How to Grill the Best Burgers at SkyVue Apartments in Pittsburgh

June is the official kick off of summer, which means one thing: cookouts. The team here at SkyVue loves cookouts more than any other apartments in Pittsburgh. Maybe it’s our unbelievable outdoor spaces that take entertaining to a whole new level. When it comes to what to throw on the grill, there’s nothing more classic than the quintessential hamburger. Especially given hot dogs’ dubious contents and damaging health effects. Instead, we reach for fresh ground beef and hand-prepped fixings. Of all the downtown Pittsburgh apartments for rent, we like think we’re the most focused on elevating your quality of life. And as far as we’re concerned, few things sum that up more than a perfect burger. So as you gear up for cookout season, we thought we’d lend a hand with some pro tips for making amazing burgers from Bon Appétit Magazine’s recent article, 6 Common Burger Cooking Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them.

Before you start the grill, check out our top 3 burger-grilling tips from your best burger buddies at SkyVue apartments in Pittsburgh.

1. 1. Meet the Right Meat: Pick meat with the right amount of fat. “Top-of-the-line filet oughta make for a better burger, right? Wrong,” says Bon Appétit senior food editor Dawn Perry. “What really matters is that you use a cut with a nice amount of fat.” At least 15 to 20 percent fat will make for a juicier patty. “Listen, I just really like ground chuck,” she says. And hey, it doesn’t take much effort to form your own patties. We recommend buying fresh ground meat over the pre-formed burgers.

1. 2. Keep it simple: A big burger deserves big flavor, but that doesn’t mean you need to go bananas with the seasoning, according to Bon Appétit. That said, don’t skimp on the salt and pepper. Season one side of the patty with salt and pepper right before you place it on the grill, seasoned side down. Before you flip the burger, season the other side. And resist the urge to over-accessorize your burger once it’s cooked. Limit yourself at two condiments and three toppings: Think mayonnaise and ketchup, plus lettuce, tomato, and onion. If you pack on much more, you’re not going to be able to take a bite without deconstructing the burger, and that patty is just going to get totally lost. If you’re going to add cheese, be sure it’s totally melty, oozy, and hot when you serve it up.

1. 3. Don’t Manhandle the Meat: Cookouts are definitely not the time to be heavy-handed. Think gentle when forming your burgers & resist the urge to constantly check poke, prod, and flip the patty as it cooks. Really packing patties in will make for a dense, heavy, hockey puck of a burger. Consider the fact that the patty will be eaten on a relatively delicate bun, not on a plate with a fork and a knife. And come hell or high water, your burger will expand as you grill it, so make a divot in the center of the burger. That way, when the patty gets bigger, it’ll stay perfectly fat and flat, not dome-shaped. (Nobody wants a dome-shaped burger.) Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature (do not cut into it!). And only touch it three times once it hits the grill: Rotate it 180 degrees, flip it, and then rotate it once more. If it’s a medium-doneness you’re aiming for, plan on cooking the burger about 4 minutes per side.

In closing, as the most burger-loving Pittsburgh apartments for rent, the team here at SkyVue hopes all your burger dreams come true. But hey, we are talking about apartments in Pittsburgh here and rain is always a factor. So if your cookout gets rained out, you can locate one of the many scrumptious nearby burger bars with the help of Yelp.