If you read my recent hot dog roller article, you know that I'm a man who loves automation and uniformity...in my meat...I'm not a communist sympathizer or anything. When it comes to forming the perfect beef patty, the hamburger press is your only ticket. I can't shape a raw burger to save my life. It always ends up coming apart, or too thin and overdone, or too fat and deadly in the middle. One alternative I've tried is buying prepackaged patties from the grocer, but c'mon, those things suck, and they're usually more expensive. For the best combination of ease and homemade hamburger recipe quality, you have no choice but to go with a hamburger patty press.
If you've never been introduced to the wonders of using a hamburger meat press, don't fret - you haven't anything to worry about - It's painfully simple. Some hamburger presses call for different portions of raw meat, but generally speaking, you just plop a handful of ground beef in the center of the 5" surface, lower the press, and poof! You have yourself a perfectly shaped patty ready for the grill. It's so easy that the renown publisher, For Dummies, makes a Grilling Burgers For Dummies book that comes with a burger press included.
These things are perfect for big cookouts, especially when you have 50 different people who all want theirs cooked a certain way. I know that the experience grill master won't have a problem serving them up perfectly the old fashioned way, but for most of us rookies, we need a little help. The uniformity produced by hamburger presses not only makes the patties more aesthetically pleasing, but it's also much easier to tell when it's done. No more cutting a huge slice into every burger to check the middle.
I know that I said they're very simple, but patty presses still come in quite a few different styles. Typically, you're going to find them built to make the standard quarter pound patties, making a 4 3/8" patty about 1/2" thick. You can purchase them in plastic, as well as steel and aluminum. The plastic are generally cheaper, and easier for washing. Some plastic models also include grooves that are supposed to channel the juices more effectively, but I don't know about all that...
Most models come ready for shaping single burgers at a time, but you can also find plenty of double press models. A double hamburger press is perfect for big parties and events where you're prepping burgers like a maniac. Double hence twice as fast, so spend a few extra bucks on the double model if the need for speed plays a factor.
In my opinion, the best hamburger press is the Burger EXPress press. This thing is the Cadillac of patty makers. It's made of heavy duty non-stick aluminum that's easy to clean and will last forever. Just put your ball of beef on the surface, close the lid, press down on the "Compacting Ejection Button", and cook your beautiful burger. My favorite thing about this little beast is that you're not limited to those dinky little quarter pounders. The Burger EXPress can make patties up to one and a half inches thick! As you may imagine, you pay a little for the quality here. The single model is a little over $30, and the double comes in at around $42.
You may think I'm silly for getting so worked up over making ground beef patties, but if you have any trouble with it at all, you're a darn fool not to invest a couple bucks into a hamburger press. Happy grillin'!
