Season 2, Episode 7
The Perfect Hamburger
Jack asks Frederic to teach her the do’s and don’ts to making the perfect hamburger and oven fries.
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Episode Guide
Below you’ll find a helpful episode guide for cooking along with Frederic and Jack, as well as tips and recipe rescues.
Equipment List:
- Large cast iron skillet or grill
- Wax paper
- 2 baking sheets
- Measuring spoons
- Flat wide spatula
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Tongs
- Pepper mill
Tips:
Forming patties:
- Don't overwork the meat. Mix and pat; don't squeeze.
- Overworking ground beef turns it into flavorless mush, as the heat from your hands and the friction of mixing breaks down the little bits of fat that provide the juice and flavor.
- Season meat before forming patties to more evenly distribute it throughout the burgers.
Choosing ground meat:
- Ground chuck is perfect for a flavorful burger.
- For a juicy burger, you want meat with at least 20 percent fat.
Potatoes:
- Use a high-starch baking potato such as Idaho or Russet for making oven-fried potatoes.
- Make sure potatoes are thoroughly dry before baking; excess moisture keeps the skins from crisping up.
- Bake potato wedges in a single layer, evenly spaced and not touching each other.
Recipe Rescues:
- If your burgers are not seasoned enough - Test a small amount in the pan for seasoning before cooking entire batch.
- If your burgers are dried out - only Don’t press down on the burgers while cooking; that causes all the juices to leak out. Also, don't overmix the meat when forming patties.
- If your potatoes are soggy - Return them to the oven and raise the oven temperature.
- If the potatoes stick to the bottom of the pan - Run a flat metal spatula underneath them to loosen. Next time, toss with a little more oil.
Recipes From This Episode
Homemade Candy
Chicken Stew
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