Burgers are one of the best snacks for everyone, and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that they are perfect for dinner. There are times when people like to make burgers at home, but they end up mushy. Honestly, no one likes to bite on something gooey when they are actually looking for something tender and crispy. That being said, if your burgers are mushy, you have come to the right place because we have some solutions.
How To Fix Mushy Burgers?
In the majority of cases, the burgers turn mushy when you are using low-quality meat that’s been kept at room temperature or has been handled too much. So, let’s see how you can fix it and prevent the mushiness from happening.
1. Chill The Burgers
To begin with, it is suggested that you chill the burgers before you cook them. This is because the chilled burgers will have lower chances of losing texture and getting crumbled. Chilling will ensure that burgers stay together during the cooking process. Generally, twenty minutes of chilling will be fine to make sure there is no need for additional preparation. The chilled burgers will result in a firm texture. In addition, you should not grill the burger patties that are fully frozen because ice can result in the crumbling of the meat.
2. Focus On The Shape
While you are moulding and shaping the burger patties, you need to focus on the shape to make sure nothing falls apart. When you flatten the burger patties too much, it will result in the steam release, and the juice will escape from the patties, resulting in dry and mushy burgers. In addition to this, you shouldn’t make the burgers too large because they will be challenging to cook. For an average-sized burger patty, you can use four to six ounces of meat. You should create the meatball and turn it into the disc by flattening out the sides (don’t press it down too much). The central part of the burger patty should be concaved as it helps retain moisture without causing mushiness.
3. Don’t Flip Too Much
It can be tempting to open the grill lid, again and again, to check out the burgers, but it is important to resist the urge. This is because flipping the burger patty too much can result in breakage, which eventually leads to mushiness. So, let the burger patty cook for one minute on each side. It will not only help cook the burger patty, but it will also result in proper sear marks on the burger.
4. Consider The Temperature
The heat and temperature that you select for cooking burgers can directly impact how they will turn out. Ideally, the burger must be firm and bouncy when you touch the patty. For this reason, you should cook the burger patty for three to four minutes on each side and select the medium temperature. After this time, reduce the heat level to a low setting and cook the patty for another two minutes. Many people make the mistake of using only low heat for cooking the burgers, but it can result in unevenly-cooked burgers.
5. Choose High-Quality Meat
When it comes down to burgers, meat remains the most important ingredient for the burger as it can directly influence the taste of the burger. It is needless to say that low-quality meat is more affordable, but it will fall apart during cooking or grilling. So, when you go out to purchase meat, tell the butcher that it’s meant for burger patties, and he will ground the meat cuts accordingly. As far as the meat is concerned, you can opt for short rubs and ground beef chuck, but the meat must be fresh. The burger patty must have a combination of 20% fat and 80% lean meat – ground it to a coarse texture.
In addition to this, you shouldn’t add too many ingredients to the burger patty mixture because it can increase the moisture level, resulting in a mushy texture.
6. Add An Egg
The last option that you can try is to add an egg to the burger patty mixture. It will ensure that burgers are put together and don’t fall apart. This is because eggs work great for binding the ingredients. In particular, you should add a full egg.