Section 02 of 08 · 4 entries
The Patty
Grind, fat and the things done before it is lit. By the time a burger reaches the grate, most of what it will taste like has been settled.
The argument of this section
By the time a burger reaches the grate, most of what it will taste like has been settled. Grind, fat ratio, how loosely it was formed and whether anybody pressed it are four decisions taken on a board, and the fire can only finish what arrives.
Temperatures and times in this section are the conventional figures, stated as they are given. Nothing here departs from standard food-safety guidance — see Reference.
Everything in The Patty
The thing, the condition, the value. In the order the decisions are taken, not by how much they matter.
- 01Eighty-twenty, and why the number movesFat is moisture, flavour and the thing that renders into the fire. The ratio that works depends on how long it will be over heat.A short read
- 02Grind and grainCoarse holds texture, fine turns to paste, and the direction it packs matters.A short read
- 03Pressing costs everythingEvery press is rendered fat in the coals instead of in the meat.One page
- 04Form it looselyCompaction is the commonest reason a burger eats dense.One page
Grind, fat and the things done before it is lit.