Burger Seasoning

I love a good grilled hamburger. In the summer they are in heavy rotation at my house.

You might think that a variety of toppings negates the need for heavily seasoned meats. That is not true! First, I have some friends who skip all toppings. I’m not judging but they only want the grilled burger so it’s important to make sure your patties can stand on their own.

Second, and more importantly, seasoning, particularly with the addition of sugar, aids in the Maillard reaction, the chemical reaction that causes meat to brown. When your burgers form a crust, that’s where all the flavor comes from, and this DIY burger seasoning helps with that.

How to make homemade hamburger seasoning

Built on the backbone of salt and pepper, this spice is accented with granulated garlic, dark brown sugar, paprika and cumin for a sweet, earthy punch.

Finally, I incorporated ground cayenne pepper and ground mustard for a little subtle spiciness. A little goes a long way, as I reminded myself during the testing process.

There are two schools of thought for seasoning meat: In or On. Either way works, but I like putting the burger seasoning on top of the meat instead of incorporating it so it forms a crust when grilling. Not sure which way to go? Experiment! It’s nice to have another reason to fire up the grill.

• Burgers taste best when seasoned just before grilling.
• I use 1 teaspoon of burger seasoning for every pound of meat.
• I prefer to use a shaker to flavor the burgers, but thumbs and fingertips or even a gentle sprinkling from a small bowl will work.
• Season one side of the patty, then flip and season the other side of the patty.
• Releasing the spice from about a foot in the air helps with even distribution.

How to store the burger seasoning

With ingredients readily available in your pantry, sealed in an airtight container and stored in the cupboard, this rub will easily keep for up to 3 months. Plus, the rub only yields 1/4 cup, ensuring your spices stay fresh. It’s the hero of your summer cookouts, so vibrant ingredients are a must.

Here’s how to use this easy hamburger spice mix

This mix is ​​great for burgers, but is pretty universal and a great seasoning base for beef, pork, and poultry. It’s also a great blend that you can customize with different spices and herbs.

For beef, you could increase the paprika. In the case of pork, the brown sugar provides more sweetness. If you’re working with poultry, remove the cayenne and mustard and add some dried herbs like thyme or oregano.

Whichever direction you take, this rub is guaranteed to add to the season’s success of your BBQ game. Crazy Burger Toppings are great, but the most important ingredient is what you use to make a well-seasoned and grilled burger.