Try this simple trick to form perfect burger patties every time

Making the perfect burger may sound simple. But we’ve all been to cookouts where the burgers are misshapen, tough, overcooked, and just totally disappointing. If you’re tired of having your cheeseburger cravings crushed, then we have some good news. The folks at Food & Wine know a few things about quality cuisine. One of their experts shared a simple trick that can help anyone become a burger master.

Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple shared a “Mad Genius Tip” video on YouTube which will change the way you make your burger patties. But, before getting into his brilliant idea, let’s start with the basics: the ground beef.

To make the perfect burger, you have to start with your own beef patties. Forget about shortcuts like frozen burger meat. Sure, they’re convenient, but you are sacrificing quality for speed. It’s not worth it and making burger patties with the tip we’re about to share will take no time at all. Leave the frozen patties to fast food restaurants (except Wendy’s, which takes some serious exception to frozen burgers on its social media.)

First, you’ll want to consider what kind of ground beef you want to use. For the juiciest and most flavorful burger, you are going to want to choose a grind with some fat content. Yes, we know many people think less fat is better. But, when it comes to the best burger, you’ll need to ditch the diet mentality. Executive chef James Kent of New York City’s NoMad Hotel (as reported by Food Network) recommends a meat-to-fat ratio of 75/25 for the winning flavor-texture combination.

Once you have the ground beef, that’s when you’re going to use Chapple’s hamburger hack. The advantage of this technique, according to the video, is that it quickly and easily forces the patties into a consistent shape and thickness without making you handle the meat too much.

“Most people, they overwork the patties, and that causes them to be tough and dry,” Chapple explains in the video.

So, how do we avoid ruining our burgers before they are even cooked? Grab two Tupperware lids or takeout container lids and use them like a patty press! Simply put the beef between the lids and push them together.

Chapple demonstrates the process in his clever video, posted to YouTube by Food & Wine:

If you don’t have the kind of lids Chapple recommends and don’t think you’ll be getting takeout from a restaurant that offers them anytime soon, TipHero suggests buying a supply from Amazon. The deli food storage containers come in bulk in 32-ounce, 16-ounce, and 8-ounce sizes. They’re great to have on hand for leftovers, too.

We can’t wait to try this brilliant trick to make our next barbecue even better!