When it comes to grilling tasty burgers it seems like just about everyone has their say. Several celebrity chefs have weighed in with Gordon Ramsay giving a buttery tip for burgers and Tyler Florence emphasizing the texture of the burger as the most important part of your experience. There are indeed a lot of little burger tips and tricks out there right down to what type of beef to choose for your burgers. But despite all of these recommendations one crucial question seems to have gone unnoticed. So today we’re here to ask: should you grill your burgers with the lid open or closed?
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 BarbecueTricks | 2014-04-27 12:22:01 |  54,590 Views |
LID UP OR DOWN – BURGER TRICKS & TIPS
The answer may seem obvious at first. Keep the lid down right? While it’s generally accepted that the lid should remain down when it comes to the grill it may be in your best interest to cook your burgers with the lid up depending on the size of your burgers. Thin or even medium sized burgers cook quite quickly so keeping the lid up will allow them to cook longer and give your burgers more time to develop a great texture from the grill. Keeping the lid up also prevents your burgers from “baking” on the grill instead of grilling them. So if you value total control over the doneness of your burger you’ll want to keep the lid up. This may change if your burgers are thicker than normal but the prevailing opinion seems to be that you should keep the lid up.
Whether you grill your burgers with the lid up or down depends on the situation you’re in. The thickness of the patties certainly plays a role as does your own personal taste in how you like the doneness and texture of your burger. But the type of grill you use also plays a crucial role in making that decision. Not all grills are created equal some get hotter than others and retain heat better. And that’s not to mention charcoal grills give a much smokier flavor to meat.
If your grill is on the cool side it’s best to keep the lid closed to prevent even more heat from being lost. On the other hand if your grill is running extremely hot it’s best to leave it open to prevent your burgers from overcooking. And of course when it comes to charcoal grills keeping the lid closed will help to release more of that smokiness into your burger. So if you can sear them on a hot spot with the lid up and then finish them off on a cool spot with the lid down you can get the best of both worlds with a smoky yet juicy burger. Of course this is largely speculation and depends on your own taste so take these tips into account to create a delicious burger that suits your preferences.
