Preparing the burger

1. Mix the ground beef with any additional ingredients you wish. An 80-20 meat-to-fat ratio will insure great flavor and taste as well as keeping the burger juicy. Suggestions for additional ingredients are: chopped bacon, chopped mushrooms, onions, herbs such as basil or cilantro and spices such as chili powder or curry. Mix these ingredients in with a mixing spoon.

2. Press the meat mixture into burger shapes, careful not to pack it to tight. Using a cup to form the patties is another option for uniformity in size. Keep the meat refrigerated until you are ready to cook it.

3. Season the patties with salt and pepper just before you are ready to grill them. Salting to early will draw out the moisture and make them dry. On a hot grill, 400 degrees or so, place the burgers. Allow them to sear on one side before turning them. At no point should you press down on them. Allow them to cook at a slower temperature after searing for anything over medium rare, around 300 degrees on the grill. Again, flip them as needed but do not press down them. That will cause the juices to run down and the burger to dry out. Do not stab with a fork to check doneness. Press on the patty instead. The firmer the meat the more done it is.

4. Add cheese or some sort of barbecue sauce, if desired, a minute prior to removing. Close the lid to allow the cheese to melt. Remove the patties and let sit for a few minutes, usually 2-3. Serve on a bun, potato roll or alone.