1. Use a mayo jar lid as your burger mold. Line the lid with a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap, pack in your meat mixture, then turn out. This way burgers will have the same size and thickness so they cook at the same rate.
2. Keep formed burger patties in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. Cold burgers will hold their shape better on the grill. It also helps keep the fat in the patty from melting on the grill and causing flare ups.
3. Press your thumb into the center of each patty before cooking. Burgers tend to shrink and puff up in the middle as they grill. The indentation will help them stay flat so they cover the whole bun and toppers won’t slide off.
4. Flip your burgers as little as possible as you grill. Leave them alone for the first few minutes so they can develop a great crust. This helps the burgers release from the grill so they’re easier to flip and keeps them from falling apart.
5. Test for doneness with a meat thermometer instead of cutting into the burgers as they cook—what causes the juices to seep out and make your burger dry and tough. No need to let them rest after cooking; burgers are best eaten right off the grill.
