The Simple Tool Ina Garten Relies On For Mixing Burger Meat

Kitchen tools are an essential part of the culinary experience. But some of the most useful equipment in our drawers are not only the simplest, but ones that have been around for thousands of years. Just ask Ina Garten, who believes the fork is the superior gadget to reach for when making a classic hamburger. The humble fork may not have all the bells and whistles of a grinder or food processor, but when it comes to mixing up hamburgers, it is the only tool you need. When you add items like eggs, bread crumbs, mustard, seasonings, and spices, you may be inclined to use your hands. But this is a common mistake when making burgers, and one that Garten doesn't make.

In a Food Network video posted on YouTube, the chef demonstrates how to make her Niman Ranch burgers. Garten, who follows a recipe to the letter the first time she cooks it, knows from trial and error that when you handle your ingredients too much, it is going to create a dense burger. This is why you don't want to use your hands when mixing. All that aggressive squeezing and blending of ingredients is sabotaging your hamburger endeavors. "The key to this is using a fork. You don't want to compact it at all, you want it to be light," Garten explains in the clip. When you are forming your patties, you also do not want to clutch and compress the meat. Just gently roll and move it around.

Additionally, when making these handheld sandwiches, try using Ina Garten's secret method for perfect hamburgers. No matter how great a recipe might be, choosing the right meat is the first step to achieving nirvana for your taste buds. The chef recommends using an 80:20 blend of lean ground beef to fat. While watching your fat intake is always smart, you need some fat so when you think your teeth into a grilled or skillet-fried burger, it is moist, juicy, and flavorful. Garten takes her meat selection a step further by recommending you ask the butcher to freshly grind it. 

Garten notes that you don't need a lot of seasonings to bring out the flavor of good ground beef. Salt, pepper, and some mustard are her go-tos. But she does suggest adding a little olive oil to the mix to ensure that your first bite into your burger doesn't feel like chewing cardboard. During her video demonstration, Garten reveales, "To make them really moist, and nobody wants a dry hamburger, I put in 3 tablespoons of olive oil." And if you are unsure how much ground beef to purchase, she says that two pounds of meat should make six burgers.