The Broth Cube Hack For Juicy Burgers On The Grill

Prepping for the next backyard barbecue might have you in search of a method to achieve a juicy hamburger that your family and guests will rave about, and as luck would have it, social media has provided burger lovers with a brothy ice cube hack. Lifestyle blogger @virginiahlane shared how savory ice cubes can help you cook juicer burgers, and the mouthwatering results make it worth a try.

It all starts with an ice cube tray, some A1 steak sauce, and a little bit of beef broth. Mix the sauce and the broth together; pour the mixture into the trays; and place them in the freezer until they turn into ice cubes. Easy-peasy, right? Once the liquid has turned into a cube, it's time to put all that hard work to use. Take the amount of meat you will use to create your hamburger and place a savory ice cube in the middle. Then form your patty and wrap the cube inside. The burger meat will look a little thick. Season it and you are ready to grill.

Cooking raw meat is generally a recipe for some kind of moisture loss as proteins tighten and squeeze out the juices they contain. Cooking at high temperatures, as you might on a grill, can lead to even more moisture loss. Fortunately, the ice cube made with the broth and the A1 sauce will melt as the burger cooks, adding moisture and keeping the meat from drying out prematurely. You should end up with a succulent patty that's ready to be placed on a bun and doctored up with all your condiments and add-ons. Another factor to keep in mind is how lean the meat is. With more fat comes more moisture.

Of course, if you prefer to skip the added flavor the broth and steak sauce infuse in a burger, you can opt to just use a plain old ice cube. If the approach sounds familiar, that might be because it was famously used by "MasterChef" judge Graham Elliot. If you use this ice cube trick, Elliot also advocates for allowing your burgers to rest before serving, allowing the meat to redistribute and soak up any residual moisture. So, the next time you make burgers, don't forget this chilly ingredient, and bon appetit.