The Easiest Way To Pre-Portion Frozen Burger Patties For The Grill

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and, according to Grillers Gold, the official start of grilling season. Forbes reports that 75% of adults in the U.S. own either a grill or a smoker. The Christian Science Monitor breaks down holiday cookout plans even further, reporting that 57% of Americans plan to barbecue with a whopping 85% of those grilling up burgers.

Epicurious did some sleuthing and found that Shake Shack uses the Maillard reaction to full advantage when grilling their signature burgers. The burger emporium drops super cold meat on an extremely hot grill, which gives it that delicious crust. But, because the chilled fat in the meat doesn't have enough time to melt and then leak out of the burger, it retains a juicy interior.

To take full advantage of this tip — and wow your Memorial Day guests with a delicious, juicy burger — an easy burger hack will perfectly portion your meat without even getting your hands covered in carrion.

Food and Wine shares this genius hack that portions out burger meat ahead of time without ever getting your hands dirty. Empty a package of raw ground beef into a freezer bag. Flatten out the meat in an even layer, spreading it out into the corners, and being sure to leave the top open to allow air to escape. Once all the beef is flattened, zip the bag closed. Then, press a ruler into the meat to make a grid of squares before popping it into the freezer. When you are ready to grill, remove the bag from the freezer and break the meat apart at the perforation made by the ruler marks.

Doing this hack in advance of your barbecue will give you ample time to enjoy your guests rather than hiding in the kitchen to form raw beef patties. Plus, you'll be crowned champion of the Memorial Day BBQ with the juicy, perfectly seared burgers that result.

Give these Shake Shack-worthy burgers the full treatment with this recipe. Or opt for a quesadilla burger to go with a side of chips and guac.