Here is how to make good burgers and hot dogs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All good advice but I agree with others that keeping expectations low at a cookout is good! I have high standards for food in general but for whatever reason I have no problem eating an over cooked burger or a plain hot dog. Actually I think a plain burger without toppings is really good sometimes!

Keep expectations low but serve food early and often. Nobody should be hangry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thank you for the helpful advice!

Sock puppeting is tiresome. There is NOBODY over the age of 21 that doesn't already know the basics of this, and funnily enough, some of this is wrong. (Hot dogs are already cooked, you can't undercook them)

There are tons of people over the age of 21 who don't know this stuff as evidenced by your incorrect belief that it is impossible to undercook a hot dog. Think about it -- if it were not possible to undercoook hot dogs then why would e cook them at all? Just because grill marks are attractive?

You cook them because they taste better hot. And grilled. And also because they can have bacteria like similar meats (deli meat, which you are supposed to heat to steaming if you are immunocompromised).

But you cannot undercook them. They are fully cooked.

I think you are being pedantic about the word undercooked. Yes hot dogs are cooked when you open the package. But they are not *ready to eat.* Serving a hot dog that you didn't even bother to warm all the way through is gross and a hot dog that is not sufficiently heated can carry gross bacteria. Some people might call that undercooked because they have not been sufficiently cooked to be hot enough to eat. So even though they were cooked out of the package they are still "undercooked."

PP mentioned deli meats. Do you think baloney is undercooked? What about cheese? It's full of bacteria.

[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.

Do you hear this everyone? If you don't toast your buns ... do not bother hosting on the 4th or memorial day. (Probably Labor Day as well?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

A) Hot dogs are already cooked, stupid.
B) American hot dogs are disgusting anyway, kosher or not. Burning them as is your preference does not make them any more edible.
C) Baked beans. Shudder.[/quote]

Baked beans from a can are slimy, sugary, and disgusting. Homemade baked beans, like made from the dried navy beans that you soak overnight, cooked with molasses and dried mustard? Amazing. They really aren't the same food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd be glad to uninvited to the cookouts hosted by hotdog warmers who think that "non-toxic and warmed over" is equivalent to well grilled.

+1 the people on this thread saying "a hot dog is already cooked" are exactly the people who need to read the OP and take it to heart.

Sure a hot dog is not *raw* but that doesn't mean it has been cooked and prepared for eating. It won't kill you to eat a an uncooked or undercooked hot dog but it won't be a pleasant experience. And yes the quality of the hot dog genuinely matters -- buying the cheapest available without paying any attention to content is gross and I definitely make an effort to buy kosher hot dogs that actually taste good when I have people over because I... like them? Want them to enjoy their meal?

People eat hotdogs uncooked from the package all the time. It's fine. It's "prepared for eating" even if it isn't prepared the way you would want it to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Thank you for the helpful advice!

Sock puppeting is tiresome. There is NOBODY over the age of 21 that doesn't already know the basics of this, and funnily enough, some of this is wrong. (Hot dogs are already cooked, you can't undercook them)

There are tons of people over the age of 21 who don't know this stuff as evidenced by your incorrect belief that it is impossible to undercook a hot dog. Think about it -- if it were not possible to undercoook hot dogs then why would e cook them at all? Just because grill marks are attractive?

You cook them because they taste better hot. And grilled. And also because they can have bacteria like similar meats (deli meat, which you are supposed to heat to steaming if you are immunocompromised).

But you cannot undercook them. They are fully cooked.

I think you are being pedantic about the word undercooked. Yes hot dogs are cooked when you open the package. But they are not *ready to eat.* Serving a hot dog that you didn't even bother to warm all the way through is gross and a hot dog that is not sufficiently heated can carry gross bacteria. Some people might call that undercooked because they have not been sufficiently cooked to be hot enough to eat. So even though they were cooked out of the package they are still "undercooked."

Yes, they are.

[Anonymous]

Maybe someone can prep you on being a gracious guest OP.
I agree that some people are better at hosting than others, but it takes some time to learn how and you’ve got to start somewhere. I’ve got this all down now, but I certainly didn’t at my first gathering. This is why no one wants to host anymore - people are so picky, so many different food preferences. One meal that isn’t perfect isnt a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Mayonnaise as optional condiment for burger is hilarious.
It’s a must have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mayonnaise as optional condiment for burger is hilarious.
It’s a must have.

It depends on the hamburger. If one cooks a hamburger to the DCUM standard, then, yes, you will need some mayo to swallow that hockey puck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mayonnaise as optional condiment for burger is hilarious.
It’s a must have.

It depends on the hamburger. If one cooks a hamburger to the DCUM standard, then, yes, you will need some mayo to swallow that hockey puck.

My point is if you are grilling and inviting people you should have mayonnaise as must have condiment option like ketchup.
It’s understandable some people skip it.

[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

[Anonymous]

Good thread. My only quibbles are:

- Onions are actually a must. A burger isn't a burger without onions for me.
- Try the Costco premium hotdogs. So good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mayonnaise as optional condiment for burger is hilarious.
It’s a must have.

This is actually helpful because I wouldn’t think to put out mayo for burgers. I would probably remember to put out mustard and ketchup, even though we never do those on burgers either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mayonnaise as optional condiment for burger is hilarious.
It’s a must have.

This is actually helpful because I wouldn’t think to put out mayo for burgers. I would probably remember to put out mustard and ketchup, even though we never do those on burgers either.

What condiment do you use on a burger then?

[Anonymous]

Nothing like a hot dog cooked over the coals - till skin blackened