Gordon Ramsay's Buttery Secret For Better Burgers
Whether it's scrambling up fluffy eggs or perfecting the art of pan searing a steak, it's safe to say that Gordon Ramsay knows his way around the kitchen. One of the "Hell's Kitchen" icon's signatures is an American staple: The cheeseburger. If you're struggling to make your backyard grill-outs memorable, then Ramsay has a secret to making your burgers better. It's all in the butter.
That's right, a little bit of butter goes a long way to making your burgers flavorful. In his recipe for the perfect burger, Ramsay recommends using frozen butter and a box grater. Using the grater, you'll shred bits of butter into your hamburger meat mixture before making the patties. You're shredding the butter, similarly to how you would shred cheese, into the meat. From there, you'll form your patties for the grill with the butter already mixed in. When you grill your burgers, the butter will melt and penetrate the meat. As Ramsay explained in a video on his YouTube channel, "We get that nice, rich, buttery, smooth flavor inside that delicious burger."
However, that's not the only way that Ramsay recommends using butter. In an interview with ABC News, the chef suggested making a butter sauce for your patties. "If you want to become even more chef-y," Ramsay told the outlet, "Make it a red wine butter, a chipotle butter ... it is up to you to sort of make it your own." The chef also uses butter in other ways to bring out the flavor of his meat.
Gordon Ramsay recommends basting your burgers
If it's not clear that Gordon Ramsay likes butter, then these other burger tips will make it crystal clear. Besides adding butter to your beef mixture, Ramsay also recommends lightly basting both sides of your burger with butter as they grill. As he told ABC, it "makes the burgers so tasty." The chef has also used butter in his recipe when it comes to melting the cheese as well. Ramsay recommends adding a chopped piece of butter on the grill next to the burger patty with cheese on it. He then covers both the butter and burger with a griddle. You can use a pot as well. This essentially traps the burger in with the heat and melting butter, making the cheese melt fast without worrying about your patty drying out.
However, Ramsay's reliance on butter for his burgers has drawn criticism online, with some questioning health concerns. After he shared a video of his approach on Instagram, several people blasted his use of so much butter. One Instagram commenter wrote, "And heart attack! Think it needs more butter." Another wrote, "It drips way too much, which makes it look unappetizing overall!" However, Ramsay hardly seemed bothered, refusing to apologize for his recipe.
Other tips for cooking perfect burger
Whether you want to follow Gordon Ramsay's butter secret or not, the renowned chef has plenty of tips for ensuring a quality burger. For one, Ramsay has advised that the secret to a perfect burger starts with the meat itself. The chef recommends a mixture of chuck and brisket. He'll often try to get the patties prepared the day before and store them in the fridge. The coldness will help the patties firm up and prevent them from falling apart on the grill. "Let the meats relax a little bit, don't take them out of the fridge ice cold, otherwise they will be dry on the outside and raw in the middle," the chef told ABC News.
As far as the patty mixture, besides butter, Ramsay also stresses the importance of seasoning the meat. He'll also add in an egg yolk for texture. When it comes time to grill your burgers, the chef noted that it's important to get a quality sear to the outside of your burger. To do so, you'll need to heat your pan to a high heat prior to laying down your burger patty. "Once you put a burger on the grill, the secret is to move it as less as possible," Ramsay also told ABC News. This will give your patty that nice golden color.
Finally, if you don't add butter to the patty mixture, Ramsay recommends adding a tablespoon to the pan itself. It will boost the flavor of the meat.