Four ways to improve your burgers for this July 4th

Meat

When purchasing meat for your burgers, avoid leaner cuts of beef. For the perfect ratio of fat to meat, look for beef with at least 20% fat. Try a blend of 50% ground sirloin and 50% ground chuck for great tasting beef. Another great red meat option for burgers is ground bison. For those avoiding red meat or wanting to mix it up, ground chicken or turkey also makes for a delicious burger that’s lighter on the stomach. Beyond burgers and other meat alternatives make for a burger with a lighter impact on the earth that still taste so close to the real thing that it’ll shock you!

Marinade

Another great way to add some extra bang to your burgers is to marinade your ground meat before forming your patties. Allegro Original makes for a great tasting, classic burger. Hickory smoke adds a great smoky flavor to your burgers that will please every palate. Looking for a bold tasting burger? Add Allegro Black Pepper. Try our Teriyaki marinade for a delicious Asian twist on an American favorite. For a burger that brings the heat, use Allegro Hot & Spicy or Nashville Hot. Marinade is a great way to pack in extra flavor and step up your burger game! Make sure to marinade your ground beef for 30 minutes to an hour before forming your patties for best results.

Moisture

No one likes a dry burger! Add extra moisture to your meat by incorporating mayonnaise, plain yogurt, or sour cream into your ground meat before forming your patties. Be careful not to overwork your meat before cooking as this also draws moisture out of the meat. Don’t salt your meat until just before cooking to keep your patties fresh and moist. Another trick to add moisture to your patties: add ice chips to your patties immediately before cooking. As the ice melts, it’ll create more steam in the grill, which will add more moisture and more flavor to the burgers. While cooking, let your patties rest on the grill and resist the urge to press on the patties with a grilling spatula. This process squeezes the juices out of the meat, leaving drier, less flavorful burgers.

Toppings

For burgers that really hit it out of the park, think out of the box with toppings. Stretching beyond ketchup and mustard is a whole wide world of flavor opportunities that will make your burgers stand out. A popular topping option is bacon. Another breakfast food that makes a great burger topping is an over easy or over medium egg. Experiment with different types of cheeses which will add different flavor notes to your burger. Try adding fruit to your burger for a sweet or tangy twist like grilled pineapple or peach slices. Sautéed onions and mushrooms add a great savory, earthy taste to burgers. Finish off your burgers with one of Allegro’s barbecue sauces to add extra moisture and flavor. With Original, Spicy, and Honey varieties, there’s a sauce for every member of the family!