Give this a reading before you put salt in your hamburger mix!
Flavorful and juicy are the best hamburgers—whether you grill them, broil them, or sear them in a skillet. But adding salt, even a small amount, to the hamburger mix will cause the meat to form a sausage-like texture. (For burgers, that's no good.) Here's why:
The unusual relationship of salt and burgers
Salt is particularly good at dissolving protein, so it breaks down the hamburger before the patty even hits the grill when it is mixed in with the meat and other seasonings. Test Kitchen expert James Schend painted a picture of what happens when you salt ahead of time: "What you end up with is a very close one. Compacted patty with a sausage-like texture. Think about that firm, almost rubbery texture when you bite into a sausage for links, but is that the texture in your burger you want? "Sure these 20 amazing burger recipes are checked out while you're there.
Yikes! Yikes! Moist and tender should be the most perfectly cooked burgers, definitely not rubbery. That's not to say, though, you should completely skip the salt. Form the burgers before putting them on the heat and add salt right.
(Schend suggests using Kosher salt because the larger crystals will help you see how much you have added and avoid over-salting.) Don't miss 8 more mistakes that we all make with our hamburgers!
What about other foods?
You probably throw more on the grill than burgers — so what happens when they "meat" salt to other foods? Schend has a little more insight:
Whole Meat Cuts:
You may want to use a brine for steak or roast (three cups of water, one quarter cup of salt and one quarter cup of sugar). Let it rest for two pounds of meat for about an hour. Pat the meat dry before cooking.
Hot Dogs:
Go all-out with home-made hot dogs for your next barbecue? Schend recommends salting the meat before stuffing them into their enclosures; you'll need the firm salt texture to keep your dogs in shape.
Other Ground Meats:
"The proteins will all begin to dissolve and stick to themselves [when salted], whether it's ground poultry or pork, forming that sausage-like texture," says Schend. (It'll also stick to your barbecue grill.)
Vegetables:
When it comes to grilling veggies, you can add salt and season as you please. It's not going to change its texture!
image credit by- MelvinDyson/shutterstock
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