What's a Burger?

What's a Burger?

It's a weeknight meal

It's a holiday grill out

It's a quick bite at the game

It's a drive-thru away

It's simple

It's a favorite

It's an empty pallet

It's a birthday dinner

It's a million different ways

It's personal

Most people think of hamburger as cheap meat.  A good amount of quick-fix meals contain ground meat.  It's an everyday thing.  However, how many special meals center around the perfect hamburger?  They are built out of the same ground meat that our go-to casseroles are, but higher up on the culinary pedestal.  With so many variations, I do believe it's time to get cooking.  Stacey and I have come up with some tips and tricks to help you create the perfect burger.  Perfect…meaning tasty, healthy and satisfying. 

Choosing the meat

When choosing your meat you have many options.  Beef, turkey, chicken, pork, lamb and even buffalo.  I could go on. 

First take a look at the percentage of fat.  Go for the highest percentage of lean meat you can.  Keeping in the 90s will keep you going till you’re 90.  This simply means your heart will thank you.  This is not a guarantee that you will in fact live until you are 90.  With turkey and chicken you still need to look at your percentage.  You may be surprised that a higher percentage of fat with ground poultry can be pretty close to lean red meat.       

Next take a look at how you prepare your meat.  The more you work with it the dryer your burger will be.  When working with leaner meats we automatically think we need to add all sorts of flavorings to the burger, mix it in real good and form it…this just makes for a tougher end product.  Your best bet is to portion your ground meat and form it with as little handling as possible.  You can create wonderful rubs, sauces or toppings to jazz your burger up.  Meat rolls/chubs are perfect for making burgers.  Pop them in the freezer for about half an hour then slice to desired thickness.  Try to keep each slice at about ¼ pound for a perfect serving.  The one pound chubs make great sliders.  I get 8 sliders out of one pound.

Finally, make sure you cook your burgers to the proper temperature.  Did you know that 8 out of 10 burgers that come off a grill are undercooked?  Yikes!  Get your thermometer out boys and girls…don’t become a statistic! 

Here are the USDA recommended safe minimum internal temperatures for you to reference for all your summer grilling

Steaks - 145°F

Fish - 145°F

Pork - 160°F

Ground Beef - 160°F

Chicken - 165°F    

Just one more thing…you are probably just chomping at the bit to know what our favorite burger toppings are-

Hy-Vee Chef Lindsey – caramelized onions, mushrooms, green onion, Havarti cheese and crème fraiche.

Hy-Vee Dietitian Stacey – sautéed mushrooms, lettuce and tomato.

Our Foodie Friend Elisa - Turkey burger with avocado, sprouts and spicy Dijon.

How does your garden grow?

Green beans, snap peas, zucchini...oh my my!  We can hardly wait to reap the benefits of our gardens.  It's that time of year again where we wait, and wait and wait some more for our hard work in the garden to pay off.  If you haven't started planning your garden yet don't worry.  It's not too late.  In fact, you are just in time for Two Girls 'n' a Grocery Store to give you their tips.  We may not be Master Gardeners, but we are farm girls who know our veggies. 

PLAN- Plant what you like.  Don't waste time planting a crop of something you are not going to use.  Plant what you love and you will be more likely to keep up weeding.  Don't be afraid to try something new.  If you like it plant more next year.  If you don't be sure to give it to someone who will enjoy it.  Fresh produce makes a great gift!  Most produce can be canned and a lot can be frozen too.  Plant extra to can or freeze and enjoy your hard work well into the winter.  Can enough to get you through the next year not the next decade.  Don't go overboard.   

COOP- Do you have a neighbor, friend or family member who gardens?  Get together and plan with them!  Make a list of what you want to plant and split it up.  Then, come harvest time, you can split the goods.  Example: Chef Lindsey's parents plant tomatoes, peppers and squash.  Lindsey focuses on peas, beans and root vegetables.  When the crop comes in they all share and have plenty. 

HERBS- Instead of planting all your herbs in the garden with your veggies, use them as planter fillers.  Mix your favorite herbs with annuals to create a beautiful arrangement that is both eye-catching and delicious.  Keep these planters by your front door.  This makes them accessible and you are more likely to use them up.  As you come home from work walk by them, get inspired and pick them right on the spot. 

GARDEN PARTY- Share the love!  What an amazing way to treat your friends, share recipes and enjoy the outdoors.  Let your friends harvest their lunch and make a fresh salad or grill their favorite pick.  Yum!  Set up a table with fresh herbs, oil, vinegar, smoked salts, fresh cheeses and artison breads and get their creative culinary juices flowing. 

Check back for more tips and updates on our gardens.
Happy gardening!