How to cook burgers like a professional pitmaster — and never bite into a tough patty again

Cook burgers like a pitmaster.

Have you ever bitten into a burger that was way too tough? If you eat burgers as often as I do, you surely have — but the cause might not have been what you think. Sure, overcooking burgers is an easy mistake to make, especially when you’re not using a meat thermometer to measure the temperature, but there are plenty of other ways to mess it up. “The most common mistake I see people make is overworking the meat, which results in a tough, dry burger,” said Dominique Leach, chef and pitmaster at Chicago barbecue staple Lexington Betty Smokehouse. In her view, there are major technical differences between a grilled burger and a smash burger, and chefs cannot treat them the same way if they want delicious, juicy results.

In order to help your burgers avoid identity problems and come off the grill at their ideal temperature and texture, Leach recommended this awesome five-piece burger-making kit from Poligo — and it’s basically the price of a single smash burger press.

Poligo 5-Piece Burger Press Kit

$23 at Amazon

For only $23, this kit contains the tools you need to make your preferred burger style, from svelte smash burgers to thick, juicy quarter-pounders. “Why are we over-pressing grilled burgers?” she asked. “There’s a smash burger and there’s a grilled burger. A smash burger is pressed on a flat-top. The fat is being pressed out, and creating those crispy, delicious edges we love.” Fortunately, this kit will help you serve up evenly cooked, restaurant-quality smash burgers. “This kit comes with a rectangular smash, which is great for bacon, and a circular smash, ideal for smash burgers,” Leach explained.

Going a more old-school route? There are also some powerful tools in this kit for that. “A grilled burger patty is almost the opposite. Don’t over-press this patty — you want to enjoy all of that delicious fat inside the juicy burger” If you want to get that perfect, consistent burger shape you expect when you visit your favorite burger joint, use the nonstick burger patty-maker; or, if you’re trying to get fancy and make a flavorful stuffed burger filled with ingredients like cheese, bacon, jalapenos, onions, or mushrooms, you can use the nonstick stuffed burger mold to fill and seal it like a pro. “My favorite accessory in the kit is the large base for stuffing burgers,” Leach shared. “This is perfect for family barbecues, as everyone can customize their own ingredients and enjoy a variety of stuffed grilled patties.” 

Whether you’re trying to make a Minnesota-style Juicy Lucy or a dive-worthy smash burger, you’ll be able to do it with this kit. Pick one up while it’s only $23. 

Shop More Burger Tools at Amazon

Cuisinart 6.5-Inch Cast Iron Smash Burger Press

$25 $20 at Amazon

Farberware Meat & Potato Masher

$12 at Amazon

Blackstone Burger Press Set

$25 $21 at Amazon

New Star Foodservice Grill Turner/Spatula

$15 at Amazon

At the time of publishing, the price was $23.

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