cooking process and keep the splatters on the stove to a minimum.

 

[Dave Hutchins]

There is a street joiont in Praire du Chine Wis. that has them lined up for a block most fri nights and all day Sat and Sun.. they water fry there burgers with onions. they have a standerd grill with the drain welded shut they ball theres and press down with a steel spat and add a 1/2 gal of water a ton of onions to the mix and you order by calling mit or mit out (with onions with out onions) they have been there for years in a corragated shack and tar paper roof and can't carry the money to the bank fast enough and spend all winter in Florida. outstanding street food (no sodas no extras just very good burgers)

 

[scottv]

Here is what I did over the weekend:

1 pound of 80/20 chuck
1 pound of pork
egg

I mixed all the meat together and added an egg. I found that adding the egg actually made it harder for the meat to stick together. I am probably going to omit that next time.

I formed half inch patties like suggest in previous posts and turned the burner on medium-low. Let the pan heat up and placed the patties in the pan. I cooked for 5 minutes on one side, flipped it and then 5 minutes on the other. Threw a piece of cheese on the burgers and let it melt.

The meat was nice and moist but the top and bottom were dark (but not burned). I would like to have the tops and bottoms not as dark but all in all I was happy with what came out.

 

[keltin]

Here is what I did over the weekend:

1 pound of 80/20 chuck
1 pound of pork
egg

I mixed all the meat together and added an egg. I found that adding the egg actually made it harder for the meat to stick together. I am probably going to omit that next time.

I formed half inch patties like suggest in previous posts and turned the burner on medium-low. Let the pan heat up and placed the patties in the pan. I cooked for 5 minutes on one side, flipped it and then 5 minutes on the other. Threw a piece of cheese on the burgers and let it melt.

The meat was nice and moist but the top and bottom were dark (but not burned). I would like to have the tops and bottoms not as dark but all in all I was happy with what came out.

Congrats on a job well done! I’m glad it turned out for you!

 

[-Cp]

First off, I always grill my burgers on high-heat when using my outdoor grill - creates the perfect searing on each side without burning.... I use pre-made patties from our butcher (link removed by admin) and season each side right before grilling with just salt and pepper....

For indoors - well, there is no such a thing in my book- i you live in NY you should get one of those portable gas weber grillls.

I flip only once after I see juices forming on the top-side... they turn out perfect, and I get folks all the time complementing on how they're the best burgers they've ever had...

 

[Barbara]

I prefer my burgers cooked on my cast iron pan & I pre-season them with salt, pepper and a little worstcheshire sauce. Will try the ice cubes, great idea

 

[llvllagical_llkook]

I never use eggs. I use bread crumbs, put some spices then use some milk, just enough to make the crumbs soggy. Then I squeeze it over and over, adding in milk until it's a slurry and all milk is absorbed. Then I dice up onions, ground meat, s&p, hot sauce, cayenne pepper flakes and a little basil and oregano. Mix it up until it's a lump. Make patties and there you go. The milk's taste is gone and the bread provides "support" whereas eggs "clump" and can make a mess. The bread with milk moves evenly, where eggs can clump around. Also, you have to then deal with washing off raw egg from the bowl you used, where with the bread and milk, it's all used up. Just rinse and no clumps, but still use soap. The patties are solid enough to be tossed in the air onto a grill, yet are soft enough to fall apart in your mouth.

 

[Caine]

I'd forget the cast iron skillet and use the broiler in my oven.