There’s nothing like summer—sunny days, hours spent on the patio, sizzling cookouts…no wonder it’s everyone’s favourite season!
To become master of the grill, make sure to learn the best techniques to ace your meals every time. Start with a finger-licking burger feast!
Grill prep
Before each use, clean the BBQ grill with a stainless steel brush. Then brush the grill lightly with cooking oil or coat it with non-stick cooking spray before firing it up.
Tool kit
Getting the right tools is essential to master the art of grilling. Opt for utensils with long handles—they’re safer and easier to use. An instant read thermometer will also help you safely cook your food to perfection every time.
Perfect patties
Think fresh: Keep meat refrigerated so it retains its fat for juicy, flavourful patties.
Shape patties: Avoid handling, working or pressing meat too much so it stays tender. Shape patties at least 2.5 cm (1 in.) thick and wider than the burger buns since meat will shrink during cooking. Also make a little indent in the middle of each patty with your thumb so meat stays flat.
Cooking: Make sure to preheat the BBQ to medium before placing ground meat patties on the grill. Flip patties only once while cooking and don’t press them into the grill so juice stays inside. Note that a charred outside doesn’t necessarily mean the inside is cooked through—the internal temperature for medium doneness should be 71°C (160°F) for ground beef, and 74°C (165°F) for ground poultry.
Flavour, flavour, flavour
Vary the ground meat: Mix it up and try beef, pork, veal, lamb, turkey, chicken, bison, or even horse meat. Make sure to follow cooking instructions on the package or on IGA.net and stick to recommended cooking temperatures.
Bring out the flavours: Season meat with dried or fresh herbs, spices, garlic, shallots, onions, or even finely chopped mushrooms. Make sure not to over-handle meat and gently add seasoning by hand or with a fork.
Try different types of bread! There’s always the traditional burger bun, but you can also change up the texture and flavour with different types of bread such as ciabatta, brioche, Kaiser, pretzel or flat breads. The options are endless!
Make it yours: Top burgers with different cheeses, sauces, sprouts, fruit or grilled veggies and tap into your inner burger saavy!
