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Grill

How to Grill the Perfect Burger

Filed under: Dining

Nothing says summer like a perfectly grilled burger. Wow your friends and family alike with these tips for cooking up the perfect patty.

Don't go lean
No one ever said perfect flavor was perfectly healthy. For the juiciest, most decadent cooked patty choose ground chuck with 15-20% fat. If you like your burgers very well done consider going even higher (more fat will let you cook longer without the meat going dry).

Size matters Use cold meat and clean, wet, cold hands to form patties that are 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Any thicker and you risk the outside getting overdone while you wait for the heat to reach the inside. Make the patties about 1/2" wider than the buns to allow for shrinkage, and avoid a 'poofed' finished patty by using your thumb to press an indentation in the center of each one before cooking.

Save seasonings for last Salt draws out moisture so season generously but season last minute, right before you throw the patty on the grill.

Don't overwork the meat Don't overwork the raw meat as you make patties and resist pressing on the burgers as they cook -- it only squeezes out the juices and dries out the burger (not to mention causes flame-ups). Try to flip each patty only once -- if they stick to the grill wait a minute and try again.

Don't rely on color for doneness Temperature is the only reliable way of telling if a burger is done or not -- it should be 160°F in the center.

Let the patties rest Let the cooked patties rest for 1-2 minutes before cutting or eating to let the juices stabilize. Biting in too soon can lead to a drippy burger with dry flavor.

For more great grilling options check out our Guide to Meat Cuts.

The Best Grills for Outdoor Barbecues

Viking grill
There's nothing better during the summer months than firing up the grill and barbecuing for family and friends. Today, more than 85 million American households own an outdoor grill.

There's an enormous variety of charcoal and gas grills, which come in hundreds of sizes, shapes, colors and prices. Consumers are demanding more features on their gas grills---from side burners and rotisseries, to sear stations and infrared burners. According to a survey conducted by Weber, 61% of consumers now own a side burner, while 32% own a rotisserie and 17% have a gas grill with an infrared burner. The survey also revealed that 89% of America grill owners are using full-size grills, rather than portables.

"As dedicated grillers continue to become more experienced in cooking a wider variety of foods, the barbecue is increasingly being viewed as an outdoor appliance," says Sherry Bale, public relations director for Weber Grills. "As consumers want good value for their money during these tough economic times, they're seeing the advantages of paying for a durable grill that will stand up to punishing weather and give them years of dependable service."

To figure out the best of breed, we asked our Luxist readers to nominate their favorite manufacturers of outdoor grills. The top five nominees are:

Jenn-Air
Kenmore
Lynx
Viking
Weber

Jenn-Air is known for its precision craftsmanship and distinctive styling while Kenmore, which has a line of grills, is also well-known for its broad range of home appliances it manufactures. Lynx was founded by a group of individuals who started out by manufacturing restaurant ranges while Viking makes grills that one might expect to find in a restaurant setting. Finally, there's Weber, which is a household name that is credited with revolutionizing the backyard barbecue.

Interested in finding out what the best online meat companies are? Check out the Luxist Award's Readers' Choice Nominees for Best in Online Meats.

Lynx Professional Grills: Quality and Performance By Design

Filed under: Dining, Gadgets

Lynx outdoor kitchen
Many foodies balk at the notion that outdoor cooking should be reserved for hot dogs and hamburgers. Lucky for them, Lynx makes products perfect for preparing any sort of meal in the great outdoors-and has even earned a Luxist award nomination for its efforts.

Lynx Professional Grills was founded in 1996 by a group of individuals who'd started out by manufacturing restaurant ranges for an outfit called BECA. With their new idea, they aimed to profit from the growing demand for luxury outdoor cooking equipment. The company's first product was the Lynx Professional Grill, available both in free-standing and built-in models, featuring an access door, side burners and even a cocktail station.

The Professional Grill was designed exclusively for outdoor use. To ensure that this flagship product could stand up to the elements, Lynx used a special welding technique, to ensure that the stainless steel grill wouldn't have any gaps, seams or other places where rain, grease and pesky liquids of that ilk could collect.

Gallery: Lynx grills


Weber: The Company that Revolutionized Backyard Barbecues

Filed under: Dining, Gadgets

Weber grill
Never underestimate what a man will do for steak. In the case of George Stephen, Sr., what started out as an attempt to protect precious meat eventually turned into the company now known as Weber, a Luxist nominee in the best grills category.

Stephen's inspiration came in 1952. Frustrated by the windblown flames emanating from his open backyard grill-and the resulting impact on his steaks-he decided to take matters into his own hands. He headed over to Weber Brothers Metal Works, his place of employment, and created the prototype of the dome-shaped grill that would become Weber's trademark product.

Gallery: Weber grills



Though nearly 100 million American households now have outdoor grills, the market hadn't yet exploded when Stephen invented his strangely-shaped contraption, which was pricey ($50) compared to the standard open grill ($7). His friends made fun of him-until Stephen's invention started selling. By the late 1950s the product was so successful that Stephen was able to buy his employer's factory and devote it to producing cooking surfaces.

Viking: Restaurant-Quality Grills in Your Own Backyard

Filed under: Dining, Gadgets

Viking grills
Some of the best products are born of sheer need. That was certainly the case when Fred Carl, Jr. created the precursor to today's Viking simply because he wanted a restaurant-quality stove in his own home. The result: a flourishing company and a Luxist award nomination in the best grills category.

Carl first dreamed up the idea of building ranges when he and his wife were designing and building a new home in 1980. A fourth-generation contractor by trade, Carl wanted to include an industrial-grade stove in his kitchen, but he soon found himself lacking options. Stoves made for restaurants were accompanied by extremely high surface temperatures and few safety features, and residential ranges just didn't pack the same punch.

Gallery: Viking

Best Online Meat Companies

Allen Brothers is nominated for a Luxist Award for Best Online Meat
According to Weber, one of the leading manufacturers of grills, hamburgers, hot dogs and steak are the three most popular grilled foods.

But where are the best places to buy meats for an unforgettable backyard barbecue?

To figure out the best of breed, we asked Luxist readers to nominate their favorite online meat companies. Each of the top five finalists has one thing in common---they all offer only the finest USDA prime meat available---and they all ship to locations throughout the United States (and elsewhere in some cases).

The top five finalists are:

Allen Brothers
Chicago Gourmet Steaks
Lobel's of New York
Ottomanelli Brothers
Peter Luger

Chicago-based Allen Brothers, which provides meats to some of the best-known steakhouses in the country, while Chicago Gourmet Steaks was one of the first steak companies to offer mail order. Lobel's of New York has been owned and operated by the same family for five generations while Ottomanelli Brothers is a New York institution with customers around the world. Peter Luger---famous its steak houses---is now selling its meats to customers through a new online service.

Jenn-Air: Precision Craftsmanship and Distinctive Styling

Filed under: Dining, Gadgets

Jenn-Air
Though Jenn-Air sounds more like the moniker of a company that flies people around the country in jets than one that makes cooking surfaces, its reputation for durability and quality have earned it a nominee for a Luxist award in the best grills category.

Founded by Louis J. Jenn in 1947, the Jenn-Air Products Company of Indianapolis, Indiana soon had its moniker shortened to Jenn-Air. The company was focused on manufacturing and marketing industrial fans in its early years. In 1961, Jenn-Air integrated one of these fans with a stovetop and created the world's first self-ventilated downdraft range.

The company then expanded its product line to include many other kitchen appliances. Among Jenn-Air's offerings were microwave ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, and small appliances including mixers and blenders. Thanks to the name Jenn-Air made for itself, Maytag purchased the brand in the 1980s; two decades later, Whirlpool bought Maytag.

In recent years, Jenn-Air brought its indoor expertise into the outdoor grilling arena. Boasting the same sleek stainless-steel look and sturdy construction, the brand quickly became one of the favorites in its space. Jenn-Air's products still can't fly you from New York to Los Angeles, but they sure can help you cook up a sumptuous meal in the comfort of your own kitchen or back yard.

Vote for the Grill line that you believe is the best of breed. The voting period runs through July 31 and winners will be announced on August 1.

Kalamazoo Edo Grill

Filed under: Decor


The Edo Grill is the latest in a line of intriguing sculptural grills from Kalamazoo Grills. The design is based on the yakitori carts of Japan where skewered meat is cooked on a hot grill. The Edo has a simple zen form when not in use. The two steel panels of the top open to reveal the 18" x 24" grilling surface and controls and create ample counter space to each side. There are two control zones with a total of 50,000 BTUs and the fuel tank is concealed in the base of the grill (iquid propane is standard; natural gas is an option). It has hidden casters for ease of movement. The base price is $7,495.

For more great grills, check out our previous list here.

[via The Stylephile]

The Perfect Gift for the Grilling Guy

Filed under: Dining, Gadgets, Garden

Knowing that I'm on the lookout for luxury items, my friend Cliff told me that I just had to look at Frontgate. So I did! Now that al fresco dining season is here, I decided to peruse Frontgate's grill offerings and came upon this 405-lb. beauty: the Barbeque Grill Island, made with O.W. Lee craftmanship. The wrought iron body has a black suede finish, the feet are cast iron and ceramic briquettes are included. The cooking-related facts:
  • 50,000 BTU and a "Sure Start" electronic ignition
  • 540-inch square grilling area, 200-inch square warming rack
  • Rojo honed marble countertop with 1,300+ square inches of space
  • Stainless steel cooking grid and rock grate
  • Stainless steel barbeque grill w/a 14,000 BTU rotisserie w/motor
  • Storage cabinet for ingredients or tools
  • Available in natural gas or propane
Start saving now ($6,667) for the winter gift-giving season, and order early -- shipping takes 8-9 weeks, and the grill is only available online. You might be a little late for Father's Day, but if your grilling guy has a late summer birthday, you might get one in time.

The Grillworks: BBQ'ers Dream

Filed under: Dining, Gadgets


If you can't wait for warmer weather because the smell of meat on the grill and drinks outside is whetting your appetite I'm with you. Summer is almost here and that means BBQ-ing outdoors with good friends and family. If you're the type that prefers the scent of burning wood over charcoal or gas but need some serious space to accommodate all your guests you are going to love The Grillworks. At 46" wide, 24" deep and 44" tall this monstrous grill has a unique cast aluminum wheel that allows the grill-master to raise and lower the face as they see fit depending on the height of the flames. There are plenty of built in channels and pans to catch all juices running off to be used for basting or sauces and it can even accommodate two full-sized manual rotisseries or an electric one if you prefer. Put some shrimp on the barbie and a slab o' steer while you're at it...yum. ($3,375)

[via Uncrate]

Outrageous Dragon BBQ Grills

Filed under: Gadgets, Art


Wow. These Dragon BBQ Grills are one of those things you either love or hate right from the get-go. They're a combination of functional grill and artistic sculpture, with amazing detail. "Intense" is a word that comes to mind, and a definite requirement for owning one is being into dragons in a big way. There are three dragon grills in the collection so far, with the first one already sold for $65,000, the second premiers in Nevada in January and will be listed for $90,000, and the third remains TBA.


Via Born Rich

Viking Induction Burner

Filed under: Decor, Dining, Gadgets

The hot plate you cooked your mac and cheese on in college was nothing like this. Check out the Viking Portable Induction burner. It delivers a fast cooking surface that uses a magnetic coil to produce a high-frequency electromagnetic field with any ferrous pan to set up a current that creates serious heat: 1800 watts (equivalent to 15,000 BTUs). Once the vessel is removed from the element or it is turned off, the heat generation stops. The burner sells for $499.95 and makes a great addition to your summer cooking arsenal because you can use it outside.

Gold-Plated Barbecue Grill

Filed under: Gadgets


I recently posted on the Bread Breaker Two Dual-Fuel Gourmet Hybrid Grill for those serious about their outdoor barbecuing, but if that wasn't quite fancy enough for you maybe this one will be. The Gold-plated Barbecue Grill by Beefeater takes some serious bling and slaps it onto an unlikely place: a grill. Completely covered in 24 carat gold (all except for the actual cooking surfaces) you may need sunglasses while flipping your burgers, or risk getting blinded by the glare that's sure to bounce off this glitzy piece of equipment on a sunny afternoon. Complete with 6 high-output burners plus a wok burner, roasting hood with viewing window, warming rack, quartz ignition, vaporizer, and reflector system, it's designed for "those who want to make a statement with their barbecue and have the money to burn." You'll be burning about $12,500.

Well there's definitely a statement to be had here, I won't argue that...

Bread Breaker Two Dual-Fuel Gourmet Hybrid Grill

Filed under: Gadgets


It's getting to be prime grilling season, and I think we all know somebody (or maybe it's you?) who takes their grilling very seriously. Nothing but the best when it comes to the food you're cooking, the tools you're using, and even (of course) the grill you're using.

I don't claim to know everything there is to know about grills, so I can't say if the Bread Breaker Two Dual-Fuel Gourmet Hybrid Grill is really the best, but I'm betting if it isn't it's still pretty high on the list. It allows you to cook with gas, charcoal, and wood at the same time, it has two large grilling areas with your choice of grilling surfaces for meat, fish, or griddle, built to last of 11 gauge formed-angle stainless steel, all stainless steel cabinetry/handles/knobs/hinges/hardware, industrial grade heavy-duty wheels with locking casters for easy repositioning, integrated precision thermometer, and even optional touches like your name/initials or a favorite quote built into the grilling surface, natural gas conversion, grill jacket, garbage can, sauce rack, even a wine and champagne chiller.

The whole kit and kaboodle can be made to order and shipped to you already assembled in 2-4 weeks, starting at $11,995.

Solaire Grill and Refrigerator

Filed under: Decor, Dining

The 56" Solaire grill is a complete cooking system. It has an 18,000 BTU/hr. rear infrared rotisserie burner, two infrared main burners and one conventional burner. Why infrared? It offers a faster cooking time at higher heat to seal in juices. Infrared burners are also ready to grill in just three minutes. This model includes a stainless steel refrigerator with adjustable shelves and two drawers with removable stainless steel food pans. The MSRP is $16,195.

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