Barbeque Tools To Grill Like A Pro

How to use your barbeque tools to grill like a pro

Summer is upon us and Christmas is close, so it’s barbecue season again. Have you ever wanted to know how to use your barbeque tools to grill like a pro? In this article, we’ll show you how to use several tools to make incredible burger patties. These tools are also great gift ideas for whoever runs the barbeque at your house.

 

Incredible burger patties start with the mince

To make the best burger patties, you’ll need a mincer machine and a burger press and patty maker. Making your own mince is easy, you’ll know exactly what’s in the mix, and you can get your ratios perfect for burgers. Mincing also tenderises the meat by breaking down muscle and connective tissue and makes shaping patties easy.

When you buy mince from the butcher or the supermarket, you’re getting their ratio of meat to fat. Generally, people are wanting to eat less fat these days, so the ratio favours a leaner mix. But you need fat for burgers, as it renders during the cooking process, adds flavour and makes the burger patty juicy.

You’ll want a ratio of approximately 20% fat to 80% meat to make a succulent burger patty, no matter what meat you’re using. Trim and dice your meat, separating the fat from the meat, and weigh it to get the right mix. Then pop it through your mincer, distributing it evenly. You’ll have visible fat throughout the mix, and this will help you cook like a pro.

If you’re using game meat like venison or wild pig, the meat will be lean, and you may need to add fat to get the right ratio. Venison patties are notoriously dry if you don’t add extra fat, even if you’re cooking them fast on a high heat for a rare result. Beef fat is best for venison and helps to bind the patty together. If you’re not a fan of venison flavour, you can also add pork fat, which alters the flavour to taste more like pork.

Seasoning your patties

There are hundreds of ways to season your patty. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Traditional as it gets: salt and freshly ground black pepper. That’s it.

• Basic seasoning to enhance the natural meat flavours: salt and pepper again, with paprika (smoked, sweet or both), garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper.
• More heat: add hot sauce to taste.
• Herbs: oregano adds an earthy and herbaceous note to the seasoning. Thyme will give it a Mediterranean twist.
• Using sauces in the patty: the classics that work well are Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce.
• How to apply your seasoning

Working the seasoning through the mince will flavour it evenly, but take care not to overwork the meat as you handle it, as it can undo all the good work of tenderising it with your mincer. If you have time, you can mix the seasoning through, but give the patties a few hours to ‘relax’ again before you cook them.

If you have hungry mouths to feed, sprinkle your seasoning onto both sides of the patty and get them onto the hot grill.

Cooking your patties

Get your barbeque hot. Lightly oil the burger patties all over and cook for five minutes until the meat just begins to char. Flip once and cook for another four to five minutes to get a medium burger or longer if you prefer well done. Place your burgers on a board and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.

Pro tip: Use a meat patty flipper to cook your patties. They’re designed to press the patty to the grill to get an even cooking result and won’t bend like a normal spatula. They make flipping easy and are great for tough scraping jobs. Our model also has a handy bottle opener!

 

Happy grilling this summer and have a great Christmas.