After last week’s Spotted Pig excursion I spent a lot of time talking burgers with my friends and family. We all agreed that while tuna burgers, turkey burgers and even andouille burgers can be exciting, to achieve true burger bliss it doesn’t get any better than a well-cooked classic cheeseburger.

The basics of the classic cheeseburger are ground beef, bun and cheese - that’s it. It is straightforward, simple and clean. You won’t see any guacamole, chipotle sauce or other fancy fixings on the classic cheeseburger, but maybe a couple of embellishments like ketchup or mayonnaise (or my favorite, a combination of both). To create truly memorable classic cheeseburgers, you have to source the best ingredients and use the best techniques.

Usually I advocate for purchasing your beef at the farmer’s market, but for ground beef I actually prefer buying from a quality butcher where I can ensure the beef was ground that morning. Look for grass-fed beef with 15-20% fat. A larger grind will also help prevent the burgers from drying out or becoming tough.

After securing your ground beef, the next step is to find the perfect bun. I have actually found this step to be more difficult. Even at high-end grocery stores, most burger buns tend to be filled with preservatives so they can sit on the shelf for weeks - not so yummy. I have also tried rolls at my local bakery but they have tended to be hard rolls, which isn’t the best texture for burgers. I have had the best luck with a locally baked soft brioche roll or thick slices of sourdough bread.

There are endless options when it come to the cheese, from the bite of a sharp cheddar to the tang of an aged blue cheese. You won’t need to use too much cheese so it is worth splurging (if you see those pre-shredded selections, just walk away). My favorites are a Vermont cheddar like Cabot or Shelburne Farms, or a blue cheese such as Point Reyes or Rogue Creamery.

Once you have sourced the best ingredients, the next critical step is technique. Burgers seem pretty straightforward, and they really are, but there are a few steps that will take you from basic burger to burger bliss:

• Wet your hands with cool water before forming the patties in order to keep the ground beef as cool as possible.
• Be gentle when forming the patties. Don’t knead or pack too tightly - the less you handle the ground beef, the more tender and juicier the burgers.
• Season the patties with a generous pinch of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
• Refrigerate until ready to grill.
• If using an outdoor grill, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a paper towel and grease the grill grates. This will help prevent the patties from sticking.
• Preheat the grill or skillet to hot and add the patties to create a nice sear, then lower the heat to medium.
• Don’t press the patty with your spatula - it may speed up the cooking but it will also force the juices out.
• Don’t flip the burgers too often; sear on both sides and then flip once again over medium heat.
• If you are working indoors, I like to use the broiler to quickly melt the cheese.
• Let your burgers rest off the heat for one minute before plating.

Best of luck with building better burgers this summer! If you have any burger tips, I would love to hear them so drop a comment below.

More Burgers on the Web:

A Hamburger Today

Simply Recipes Blue Cheese Burgers

101 Cookbooks Ultimate Veggie Burger