I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
press or no?

If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
hamburger is done?

(The hamburger he was cooking sure looked good. Instead of placing a
slice of cheese on it, he put shredded cheddar cheese all over it.
Man, that sure looked good.)

Mark Ferrante
Click here eveyday to feed a rescued animal:

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

In article >,
M. FERRANTE > wrote:

> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> press or no?
>
> If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
> hamburger is done?
>
> (The hamburger he was cooking sure looked good. Instead of placing a
> slice of cheese on it, he put shredded cheddar cheese all over it.
> Man, that sure looked good.)
>
> Mark Ferrante
> Click here eveyday to feed a rescued animal:
>
> http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

I never press the burger down--it's done when it looks done. If you're
unsure, press the middle of the burger with your finger--you'll be able
to feel whether or not it still feels "mushy" in the middle.

Amy

"A Ross" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> M. FERRANTE > wrote:
>
> > I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> > the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> > on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> > press or no?
> >
> > If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
> > hamburger is done?
> >
> > (The hamburger he was cooking sure looked good. Instead of placing a
> > slice of cheese on it, he put shredded cheddar cheese all over it.
> > Man, that sure looked good.)
> >
> > Mark Ferrante
> > Click here eveyday to feed a rescued animal:
> >
> > http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/
>
> I never press the burger down--it's done when it looks done. If you're
> unsure, press the middle of the burger with your finger--you'll be able
> to feel whether or not it still feels "mushy" in the middle.
>
> Amy

Yep, I agree with that. Don't press down on the burger with the spatula;
that releases juices and can make the burger dry. I lightly tap on the top
with the corner of the spatula to test for doneness. If it still feels
mushy, it's raw to rare. The firmer the "give" is the more done the burger.
It takes a bit to get used to the test, but after some overdone or rare
burgers, you'll figure it out.

kili

M. FERRANTE wrote:

> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> press or no?

i'm a 'no presser'. pressing it only squeezes out the juices and you end up with
a dry burger.

M. FERRANTE > wrote in
:

> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> press or no?


Mark,

I don't press but after a flip, when it's nice and plump, I check for
doneness by piercing the center of the burger with a tip of the spatula
about halfway into the burger to see if it oozes red or clear juices. If
it's clear I add cheese. If it's red or a little of both I reflip and
add cheese.

YMMV,

Andy

"M. FERRANTE" > wrote in message
...
>I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> press or no?

No pressing...... Makes for dryburgers.


> If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
> hamburger is done?

Depending on the thickness, the amount of the heat (pan or grill), and/or your
experience the easiest way is with an instant read thermometer. One little poke
into the top and you know.

Dimitri

(M.=A0FERRANTE)WROTE:
I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and the
chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down on a
hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you press or no?
If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
hamburger is done?
(The hamburger he was cooking sure looked good. Instead of placing a
slice of cheese on it, he put shredded cheddar cheese all over it. Man,
that sure looked good.)
Mark Ferrante-------------------------------------------
RESPONSE: No, I do not use the old hamburger press as many of the
restaurants I've seen do -shorter cooking time more money-. I know when
it's time to flip by the amount of red juices coming from hamburger
patty. With time you wil know by just looking when it's reach your
desired doneness. I even did this method when grilling thick ground
round patties and never once had customer return it.

M. FERRANTE wrote on 26 Jul 2005 in rec.food.cooking

> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> press or no?
>
> If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
> hamburger is done?
>
> (The hamburger he was cooking sure looked good. Instead of placing a
> slice of cheese on it, he put shredded cheddar cheese all over it.
> Man, that sure looked good.)
>
> Mark Ferrante
> Click here eveyday to feed a rescued animal:
>
> http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/
>

Not only Do I Press the burger while it's cooking, I feel the burger is
like a sponge...when It springs back it soaks up the juices it is
cooking in. I'm also getting a burger press so all my burger patties
will be the same size and purdy when I make them. The only time I don't
press a cooking burger is when it's on the grill.

--
It's not a question of where he grips it!
It's a simple question of weight ratios!

A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?

In article >,
M. FERRANTE > wrote:

> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> press or no?
>
> If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
> hamburger is done?

I press, but only slightly. Pressing the burger too much compresses the
meat which causes the resulting burger to be dryer and have a heavier
consistency. Not pressing at all results in a messy burger where bits of
the meat come off during the cooking process.

I am not quite sure I understand your question. I guess I use my
experience to determine when a burger is done, regardless of how its
formed. I usually cook about 1" thick hamburgers for five minutes per
side, poke the center with a knife and keep cooking if the liquid that
runs out is not clear.

In article >, M. FERRANTE
> wrote:

> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> press or no?

Never. It just makes the juice run out.
>
> If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
> hamburger is done?

I might stick a knife in it. Usually, I just guess.
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 7/8/05 WeBeJammin'!

In article >,
Monsur Fromage du Pollet > wrote:


> I'm also getting a burger press so all my burger patties
> will be the same size and purdy when I make them.

You can make a burger press easily enough. I used two cool-whip
containers. I cut a circle from one of the lids and made it the same
size as the bottom of the container. Then just put the hamburger in one
container, followed by the cut-down lid and the next container and just
press. The patties all come out uniform and pretty. (It helps if you
slightly flatten the hamburger yourself to start with, and I then use a
butter knife to ease the patty out of the container).

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 20:25:28 GMT, Monsur Fromage du Pollet wrote:

> Not only Do I Press the burger while it's cooking, I feel the burger is
> like a sponge...when It springs back it soaks up the juices it is
> cooking in.

You FRY them? I haven't done it that way in years.

sf wrote on 26 Jul 2005 in rec.food.cooking

> On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 20:25:28 GMT, Monsur Fromage du Pollet wrote:
>
> > Not only Do I Press the burger while it's cooking, I feel the
> > burger is like a sponge...when It springs back it soaks up the
> > juices it is cooking in.
>
> You FRY them? I haven't done it that way in years.
>

I fry, broil and grill...but I press down only when frying.
I like the taste of fried burgers. I also like the other methods
mentioned. But fried burgers is almost a comfort food. I eat burgers
about 3 times a month and at least one of those times will be
fried...the other two are likely to be grilled and the rare time
broiled. I think possibly wrongly that broiled burger require more
attention than the other methods and I like to do prep work on other
stuff, frying appeals to me as I feel I don't need to pay as strict
attention to them. Same when grilling.

Stuff burns when I broil.

--
It's not a question of where he grips it!
It's a simple question of weight ratios!

A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?

Dog3 wrote:
> M. FERRANTE > wrote in
> :
>
>> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
>> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
>> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
>> press or no?
>>
>> Mark Ferrante
>> Click here eveyday to feed a rescued animal:
>>
>> http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/
>
> I don't press the burgers. I tried an experiment once on the gas
> grill. I hand formed 2 burgers and threw them on. I pressed one a
> couple of times during the cooking time. The pressed burger was
> drier to taste than the non press. It turned me into a non presser,
> as bad as I want to press I just don't.
>
> Michael

It's a temptation, for sure. But eventually you learn when the burger is
done and you have a much juicier burger without flattening it with the
spatula, whether it be on the grill, under a broiler or in a frying pan.

Jill

M. FERRANTE wrote:
> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> press or no?

A thousand times "no". Pressing down will press out the juice and
you'll have a dry hockey puck. I spent my childhood trying to
understand the "mystery" of hamburgers....how they could smell so
wonderful while cooking and taste like dry beads. My father was the
hamburger cook of the family and he pressed, and pressed, and pressed
the hamburgers. They were so well done and Sahara-dry that they just
about fell apart when tapped with a fork.

> If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
> hamburger is done?

After a bit of practice you'll be able to judge the degree of doneness
by the time and temp of the cooking; or you could cut into a burger to
check. Some people can tell by pressing (gently) the burger with a
finger. That technique takes a little practice and some
trial-and-error but it's pretty accurate.

Mac

jmcquown wrote:
> Dog3 wrote:
> > M. FERRANTE > wrote in
> > :
> >
> >> I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
> >> the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
> >> on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
> >> press or no?
> >>
> >> Mark Ferrante
> >> Click here eveyday to feed a rescued animal:
> >>
> >> http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/
> >
> > I don't press the burgers. I tried an experiment once on the gas
> > grill. I hand formed 2 burgers and threw them on. I pressed one a
> > couple of times during the cooking time. The pressed burger was
> > drier to taste than the non press. It turned me into a non presser,
> > as bad as I want to press I just don't.
> >
> > Michael
>
> It's a temptation, for sure. But eventually you learn when the burger is
> done and you have a much juicier burger without flattening it with the
> spatula, whether it be on the grill, under a broiler or in a frying pan.
>
> Jill

I agree. I've seen too many country (and city) diners where the cook
uses the spatula to press down, or even haas another instrument (handle
and flat plate?) to press down, on the grill, which is usually a flat
surface grill rather than the open "lines" grill over the gas falmes.
I guess, from their standpoint, it makes the meat patty look more
"neat" and clean and ot fall apart when placed on the Wonder Bread bun.

..
Of course, in New Orleans French Quarter there is the famous Clover
Grill. (One has to experience it.) They have the flat solid grill
that does everything from burgers to hash browns, eggs, and chicken
fried steaks (before the gravy). Their gimmick is frying the large
(fresh meat) burgers under a hubcab. Turn it over soon, tap just
lightly with the back of the spatula, then spurt with water before
returning the hubcap over the meat. A combo of fried and steamed. It
really works! But you have to start out with good quality ground
beef. And you have to heed their advice to not dance on the tables,
and, "If it's not ready in five minutes, just sit and wait. We're not
your mother." And, "If you think our waitresses are ugly, just wait
til the next shift." etc.

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 02:39:09 GMT, Monsur Fromage du Pollet wrote:

> sf wrote on 26 Jul 2005 in rec.food.cooking
>
> > You FRY them? I haven't done it that way in years.
> >
>
> I fry, broil and grill...but I press down only when frying.

I can't be too snooty. My husband told me only yesterday that a steak
he made for me a few months ago (which I absolutely LOVED) had been
pan fried. That should teach me not to work so late!

> I like the taste of fried burgers. I also like the other methods
> mentioned. But fried burgers is almost a comfort food. I eat burgers
> about 3 times a month and at least one of those times will be
> fried...the other two are likely to be grilled and the rare time
> broiled.

I love burgers too. If I don't have a burger at least one a week, I'm
left craving it.... so I'm probably on your schedule of 3 times a
month. I said that because until you made me thing about it, I
thought I ate burgers more than that. REALLY!

> I think possibly wrongly that broiled burger require more
> attention than the other methods and I like to do prep work on other
> stuff, frying appeals to me as I feel I don't need to pay as strict
> attention to them. Same when grilling.

OK, I'll buy that arguement. I'm the type that throws some potatoes
in the oven to "fry" (I cut use potatoes) and cook the burger
inbetween. Burger, oven fries, salad (this week, it's Caesar)... is a
satisfying meal for me.

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 14:43:43 -0400, M. FERRANTE
> wrote:

>I was watching the Epicurious cooking show on The Travel Channel and
>the chef said that he never commits the ultimate sin of pressing down
>on a hamburger (to rid it of grease) while it is cooking. Do you
>press or no?

Absolutely not! Pressing forces out the good juices.
>
>If a person chooses not to press down, then how does one tell if the
>hamburger is done?

Take it's temperature; cut into it; press with finger to determine
firmness; time the operation if using consistent heat source.