Guide
How to grillthe perfect burger.
- 01
Get the charcoal properly grey
Light the coals 25–30 minutes before you cook. You want them glowing and covered in grey ash, not black and flaming. Push them to one side so you have a hot zone and a cooler zone.
- 02
Keep the patties cold until the last second
Take the burgers out of the fridge only when the grill is ready. Cold fat renders slower, which is what keeps an Angus patty juicy.
- 03
Season the outside, not the mix
Salt and pepper on both faces just before they hit the grate. Salting early draws water out and tightens the patty.
- 04
One flip, no pressing
Three to four minutes on the first side, then flip once. Pressing the patty squeezes out the juice — that hiss is your dinner leaving.
- 05
Cheese on, lid down
Lay the cheddar on straight after the flip and cover for a minute so it melts over the edges.
- 06
Toast the brioche
Thirty seconds face down on the cooler zone. A toasted bun is the difference between a good burger and a soggy one.
- 07
Rest, then build
Two minutes off the heat. Then sauce on the base, patty, cheese, pickles, jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, onion, sauce on the lid.
Everything above, portioned and packed. You bring the fire.