Cooking methods

Burger Cooking Tips

Always cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F, as measured with a meat thermometer, to ensure food safety.

Cooking Thawed Patties

On the stovetop: Season burgers as desired. Preheat a nonstick skillet. Place burgers in skillet, uncovered, over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

On the grill: Season burgers as desired. Place burgers on a preheated grill over medium-high heat, covered, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Under the broiler: Season burgers as desired. Preheat broiler on high setting. Broil burgers 4 to 5 inches from the heat with oven door partially opened 4 to 6 minutes on each side.

Cooking Frozen Patties

If needed, microwave patties 30 seconds on High, defrosting just enough to break patties apart. Only microwave the patties you intend to use; do not re-freeze after microwaving.

On the stovetop: Place patties in a preheated nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a few drops of water, and cover skillet. Cook 5 minutes on each side. Season to taste.

On the grill: Place patties on a preheated grill over medium-high heat, covered, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Season to taste.

Under the broiler: Broil burgers 4 to 5 inches from the heat with oven door partially opened 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Season to taste.

Serving Suggestions

• Top with Pepper Jack cheese, guacamole and salsa for a Mexican flair.
• Think Southwest: Top with barbecue sauce and cole slaw.
• Mushrooms are a classic burger topping - but you can also try sautéed onions, bell peppers, chutney or chili on top of your burger.
• Tired of plain old American cheese? Try bleu cheese, goat cheese, Monterey Jack with peppers, brie, feta, Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, Fontina or Munster.
• Forget that plain old hamburger bun. Dress up your burger with focaccia bread or an English muffin.

Cooking Tips for Delicious Burgers

• If you're forming patties yourself, handle the ground beef as little as possible. Pressing and overworking the ground beef too much will result in a dense, tough burger.
• Never use a metal spatula to press down on a hamburger patty while it's cooking-you'll squeeze out the flavorful juices and end up with a dry burger.
• Flip burgers once.
• For grilling, make sure the grill is clean, hot and well oiled.
• Freeze uncooked patties in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag for up to 3 months; place patties between sheets of freezer paper so they'll be easy to pry apart. Remove as much air as possible from the bag to prevent freezer burn.
• Store fresh ground beef in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
• Defrost frozen beef in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.
• Do not refreeze defrosted, uncooked ground beef.
• Cook as soon as possible after thawing.