Many believe soaking a burger bun in the leftover grease from cooking the patty adds flavor, but Chef Michael Hawk disagrees. Hawk, the executive chef at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, suggests toasting the bun in butter to enhance both flavor and texture.
How to Toast Your Bun
Chef Hawk advises using a sauté pan on medium heat with whole, unsalted butter. Let the butter melt before placing the cut-side of the bun down in the pan. Apply a bit of pressure for increased contact. Toast for two to three minutes until golden brown.
Check your buns frequently to ensure they brown without burning. Start toasting as your burgers near completion.
Resting the Burger
Burgers need a short rest after cooking to retain their juices. Hawk states this pause is ideal for toasting the buns. Resting prevents the liquid from soaking into the bun and spoiling its crispness.
Burn Prevention
Brioche or potato bread buns are Hawk’s favorites for preserving the meat’s flavor. He advises using low heat to avoid burning. On a grill, place buns on cooler, outer edges.
Cooking the Perfect Burger
Burger preparation involves the right shape, size, and meat blend. Consistency in shapes and weights aids even cooking. Hawk recommends a digital thermometer to check doneness and advises removing burgers from heat five degrees before reaching the target temperature, as they’ll continue cooking while resting.
Smash burgers are popular, yet timing is key. According to Hawk, patties should only be smashed raw. Once the seal forms during cooking, pressing would dry out the burger.
Common Cooking Mistakes
Pressing burgers while cooking is a common error, says Hawk. For a juicier result, let the patties rest undisturbed. Temper your meat before cooking to reduce grill time and preserve moisture. Hawk suggests letting the temperature rise slightly to maintain juiciness.
Teresa Mull, a freelance writer with Fox News Digital Lifestyle team, contributed this piece.
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