Here is how to make good burgers and hot dogs

[Anonymous]

Please season your burger meat. Just salt is fine but definitely salt. Some black pepper can also be nice -- freshly ground if you have it.

Know how your grill works. Start it when it needs to be started (if using charcoal give yourself 45 minutes or so before you need to be putting the meat on.

Doneness is obviously a matter of preference but most people like a medium doneness so aim for that. You can always leave a couple on longer if someone is squeamish about pink meat.

American cheese is fine but you're welcome to get something better. But offering cheese is nice.

For toppings you should have - at a minimum - lettuce tomato pickle ketchup mustard. Some people like a thinly sliced red onion or - if you want to be fancy - grilled onions. Bacon barbecue sauce mayo etc. are optional but you need to have those first five.

For hot dogs please buy kosher for better quality. Ensure they are all cooked all the way through -- a lot of people who don't eat hot dogs will just throw them on until there is any kind of grill marks but they take a bit longer than that to cook and actually for doneness hot dogs usually taste better if they have a good crispy char on the outside. For toppings offer ketchup and mustard at least (relish onions etc optional).

Toast all the buns. It takes very little time and helps a lot.

Classic sides: baked beans (crock pot so you don't have to turn on the oven) potato salad and chips. We like to put out a crudite platter and a green salad as well.

If you can't handle the forgoing just don't host on the 4th or memorial day. It's okay. Not everyone likes hosting. But if you DO host please do not serve your guests uncooked dogs and unseasoned burger hockey pucks with just ketchup and some sad wilted lettuce and no sides. It's depressing and your guests will wind up having to stop for food on the way home.

[Anonymous]

Wegman's Zweigle big hotdogs.
Nothing else compares.

Remember that the fat percentage (that will mostly cook off) adds greatly to the taste of the burger. No less than 85% unless ground sirloin.

[Anonymous]

This is helpful and I agree with all of it but yet it sounds so condescending!

[Anonymous]

Conversely, if you’re going to expect hosts to do things to your exact specifications, maybe just stay home and cook for yourself. Or stop by to say hi and have a beer. I appreciate anyone being willing to have me over and at least attempt to provide a meal. No need to nitpick.

[Anonymous]

Hot dogs are fully cooked. They simply need to be heated thoroughly before serving. I agree with everything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Conversely, if you’re going to expect hosts to do things to your exact specifications, maybe just stay home and cook for yourself. Or stop by to say hi and have a beer. I appreciate anyone being willing to have me over and at least attempt to provide a meal. No need to nitpick.

Seriously! OP - you need to figure out what you want out of a gathering. I like being surprised with food offerings; as long as there's enough food to satisfy my appetite, I'm good. Most of the time, I'm just happy to be around the people I want to be with. It sounds more like you don't particularly like this group of friends/family... or don't like people much at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Conversely, if you’re going to expect hosts to do things to your exact specifications, maybe just stay home and cook for yourself. Or stop by to say hi and have a beer. I appreciate anyone being willing to have me over and at least attempt to provide a meal. No need to nitpick.

Seriously! OP - you need to figure out what you want out of a gathering. I like being surprised with food offerings; as long as there's enough food to satisfy my appetite, I'm good. Most of the time, I'm just happy to be around the people I want to be with. It sounds more like you don't particularly like this group of friends/family... or don't like people much at all

Do you like being "surprised" by inedible food that is not served until 8pm despite kids invited and having everyone cluster around the chips and salsa and fruit you brought because they are starving and the food being served is unappetizing or under or overcooked?

There are minimum standards for hosting and serving edible food is one of them.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like someone went to a shitty barbecue yesterday lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Conversely, if you’re going to expect hosts to do things to your exact specifications, maybe just stay home and cook for yourself. Or stop by to say hi and have a beer. I appreciate anyone being willing to have me over and at least attempt to provide a meal. No need to nitpick.

+1. I agree with the tips generally, and I also like to host in a very specific way. But I am happy to be hosted, even if it’s not done exactly how I would do it. Life is too short to nitpick people who are trying to be kind by hosting you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Conversely, if you’re going to expect hosts to do things to your exact specifications, maybe just stay home and cook for yourself. Or stop by to say hi and have a beer. I appreciate anyone being willing to have me over and at least attempt to provide a meal. No need to nitpick.

Seriously! OP - you need to figure out what you want out of a gathering. I like being surprised with food offerings; as long as there's enough food to satisfy my appetite, I'm good. Most of the time, I'm just happy to be around the people I want to be with. It sounds more like you don't particularly like this group of friends/family... or don't like people much at all

Do you like being "surprised" by inedible food that is not served until 8pm despite kids invited and having everyone cluster around the chips and salsa and fruit you brought because they are starving and the food being served is unappetizing or under or overcooked?

There are minimum standards for hosting and serving edible food is one of them.

Hot dogs are already cooked. How can they be “undercooked”? Some people would consider a charred hot dog inedible, so this is a matter of preference and not some “standard.”

You sound miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please season your burger meat. Just salt is fine but definitely salt. Some black pepper can also be nice -- freshly ground if you have it.

Know how your grill works. Start it when it needs to be started (if using charcoal give yourself 45 minutes or so before you need to be putting the meat on.

Doneness is obviously a matter of preference but most people like a medium doneness so aim for that. You can always leave a couple on longer if someone is squeamish about pink meat.

American cheese is fine but you're welcome to get something better. But offering cheese is nice.

For toppings you should have - at a minimum - lettuce tomato pickle ketchup mustard. Some people like a thinly sliced red onion or - if you want to be fancy - grilled onions. Bacon barbecue sauce mayo etc. are optional but you need to have those first five.

For hot dogs please buy kosher for better quality. Ensure they are all cooked all the way through -- a lot of people who don't eat hot dogs will just throw them on until there is any kind of grill marks but they take a bit longer than that to cook and actually for doneness hot dogs usually taste better if they have a good crispy char on the outside. For toppings offer ketchup and mustard at least (relish onions etc optional).

Toast all the buns. It takes very little time and helps a lot.

Classic sides: baked beans (crock pot so you don't have to turn on the oven) potato salad and chips. We like to put out a crudite platter and a green salad as well.

If you can't handle the forgoing just don't host on the 4th or memorial day. It's okay. Not everyone likes hosting. But if you DO host please do not serve your guests uncooked dogs and unseasoned burger hockey pucks with just ketchup and some sad wilted lettuce and no sides. It's depressing and your guests will wind up having to stop for food on the way home.

Well aren’t you a peach! Shocking that anyone invited you to a party! It must have been a family thing where they were obligated to include you.

[Anonymous]

Arent hot dogs already fully cooked?

[Anonymous]

Or just go to Five Guys

[Anonymous]

I am not taking advice from someone who things hotdogs have to be cooked all of the way through, LOL.

[Anonymous]

I actually agree with OP. You should have these basics down if you want to host the major event of the season that features these foods!