• DIY Buttermilk:  I often don’t have buttermilk, so I will use a DIY buttermilk.  To make your own buttermilk, Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar to a 3 cup+ measuring cup.  Add enough milk to equal cups.  Give it a stir then wait 10-15 minutes for it to curdle, then give it another stir before using.   If you only have 1% milk, then add a splash of heavy cream before filling the rest of the measuring cup with milk.

QUICK TIPS 

• Use quality BBQ sauce.  Your burgers are only as good as your sauce!  I highly suggest my homemade BBQ sauce recipe. 
• Use correct meat.  Use 80% lean or 85% lean meat ground beef.  Anything greater than 80% lean causes too many flare ups and anything less than 85% lean = dry burgers. Ground Chuck is the best meat to use.  You can simply ask your butcher for 80/20 ground chuck and he will know exactly what you mean.
• Lean ground beef or sirloin.  If you use lean ground beef or ground sirloin, I recommend adding a couple tablespoons of the bacon drippings directly to the panade before adding the beef, this will prevent dry burgers.
• Don’t overwork meat.  Stop mixing the ingredients as soon as they are combined.  Overworking the meat will create rubbery, tough burgers. Shape the hamburger patties gently and don’t pack the meat together or else you’ll end up with a hard burger.
• Keep beef cold. To prevent dry burgers, keep the ground beef as cold as possible by refrigerating it until you have made the panade and are ready to add the beef.  Once you add the beef, work quickly and then refrigerate the patties again until ready to cook.
• Make an indentation. Making a shallow indentation in the center of each patty will ensure the burgers cook evenly and prevent the centers from bulging as the surrounding collagen tightens.
• Size of patties matters.  Since patties vary in size, here is a simple formula: make patties 1-inch larger than the buns and the outer edges twice as thick as the center.
• Chill patties.  The colder the patties, the better the flavor-carrying fat stays in the meat which means juicer burgers and burgers that don’t crumble when cooked.
• Use correct pan.  Use a cast iron skillet or heavy bottom pan because they distribute heat more evenly and therefore cook your hamburgers more evenly.
• Clean Grill. If grilling, start with a clean grill for the best flavor and texture.
• Hot:  Get the pan very hot before adding the burgers to create a nice crust/char for maximum flavor and juiciness.
• Don’t press burgers.  We’ve all seen it done, but don’t EVER press down on your burgers with your spatula. Pressing down on the burgers squeezes out the flavorful juices just like a sponge which are what make a juicy burger juicy.  Every time you press, you lose flavor and moisture resulting in a drier burger.
• Let burgers rest. Once the burgers are done, place them on a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes.  This allows the juices that have been pushed to the outside of the burger when cooking to be redistributed throughout the burger.

STORAGE 

MAKE AHEAD

• Burgers. You can completely assemble the BBQ burger patties, place them on a parchment lined plate or tray, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.  Store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. DON’T bring to room temperature before cooking – cook straight from the refrigerator.
• BBQ Sauce.  Make BBQ Sauce according to recipe directions.  Allow to cool to room temperature then transfer to a mason jar or an air-tight container. Store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.  
• Toppings.  You can prep your toppings while the burgers are chilling so they are all ready to go as and all you have to do is cook and eat!  
• Onion Strings.   Fry onions according to directions.  Let onions cool COMPLETELY before transferring to an airtight container. Store onions at ROOM TEMPERATURE for up to three days.

HOW TO FREEZE COOKED BURGERS

• Place cooked patties in a freezer size plastic bag and separate patties with parchment paper OR place patties in individual plastic bags.  
• With either option, make sure you squeeze as much excess air out as possible in order to prevent freezer burn.  
• Alternatively, you can wrap individual patties tightly in plastic wrap followed by foil.
• When ready to eat, let burgers defrost overnight in the refrigerator then cook within three days.

HOW TO FREEZE UNCOOKED BURGER PATTIES

• Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Line patties on the parchment paper in rows so they aren’t touching.
• Place tray in the freezer and freeze until solid, about 1-2 hours.
• Using kitchen shears, cut the along the imaginary grid to separate the patties, this way each patty has its own parchment square. 
• Stack patties separated by parchment paper into a freezer bag.
• Squeeze out as much air as possible in order to prevent freezer burn then seal and label.
• Freeze for up to four months.