As we enter our third week of Girls Can Grill Too we are grilling up the classic backyard bbq. The Fourth of July is this coming weekend, and I am not going to mess with tradition. We are making homemade hamburger patties & grilling up some Nathan’s 100% Beef Dogs. During the summer we eat watermelon like it’s our job. I wanted to try something different, so I grilled it too. Lastly, a good barbecue kettle chip is a staple in our household, and they added the perfect crunch to this meal.

This series is sponsored by the Oregon Beef Council, which is funded by Oregon Beef Farmers and Ranchers.*

How to make an amazing hamburger?

To make a spectacular hamburger patty you have to start with a good grind. What I mean is a ground meat that is from a flavorful cut of the animal and has a great lean-to-fat ratio. We want our burgers to be juicy and flavorful, not dry and lacking flavor. Ground Chuck is the most common grind used. As I mentioned in the video, you can have a lot of fun trying out different grinds and blends from different cuts of beef. For example, ground brisket or tri-tip.

Don’t skimp on the quantity of beef you use. Nobody wants a hamburger patty that is significantly smaller than the bun. When I made these patties, I had two pounds of beef and I split it equally between four patties. Whatever quantity you are making, aim for 1/2 pound burgers.

Keep your ingredients simple, don’t get carried away with egg, a ton of different spices, mustard, the list goes on and on. For my patties I just use Worcestershire Sauce and our Modoc Spice which is just salt, pepper, and garlic.

Don’t over mix your grind. As you mix in the ingredients to your hamburger grind, mix it just until all of the seasonings and sauces are evenly distributed. Evenly divide your beef depending on the amount of hamburgers you want to make. I create a large meat ball and then push the ball flat between my palms. Place an indentation in the middle of your patty to help with the burger shrinking.

As you make your patties, place wax paper in-between each patty so they don’t stick together. You want to place your patties in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before grill time. This is another strategy to keep your hamburgers the size we want them, large.

What do you do with leftovers?

Store your hamburger patties in an airtight container in the fridge. In the morning, reheat your patty, top it with some avocado and put a couple of fried eggs on top. It is one of my most favorite breakfasts. I know, I know, Beef It’s What’s For Dinner, but it is delicious for breakfast and lunch too. I notice when I have a high protein breakfast, I have the energy I need to conquer the day.

Grab some Ground Chuck and Nathan’s 100% Beef Dogs for your next backyard bbq! If you are looking for other cuts of beef to try on the grill, check out Chuck Eye Steaks and Skirt Steak.

*This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Oregon Beef Council, which is funded by Oregon Beef Farmers and Ranchers. They have provided monetary compensation to make this series possible. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.