Okay, three if we’re counting fire.
My son will choose these over McDonald’s every time. Two ingredients. The secret is fire. That’s it — that’s the whole pitch.
The Setup
Buy a package of 85/15 Angus ground beef and use a hamburger press to make patties ahead of time. Divide the beef into roughly equal portions and loosely roll each one into a ball before pressing. Don’t overwork the meat. The patties you’re not cooking tonight? Freeze them. Future you will be grateful when it’s 6pm and you have zero ideas for dinner.
The Secret Is Getting the Grill HOT
This is where most people go wrong. You need the grill genuinely, aggressively hot — not ‘I think it’s ready’ hot, but ‘the thermometer is deep in the red zone’ hot. On my Char-Broil, that means I wait until it’s well past 500°F.
Season Both Sides
Season one side before they go on, then season the second side after you flip. Kinder’s The Blend is salt, pepper, and garlic — simple, perfect, don’t overthink it.
On the Grill
Put the patties down and leave them alone. No pressing (YET), no fussing, no checking every 30 seconds.
The Actual Secret: Let the Fat Do the Work
Here’s the move that makes these burgers what they are: as the fat renders out, give the patties a gentle squeeze. That fat hits the coals, the flames flare up, and that fire is what gives you that flavor you can’t replicate on a flat top or in a pan. Don’t skip this step. Don’t be scared of the flames. This is the whole point.
Flip Once
Flip once. Season the second side if you haven’t already. Let the fire do its thing again.
Done
Pull them when they look done. Rest for a couple minutes if you can wait that long.
Two ingredients. A hot grill. The willingness to let some fat catch fire. That’s it. One less thing to overthink.
Macros (per patty)
- 270 calories
- 24 g protein
- 19 g fat
- 0 g carbs
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