Recipe: Hamburgers

Basic Hamburgers

Serves 4 to 8

Handle the meat as lightly as possible when shaping the hamburgers. A chip of ice placed in the center of each patty before grilling helps keep it rare and moist. Set the condiments out, so people can have their hamburgers as plain or as dressed up as they like.

2 lbs. ground beef

1-1/2 t salt

½ t freshly ground pepper

8 hamburger buns split

Catsup

Mustard

Mayonnaise

Raw or grilled onion slices

Tomato slices

Iceberg lettuce leaves

Dill pickle slices

Have a barbecue fire ready. Combine the beef, salt, and pepper and mix gently. Shape into 8 patties about 3-1/2 inches across; don't worry about getting them perfectly round. Grill over hot coals, turning every minute or so, 6 to 8 minutes total for rare, 10 minutes for medium, and 12 minutes for well-done. Place on buns on the grill. Cut side down, for 1-2 minutes, jus until lightly toasted, then place the hamburgers on the buns and serve with the garnishes above.


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Cheeseburgers

About 1 minute before removing from the grill, place a slice of Cheddar, Swiss, or American cheese on each patty.