Grilling the Perfect Burgers

If there is one thing we know how to do in our family, it is grill! We don't mess around! 

We actually have two grills in our backyard, a charcoal and a very nice gas grill. The one that gets used the most is our little Weber, the first grill we ever bought together. That grill has gone through about 4 weather covers, but stays trusty every time we light up the coals. 

Ryan and I prefer the charcoal flavor, for most foods. We grill meats, vegetables, breads, fish, even fruits! And since grilling season is among us, we thought we would share our method to grilling burgers. Nothing is more American than a grilled beef burger (or portabello cap for those veg-heads out there). 

The first, and most important ingredient is the beef. Please do yourself a favor and get good quality meat. We prefer the grass-fed, organically grown beef. However there is an argument about the fat percentage. Ryan loves the 80/20, which will produce a better flavor, but also a larger pants size. I prefer something closer to the 90/10, which is a nice compromise for flavor and fat. We usually come somewhere in between, but it mostly depends on where we get the meat and what is available. 

The second ingredient is a raw egg, again, organic here. Much like a meatball or meatloaf, it helps bind the meat together so you don't have broken patties falling through the grill grates! 

Third, flavor enhancers. We start with the staples: Worsheshire, minced onion, salt and pepper. Then occasionally we get crazy: roasted jalapeno, cheese or sun-dried tomatoes.

And finally, the toppings. Most importantly, cheese! We go for bold, full flavor and melty, creamy awesomeness, not over-processed, sliced American cheese. We also like to mix cheeses, as seen in these photos.

So go light up the grill and invite your neighbors over! 

Perfect Burgers

Makes: 6 patties
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7-10 minutes (depending on desired temperature)

2 lbs. ground organic, grass-fed beef
1 egg
1 T garlic, minced
2 T red onion, minced
2 T Worsheshire
Salt to taste
Grapeseed oil for brushing patties

Preheat the grill to high heat. We like to preheat the coals in a large mound and then spread out a little once they are ready. We always leave the edge of the grill with low heat in case a patty cooks faster than another.

Try to let the beef sit out for about 20-30 minutes before handling. Combine the beef, egg, garlic, onion and Worsheshire in large bowl and mix until combined (I use my hands). Form the beef into 6 even sized balls and press down in the middle to form a patty. I like to form a little divot in the center, this helps them cook more evenly.

Season the patties with salt on both sides and let sit until the grill is ready. Lightly brush the patties with grapeseed oil, on both sides and grab a timer, spatula and your cheese slices!

Once the coals are ready, spread them out and make sure to brush the grill grate. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 2 minutes without touching (DO NOT FLATTEN THE BURGERS WITH A SPATULA - absolute no no). Turn the burgers a quarter turn and cook an additional 2 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for 2 minutes, then quarter turn and cook for 1 minute. Place the cheese slices on top and cover the grill for another minute. Remove the burgers and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Throw the buns on the grill for about 30 seconds to warm before serving.

Valentine's Day Menu Ideas

Ryan and I don't like to go out for Valentine's Day anymore. Restaurants tend to be more crowded and there is so much pressure to have the perfect meal. Instead, we discovered a few years ago that we have much more fun coming up with our a menu together to cook at home.

Much like our One Year Anniversary meal, we like to make it special, but simple. Our meal planning always starts around the protein, which in this case will be Alaskan King Crab Legs if we can find them. Don't worry, we will share pics and recipes!!

Here are a few menu ideas for a nice home-cooked date night.

Cocktails

Valentine's Day usually involves a drink of some sort. Whether it be a really good bottle of wine from the cellar, crisp champagne or a fancy cocktail, it is nice to begin the meal with a wind-down and toast to your relationship. Since I am starting to find blood oranges around, Ryan requested that we start with a Blood Orange Martini or Old Fashioned.

We will probably pull out a bottle of wine to finish the night and hope to not be feeling it the next morning! 

Appy

Next up is a nice appetizer to keep your appetite at ease while making dinner. This is also a good way to prolong the evening and slow the meal down. We just picked up some yummy goat cheese from the Farmers' Market, so we will probably make Roasted Grapes with goat cheese and crostini. 

A simple cheese and crackers are a good choice too, but don't eat too much and ruin the star of the show! 

Main Course

We usually like to get seafood, something that we don't purchase a lot. We are straight up seafood snobs, and not afraid to admit it! My regular readers know from previous posts that I rarely spice up seafood. If it is fresh, then none is needed! Lobster tails are a great idea for main course because they take very little time to cook. The prep work (cutting of the shell) can all be done ahead of time, so your attention can be on your date or loved one and not the food! 

We tend to stay away from attention seeking dishes that fall into the "labor of love" category, like risotto. Same goes with the side dishes. A simple vegetable or rice pilaf works great. Occasionally we will spruce up something with a sauce, but most of the time we keep it light so we aren't painfully full at the end of the meal either. This just better prepares us for the best part - dessert! 

Sweets for my Sweet

Yes, I love saying that and LOVE making desserts for Ryan. I always offer to make the dessert for our special meals. This year we are going to take a crack at a chocolate soufflé. My advice would be do any chocolate dessert such as:

• Chocolate Cherry Brownies
• Chocolate Stout Cake with Macerated Blackberries or Raspberries
• Chocolate Raw Brownies (for the gluten free fare)

We are looking forward to having a nice date night at home with delicious food. Hopefully we can find the Alaskan King Crab legs! 

Happy Valentine's Day :)