If the patty was seasoned, then the layer of dry powdery things would cause the patty to fall straight off. But it was stuck fast instead, requiring it to be peeled off AFTER he had washed his hands, contradicting habit. Something behaving differently probably means that something is amiss!
Here’s an article I wrote a while back about American cheese. What it is (and what it isn’t): www.seriouseats.com/whats-really-in-american-cheese Also to all you germaphobes: cook your burgers as much as you want. Wash your hands as much as you want. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you want to ask honest questions about food safety please do, but know that 90% of the time the answer is “food safety is a spectrum and you can make your own risk/reward calculations”. There is not “safe” or “not safe,” life is a series of risks.
I was going to point out that it's cheddar and colby mixed together. But your article points that out. I'm trying to hard to find that version of American Cheese in Canada without any luck.
@@dodaexploda The sausage analogy for American cheese was a very nice way of putting it. Sometimes when I hear or see one more comment about ‘plastic’ or ‘fake’ cheese, I just want to..., well I wont say, but it involves violence. Here is another link to an article (by you!) I just happened to check out earlier today: www.seriouseats.com/the-burger-lab-how-coarsely-should-i-grind-my-burger I must say that though I enjoy a big fat juicy grilled burger, lately I have tended toward making myself a smaller smash burger on the flattop at work.
@@dodaexploda same Canadian problem, i can't tell if kraft slices are the same thing or not...they look different.... I finally figured out chuck is blade in Canada
@@reklaw8017 I get my chuck from a local butcher, thankfully they just knew. For American Cheese I kinda went through a bunch of different "cheese slice" brands. And I end up using Selection (Metro grocery store brand) cheese slices. They melt the quickest in a microwave. The kraft ones seemed to take way to much heat before melting. Which seemed overly strange.
@big_red_covfefe As someone who understood this before you said it (well, before I read you saying it), I feel like you're just reacting with seriousness to a joke. But who knows, maybe the OP really didn't understand... Maybe.
that's probably the best way I've heard it described. no one ever says "i don't want that fake meat garbage". but people will put a slice of aged cheese that looks like sunbaked plastic. burgers are all about that melty cheese though.
Some people will look at the title of this video and see "how to cook a burger" but in reality you learn way, way more. Why does a burger curl when cooked? Why does a grill flare up? Why shouldn't you salt your meat before forming your patty? Why is American cheese ideal for a burger? Should you close or open the lid on your grill? I watch Kenji's videos because I want to make good food, but more importantly, I want to learn *why* the food is good.
"I watch Kenji's videos because I want to make good food, but more importantly, I want to learn why the food is good." such a great quote, I've learned more in one video of kenji making a simple bolognaise than I would in 10+ cooking videos and the tips are always something I can take into future recipes, I love picking up the fundamentals from a simple entertaining video
I feel like watching these videos makes me a more informed and confident cook, which makes me have more fun cooking, which makes me a better person to those I cook for. Thanks Kenji for modeling a healthy way to be a cook and for facilitating learning and curiosity in the kitchen.
"Anyone who says American cheese is fake cheese just doesn't really know what they're talking about"...you cannot possibly grasp the level of smarminess that the grin on my face projected as I played that little bit for my wife who, since we've been together (almost 25 years), has chided me for eating "fake cheese" every time I put American on anything...thank you, Kenji...a thousand times, thank you...
Kenji may agree with you, but I don’t. I hate American cheese. I didn’t grow up eating it, and I think it tastes gross. I am well aware how it is made, but it’s literally called American cheese (even though it was invented by a Canadian). I could think of few words I want in front if my food than “American” (I am in American btw)
Yeah, ok bro. Outside of the USA, where food standards are a little higher, it's illegal to call it cheese - it's a cheese flavoured product. Like, I like Yellow American, it's the best cheese for burgers, but it's not a real cheese
Kenji is spot on. The dairy industry is much less.regulated outside the U.S. American cheese is pasteurized. This simply means the milk (used to make the cheese) was heated to a high enough temperature to kill potentially disease-causing bacteria. While I do agree the EU has surpassed the US in most other areas of manufacturing regulations, this one is a throw back and Kenji is not wrong.
@@nitrodudezoom You do realize it's illegal to sell it as cheese in the US as well? Outside of the higher quality Kraft deli singles, it's sold as a (reconstituted) dairy product, but I don't let the government tell me what the definition of a word is lol. It is cheese anyways, it's just many different mild cheeses mixed with emulsifying salts that allow it to melt well.
The beauty in Kenji's stage of his cooking life is that he gets to make whatever he wants to the degree that he knows will deeply satisfy that for him. The path of refinement continues!
Kenji I wanna say that I appreciate your technical mindset. You discuss food and cooking more like an engineer than a chef and you approach the processes more like a scientist. Very good and refreshing. Been noticing it over time.
Uh I think it was actually a reference to a video he did about debunking burger myths. He threw patties to a metal tray to demonstrate the effects of rigidity on a patty from pre salting, and it didn’t have to do with toxic workplace behavior… As far as I know Kenji is if anything a huge advocate against that passionately angry chef that just gets a bit carried away myth, as he believes ( and I concur) that it’s detrimental for workplace mentality. update: the video is linked here at 4:45 seconds for the experiment ua-cam.com/video/weFT03Mcah0/v-deo.html
Man, I keep getting frustrated on the grill because my burgers never turn out quite right and we end up finishing them in our oven's broiler. Explaining why an open charcoal grill is hotter than a closed one has seriously changed the game for me. It's those little tidbits that keep me coming back, Kenji. Keep it up! "Perfection is a lot of little things done right." -MPW
kenji it really seems like you're enjoying life when you make these videos and I really hope you are. you're awesome and I appreciate these - they always inspire me to try new cooking ideas/techniques/recipes
My specialty is a medium well burger with Gouda, shaved Parmesan, bacon, pickles, and mustard all on a toasted brioche bun. My wife thought I got it from a restaurant or cookbook the first time I made it for her.
@@krispinazzzo surprisingly I found out about it through McDonald’s. The one in my hometown had a build a burger option on the kiosk. I just tried different combos until I found one I liked.
Hey Kenji! Love seeing you out on the grill! Since it’s summertime, could you please show us some more recipes from what you’re growing in your garden or from the farmers market? Also, I love being able to search serious eats by ingredient because I am having trouble finding ways to use all of the different things I am growing, especially fresh herbs like oregano and sage.
@@drewgalbraith4499 yeah, I know I’ll probably have to end up drying those herbs. I’ve found fresh oregano to be veryyy strong. Just want to take advantage of them fresh while I can. I can only make sage brown butter so many times :] Once my cucumbers come in, I will be adding that to my list.
@@xXcangjieXx that’s definitely a favorite, try adding squash.. kenji posted a video on it and seriouseats has some great recipes with sage brown butter
Just a heads up on the grill brush, there have been several instances of metal bristles breaking off and ending up in peoples food, causing internal puncture wounds which are very hard to surgically repair because the bristles are so hard to find and remove. Scrapers or coil brushes are a lot safer
@@colindowns3691 I’ve tried so many “safe brushes” and none of them clean like a wire brush. I use the long wired brushes now so I can inspect my grill and look for any strays. (I haven’t found a single one in 5 yrs of using these brushes. I also buy a new one when it starts to look worn down). Also, when you’re finished cooking on the grill, turn all the burners to high/full and close the lid, let it cook off any food bits and sugars , it takes about 5-10 minutes. Do this and you won’t need to use the brushes for much . Also, leaving food bits inside a bbq, not seared off and incinerated, just invites pests and critters. Burn that crap off and you won’t have to clean it before cooking the next time.
American Cheese is cheese with some added liquid (0-40% by weight for cheese slices), likely water, and an emulsifier (2-3% by weight), likely sodium citrate which is essentially a kind of salt. You can make it by dissolving citric acid and sodium bicarbonate together (in specific amounts, please look it up if you want to try it). If you make the sodium citrate, you can make your own processed cheese out of any cheese you like, and to your own preference :)
Kenji has the absolute LEAST obnoxious chewing sound I've ever encountered. This is the only person who's chewing actually makes me feel the enjoyment more.
Tried it today, after doing only smash burgers for half a year an thought that's way better than fat patties I gabe your method a try. Before I always mixed the salt into the meat and used a burger press. Forming loosely by hand and just seasoning the outside makes a huge difference. I think there's room for smash and steakhouse-style 😍
Kenji, just wanted to let you know that the Sprouts grocery store near Asian Family Market in North Seattle on Aurora often has grass-fed beef. Not sure if you're picky, but our family finds it beefier than the standard ground chuck or sirloin. Thanks for livening up the Seattle food scene!
1. Kenji, congrats on being close to 1M. I know that was never your goal, but it’s an achievement and you have wildly blessed me and many others. Thank you! 2. I really REALLY hope the negative comments and annoying questions on videos like this don’t get you down. For every 1 keyboard know-it-all there thousands of us who trust you and enjoy learning from you immensely. All the best to you and your family. I hope you love your new home and city!
Mate, yours is the best cooking channel on UA-cam, I'm glad I don't live next to you as all those beautiful aromas coming from your place would keep me constantly drooling 🤤
I enjoy Kenji’s videos and learn a lot His stuff is always messy and dirty is all. Whether its the patio or that little kitchen. other than that great vids lol
New subscriber here. For months and I mean more like the last couple of years I have been trying to tell my husband no matter how much money we spend on steak from stores like Walmart, Winn Dixie, Myers, Sam’s Club, etc, and how long you marinate, tenderize, season, etc those steaks they are still going to come out like trying to chew on leather. He swore we weren’t getting the right cut and I kept telling him those stores don’t sell real meat. That meat is from places like Mexico where their animals are raised from baby to adult in a few short months strictly from steroids. The same with the American cheese. Tried telling him that it’s all a by product not actual cheese from a cheese wheel. Well today I finally had enough and tricked him into going meat shopping from a local meat store about 30 minutes outside of town. We spent $300 and he quickly learned the difference between cheese off a cheese wheel, real ribeye steak, and real hot and mild sausage. We came home, lightly tenderized the steaks, marinated them in a little bourbon, melted garlic and herb butter, and let them sit in the fridge for a good hour or so while we heated up the pellet grill, cleaned it, then cooked real potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, corn on the cob, and finally the steaks. Let me tell you, when he took a bite of his steak I thought his eyes were going to bug out of his head. lol. For the first time in our 18 years of marriage we made steaks we could actually chew and it didn’t end up going to the meat blender and to the dogs. lol. It was so good. We also got 95% lean ground beef at the meat store and for the 4th of July we are making stuffed hamburger patties on the grill. I got him this thing from Amazon that puts a little indent hole in the patty so that whatever we decided we might want to stuff in our burgers we can put it in and then use the top to smush it all together perfectly. So thanks to your video I was able to confirm what I have been trying to tell the hubbin for years about gas and charcoal grills. Thank you so much for doing these videos and teaching people like my husband and even myself who grew up with very little where things like real beef patties, real steaks, etc were a very rare treat every couple of years.
Hello Mr. López-Alt At one point you touched the raw patty, then reached into the salt box to season. Is that dangerous? Did you "infect" the rest of the salt? Thank you
Kenji, I've been looking everywhere for a decent salt box. Can't find one like yours at all. I like the one handed flip top lid and the size. Any suggestions?
hey now, alton brown was yelling at us to "now go wash those 'beef-y' hands!" or "now go wash those 'chicken-y' hands!" after touching raw meat a decade ago on Good Eats
I think the answer to wanting a burger that isn’t pink but still remains juicy is to just make it thinner, with less meat. But you gotta be careful because there’s a much smaller margin for error before the burger becomes a hockey puck, and it is more fragile when rotating/flipping. Pros and cons to both approaches.
Perhaps a silly question... I've been looking for this style of spatula for a while and haven't been able to find much of a "standard" name for it- just searching "spatula" on amazon hasn't been fruitful. Do you have a specific brand you recommend, or a name for this style of angled spatula? Awesome video as always!
"restaurant turner" is the search term. The OXO one is ok but expensive. My favorite is from a restaurant supply store, don't know the brand unfortunately.
Hey Kenji, a big hoopla during our grilling is using the same plate which had raw meat on it to place cooked meat. Also using same spatula to place raw burgers to cook with...no one ever gets sick
very nice techniques Kenji, I wish I grew up eating my burgers a little rarer but in Canada rare ground beef is not really a thing so unfortunately I just don't have the taste for it. cheers man!
Kenji, what are your thoughts on bristled vs bristless grill brushes? I recall your tip on cleaning the grill BEFORE using it (rather than after) but a lot of bristless grill brushes require a bit of water to 'steam clean' the grates... On a charcoal grill I'm not sure I want to drip much water onto the coals before grilling so I'm at a bit of an impasse (considering concerns with loose bristles on standard grill brushes)...
I like that you added the speeding up. I just lose track of the time. That's what's nice about your cut / minutes method. If you're gonna speed it up can you note how long it's been in editing? Love your videos. I've started cooking because of you. I get it now.
Hey @J. Kenji López-Alt , what are your thoughts on a burger that's sous vide and then finished on top of a chimney starter versus a straight grilled burger? Do you have some scientific breakdown for this comparison?
so what's the final verdict on putting pepper on before cooking? isn't it just going to burn/scorch no matter what? I've only been peppering anything after searing recently
You should throw out that metal grill brush and get a synthetic one!! The metal bristles can get stuck on the grill, your food and then in your esophagus. Just ask any ER physician
@@kjdude8765 Well, yes, technically there is a risk, but the question wasn’t if a risk existed, but if the risk warranted a necessity to cook the meat all the way. The answer to that is clearly that it is up to each person to decide that for themselves. In other words, only Orlando Conde can decide if he desires to, rather than needs to, avoid that small risk.
But do you buy just regular brand American Cheese like a Kraft or is there a better quality brand out there? I typically don't love American Cheese. I prefer Bleu, Cheddar, Swiss, or basically anything else lol. Thanks!
I love your style on all your videos. Do you ever cook the burger off flame (over indirect heat) for some time before finishing it over the flame? I find that for more fat content the flare ups on a charcoal grill make it hard to manage the heat.
Quick question cuz I have no where else to ask without ridicule When I make a burger, it's basically leaking when I'm done cooking it. It's basically a watery fat sandwich. Am I doing something wrong? If I cook it longer it becomes all hard or loses flavor. It's fully cooked all the way through as well. Very soft meat
Hey Kenji, what type of grill do you recommend. Charcoal or gas? Cause I like charcoal but takes me time to get it ready, plus I get inconsistent heat. Just want to hear what you think. Edit: yes I saw the part where he talked about letting the lid open on charcoal and closed in gas.
That plate was like "No Kenji, not yet. You forgot to season the patty!"
The MVP of this vid.
If the patty was seasoned, then the layer of dry powdery things would cause the patty to fall straight off. But it was stuck fast instead, requiring it to be peeled off AFTER he had washed his hands, contradicting habit. Something behaving differently probably means that something is amiss!
Here’s an article I wrote a while back about American cheese. What it is (and what it isn’t): www.seriouseats.com/whats-really-in-american-cheese
Also to all you germaphobes: cook your burgers as much as you want. Wash your hands as much as you want. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you want to ask honest questions about food safety please do, but know that 90% of the time the answer is “food safety is a spectrum and you can make your own risk/reward calculations”. There is not “safe” or “not safe,” life is a series of risks.
I really like this comparison of American cheese to cheese and sausage is to meat. American cheese is cheese sausage confirmed
I was going to point out that it's cheddar and colby mixed together. But your article points that out. I'm trying to hard to find that version of American Cheese in Canada without any luck.
@@dodaexploda The sausage analogy for American cheese was a very nice way of putting it. Sometimes when I hear or see one more comment about ‘plastic’ or ‘fake’ cheese, I just want to..., well I wont say, but it involves violence.
Here is another link to an article (by you!) I just happened to check out earlier today:
www.seriouseats.com/the-burger-lab-how-coarsely-should-i-grind-my-burger
I must say that though I enjoy a big fat juicy grilled burger, lately I have tended toward making myself a smaller smash burger on the flattop at work.
@@dodaexploda same Canadian problem, i can't tell if kraft slices are the same thing or not...they look different.... I finally figured out chuck is blade in Canada
@@reklaw8017 I get my chuck from a local butcher, thankfully they just knew. For American Cheese I kinda went through a bunch of different "cheese slice" brands. And I end up using Selection (Metro grocery store brand) cheese slices. They melt the quickest in a microwave. The kraft ones seemed to take way to much heat before melting. Which seemed overly strange.
08:38 "if it tastes completely burnt, it's probably cause it caught on fire"
Who are you, who are so wise in the ways of science?
food science 101
It's Kenji J. Lopez Alt. Who else would it be, it's his channel after all. /s
@big_red_covfefe As someone who understood this before you said it (well, before I read you saying it), I feel like you're just reacting with seriousness to a joke.
But who knows, maybe the OP really didn't understand...
Maybe.
"Mmm! That is a tasty Burger." Best quote
He was so pleased with himself after too 😂😂. Love to see it.
"You mind if I have some of your tasty beverage to wash this down?"
Is it Big Kahuna’s?
I don't remember asking you a goddamn thing.
"Say 'what' one more time! I dare you, I double dare you!"
"American cheese is cheese like a sausage is meat"
Wise words have been spoken!
American cheese with sausage...
that's probably the best way I've heard it described. no one ever says "i don't want that fake meat garbage". but people will put a slice of aged cheese that looks like sunbaked plastic. burgers are all about that melty cheese though.
Agreed!
American is just a bechamel that has congealed.
@@hikebikeeat6552 Now I've heard it two ways that make it sound so much better!
Some people will look at the title of this video and see "how to cook a burger" but in reality you learn way, way more.
Why does a burger curl when cooked? Why does a grill flare up? Why shouldn't you salt your meat before forming your patty? Why is American cheese ideal for a burger? Should you close or open the lid on your grill?
I watch Kenji's videos because I want to make good food, but more importantly, I want to learn *why* the food is good.
For sure. Not here for the recipes, here for the expertise.
Well said, my friend
thank you basedgod, and thank you kenji
Had a cookout tonight, made a lot of frozen Kirkland patties on my griddle. They all domed up and now I know why!
"I watch Kenji's videos because I want to make good food, but more importantly, I want to learn why the food is good." such a great quote, I've learned more in one video of kenji making a simple bolognaise than I would in 10+ cooking videos and the tips are always something I can take into future recipes, I love picking up the fundamentals from a simple entertaining video
I feel like watching these videos makes me a more informed and confident cook, which makes me have more fun cooking, which makes me a better person to those I cook for. Thanks Kenji for modeling a healthy way to be a cook and for facilitating learning and curiosity in the kitchen.
"Anyone who says American cheese is fake cheese just doesn't really know what they're talking about"...you cannot possibly grasp the level of smarminess that the grin on my face projected as I played that little bit for my wife who, since we've been together (almost 25 years), has chided me for eating "fake cheese" every time I put American on anything...thank you, Kenji...a thousand times, thank you...
Kenji may agree with you, but I don’t. I hate American cheese. I didn’t grow up eating it, and I think it tastes gross. I am well aware how it is made, but it’s literally called American cheese (even though it was invented by a Canadian). I could think of few words I want in front if my food than “American” (I am in American btw)
Yeah, ok bro. Outside of the USA, where food standards are a little higher, it's illegal to call it cheese - it's a cheese flavoured product. Like, I like Yellow American, it's the best cheese for burgers, but it's not a real cheese
Kenji is spot on. The dairy industry is much less.regulated outside the U.S.
American cheese is pasteurized. This simply means the milk (used to make the cheese) was heated to a high enough temperature to kill potentially disease-causing bacteria. While I do agree the EU has surpassed the US in most other areas of manufacturing regulations, this one is a throw back and Kenji is not wrong.
@@nitrodudezoom You do realize it's illegal to sell it as cheese in the US as well? Outside of the higher quality Kraft deli singles, it's sold as a (reconstituted) dairy product, but I don't let the government tell me what the definition of a word is lol. It is cheese anyways, it's just many different mild cheeses mixed with emulsifying salts that allow it to melt well.
The beauty in Kenji's stage of his cooking life is that he gets to make whatever he wants to the degree that he knows will deeply satisfy that for him. The path of refinement continues!
@@calvincummings5051 yes
Yeah you should rewrite this comment unless its supposted to be poetry
Kenji I wanna say that I appreciate your technical mindset. You discuss food and cooking more like an engineer than a chef and you approach the processes more like a scientist. Very good and refreshing. Been noticing it over time.
kenji, casually: you might have heard about me hurling meat patties at a wall
Uh I think it was actually a reference to a video he did about debunking burger myths. He threw patties to a metal tray to demonstrate the effects of rigidity on a patty from pre salting, and it didn’t have to do with toxic workplace behavior… As far as I know Kenji is if anything a huge advocate against that passionately angry chef that just gets a bit carried away myth, as he believes ( and I concur) that it’s detrimental for workplace mentality.
update: the video is linked here at 4:45 seconds for the experiment ua-cam.com/video/weFT03Mcah0/v-deo.html
“That is a tasty burger”
- Samuel L Jackson
*redacted*
- J. Kenji López-Alt
What ain't no country I've ever heard of. They speak English in what?
Nice
@@noneotherthan508 What?
@@ExcuseMe881 Say what again i dare you
@@manfrom20xx13 what?
I'm actually starting to watch these more just to hear Kenji talk about the chemistry that is happening. Fascinating shit man, love it.
Kenji has mastered "teach don't tell". I learn so much from these videos. 🤗
Wow the pure knowledge you drop in every video for free is mind blowing. Thank you so much Kenji!
That sound you made when tasting the burger gives me life
Man, I keep getting frustrated on the grill because my burgers never turn out quite right and we end up finishing them in our oven's broiler. Explaining why an open charcoal grill is hotter than a closed one has seriously changed the game for me. It's those little tidbits that keep me coming back, Kenji. Keep it up!
"Perfection is a lot of little things done right." -MPW
kenji it really seems like you're enjoying life when you make these videos and I really hope you are. you're awesome and I appreciate these - they always inspire me to try new cooking ideas/techniques/recipes
love how he's always reminding people of the best way to cut the onion!
IM COMING TO YOUR RESTAURANT ON SUNDAY FOR LUNCH... IVE WAITED MY WHOLE LIFE FOR THIS... IM GONNA ORDER SO MUCH FOOD KENJI😤🤯
I'm eating as I watch this and it's still making me feel hungry somehow
Same tbh
This is the “kenji effect”
Ur name tho
My specialty is a medium well burger with Gouda, shaved Parmesan, bacon, pickles, and mustard all on a toasted brioche bun. My wife thought I got it from a restaurant or cookbook the first time I made it for her.
Sounds delicious
Parmesan is something I have never thought to put on a burger and my life has been worse because of that mistake
@@krispinazzzo surprisingly I found out about it through McDonald’s. The one in my hometown had a build a burger option on the kiosk. I just tried different combos until I found one I liked.
Hey Kenji! Love seeing you out on the grill! Since it’s summertime, could you please show us some more recipes from what you’re growing in your garden or from the farmers market?
Also, I love being able to search serious eats by ingredient because I am having trouble finding ways to use all of the different things I am growing, especially fresh herbs like oregano and sage.
Both oregano and sage work well after they have been dried out, my mom used to hang dry her sage every year to use in the fall/winter
@@drewgalbraith4499 yeah, I know I’ll probably have to end up drying those herbs. I’ve found fresh oregano to be veryyy strong. Just want to take advantage of them fresh while I can. I can only make sage brown butter so many times :] Once my cucumbers come in, I will be adding that to my list.
My favorite thing to do with fresh sage is browning the sage in butter with gnocchi.
@@xXcangjieXx that’s definitely a favorite, try adding squash.. kenji posted a video on it and seriouseats has some great recipes with sage brown butter
Sage works well with thyme. It is best in a cooked recipe. Sage butter works because it cooks the Sage. Good with beans and asparagus.
You make cooking and learning fun! Its always a treat hearing you talk about whatever the topic is n watching you cook
Just a heads up on the grill brush, there have been several instances of metal bristles breaking off and ending up in peoples food, causing internal puncture wounds which are very hard to surgically repair because the bristles are so hard to find and remove. Scrapers or coil brushes are a lot safer
I saw something like this on tiktok
@@colindowns3691 I’ve tried so many “safe brushes” and none of them clean like a wire brush. I use the long wired brushes now so I can inspect my grill and look for any strays. (I haven’t found a single one in 5 yrs of using these brushes. I also buy a new one when it starts to look worn down). Also, when you’re finished cooking on the grill, turn all the burners to high/full and close the lid, let it cook off any food bits and sugars , it takes about 5-10 minutes. Do this and you won’t need to use the brushes for much .
Also, leaving food bits inside a bbq, not seared off and incinerated, just invites pests and critters. Burn that crap off and you won’t have to clean it before cooking the next time.
American Cheese is cheese with some added liquid (0-40% by weight for cheese slices), likely water, and an emulsifier (2-3% by weight), likely sodium citrate which is essentially a kind of salt. You can make it by dissolving citric acid and sodium bicarbonate together (in specific amounts, please look it up if you want to try it). If you make the sodium citrate, you can make your own processed cheese out of any cheese you like, and to your own preference :)
Kenji has the absolute LEAST obnoxious chewing sound I've ever encountered. This is the only person who's chewing actually makes me feel the enjoyment more.
I love that you explain the why's of cooking and your recipes never disappoint.
Im a simple man, i see kenji upload i click
Tried it today, after doing only smash burgers for half a year an thought that's way better than fat patties I gabe your method a try. Before I always mixed the salt into the meat and used a burger press. Forming loosely by hand and just seasoning the outside makes a huge difference. I think there's room for smash and steakhouse-style 😍
There's always more ways than one to cook food
thank you for doing these. they're not only a fantastic resource but also great entertainment.
That thinner in the middle is the same that I do for boiled and fried Caribbean dumplings so that they cook through evenly .
Came in looking how to cook a burger and came out learning about bun gluten structure,onion taste properties, and how charcoal and gas grills work
Y'all can keep your smash burgers, THIS is how a burger should be
Hmm, I always wipe the rack after wire brushing. Usually with an oil soaked paper towel. I've heard of bristles coming off and ending up in food.
"Do you mind if I have some of your tasty beverage to wash this down?"
Say what again
@@Naveedsgarage “Do they speak English in what?!?”
It’s June in Seattle and 9 months of rain have finally come to an end. Kenji is back on the deck, yay!
Kenji: tries to think of a relatable metaphor
Also Kenji: shape it like a red blood cell
that being said, I instantly understood what he was trying to describe
Kenji, just wanted to let you know that the Sprouts grocery store near Asian Family Market in North Seattle on Aurora often has grass-fed beef. Not sure if you're picky, but our family finds it beefier than the standard ground chuck or sirloin. Thanks for livening up the Seattle food scene!
Backyard looks nice! Whichever part of it we get to see, that is. But the floor looks really nice, the rustic tiles.
1. Kenji, congrats on being close to 1M. I know that was never your goal, but it’s an achievement and you have wildly blessed me and many others. Thank you!
2. I really REALLY hope the negative comments and annoying questions on videos like this don’t get you down. For every 1 keyboard know-it-all there thousands of us who trust you and enjoy learning from you immensely.
All the best to you and your family. I hope you love your new home and city!
Did anyone else have Magic School Bus memories when he said the patty should be the shape of a red blood cell?
no
I learn something new every time I watch these videos thanks broski
This video and Sam the Cooking Guy's in n out style burger are my two favorite burger type videos on youtube. I love it!
Mate, yours is the best cooking channel on UA-cam, I'm glad I don't live next to you as all those beautiful aromas coming from your place would keep me constantly drooling 🤤
As someone in the medical field, I was thinking the words "red blood cell" as you were saying them. Central pallor. :) Love that you know about that!
why am i watching this amazing video at 3 am in the morning, while i am on a diet pure mazohism
Dropping so much knowledge throughout every part of the process.
Loved that belt tightening analogy!
Super rad. Agreed on the toppings. 100 percent. Can’t wait to try this technique!
Glad to see backyard videos are back :)
I enjoy Kenji’s videos and learn a lot His stuff is always messy and dirty is all. Whether its the patio or that little kitchen. other than that great vids lol
Kenji, can you please make a video about how to slice the Onions the way you do for this Burger Recipe? Thanks!
It's like the plate knew Kenji forgot to season the beef.
idk why i’m watching this at 11:32 pm but i am very much enjoying this
New subscriber here. For months and I mean more like the last couple of years I have been trying to tell my husband no matter how much money we spend on steak from stores like Walmart, Winn Dixie, Myers, Sam’s Club, etc, and how long you marinate, tenderize, season, etc those steaks they are still going to come out like trying to chew on leather. He swore we weren’t getting the right cut and I kept telling him those stores don’t sell real meat. That meat is from places like Mexico where their animals are raised from baby to adult in a few short months strictly from steroids. The same with the American cheese. Tried telling him that it’s all a by product not actual cheese from a cheese wheel. Well today I finally had enough and tricked him into going meat shopping from a local meat store about 30 minutes outside of town. We spent $300 and he quickly learned the difference between cheese off a cheese wheel, real ribeye steak, and real hot and mild sausage. We came home, lightly tenderized the steaks, marinated them in a little bourbon, melted garlic and herb butter, and let them sit in the fridge for a good hour or so while we heated up the pellet grill, cleaned it, then cooked real potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, corn on the cob, and finally the steaks. Let me tell you, when he took a bite of his steak I thought his eyes were going to bug out of his head. lol. For the first time in our 18 years of marriage we made steaks we could actually chew and it didn’t end up going to the meat blender and to the dogs. lol. It was so good. We also got 95% lean ground beef at the meat store and for the 4th of July we are making stuffed hamburger patties on the grill. I got him this thing from Amazon that puts a little indent hole in the patty so that whatever we decided we might want to stuff in our burgers we can put it in and then use the top to smush it all together perfectly. So thanks to your video I was able to confirm what I have been trying to tell the hubbin for years about gas and charcoal grills. Thank you so much for doing these videos and teaching people like my husband and even myself who grew up with very little where things like real beef patties, real steaks, etc were a very rare treat every couple of years.
Hello Mr. López-Alt
At one point you touched the raw patty, then reached into the salt box to season. Is that dangerous? Did you "infect" the rest of the salt?
Thank you
No. Salt is a very inhospitable to pathogens.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt Thank you!
Kenji, I've been looking everywhere for a decent salt box. Can't find one like yours at all. I like the one handed flip top lid and the size. Any suggestions?
Dude, you're the first TV or UA-cam chef I've seen mention washing hands. Fantastic! Food safety is important.
hey now, alton brown was yelling at us to "now go wash those 'beef-y' hands!" or "now go wash those 'chicken-y' hands!" after touching raw meat a decade ago on Good Eats
@@walterw2 I think I may have blocked Good Eats out of my memory...
I think the answer to wanting a burger that isn’t pink but still remains juicy is to just make it thinner, with less meat. But you gotta be careful because there’s a much smaller margin for error before the burger becomes a hockey puck, and it is more fragile when rotating/flipping. Pros and cons to both approaches.
In other words, smash burger on a flat top
"If you ever taste a burger that tastes a little burnt, it's probably because it caught on fire" #science
Perhaps a silly question... I've been looking for this style of spatula for a while and haven't been able to find much of a "standard" name for it- just searching "spatula" on amazon hasn't been fruitful. Do you have a specific brand you recommend, or a name for this style of angled spatula?
Awesome video as always!
look for "offset spatula"
grill spatula
This is an OXO spatula.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt Thanks for the timely response!
"restaurant turner" is the search term. The OXO one is ok but expensive. My favorite is from a restaurant supply store, don't know the brand unfortunately.
Hey Kenji, a big hoopla during our grilling is using the same plate which had raw meat on it to place cooked meat. Also using same spatula to place raw burgers to cook with...no one ever gets sick
It’s very unlikely that he’ll get sick
Looks good man. Love your videos and awesome information that you give while cooking. Please dont stop if you can lol
Kenji is the Bob Ross of cooking
Sorry if this was already asked. Can this also be a course grind lightly packed verses 80/20 ground chuck at a grocery store? Thanks!
Curious, what's the best practice on contamination between raw meat and a salt box?
Best practice is to keep them separate and wash your hands after touching raw meat. Reality is nothing lives in a box of salt.
Kenji: [forgets to salt the patty]
The plate that's a little too sticky: "I gotchu fam"
What pepper grinder do you recommend?
I came here because of your name check on Chef John. Good diversion. Great grilling info.
very nice techniques Kenji, I wish I grew up eating my burgers a little rarer but in Canada rare ground beef is not really a thing so unfortunately I just don't have the taste for it. cheers man!
Hell yes, Kenji! Summer has officially landed.
9:20
THANK YOU! And that's a perfect analogy for it.
Brilliant! I was waiting for you to make a video like this!
Love the closeups on the assembly!
You gotta be kidding me Kenji! I just thought about the need for such a video. Such good timing.
I stopped by for the burger video, but I stayed to see Kenji's responses to comments.
Kenji, what are your thoughts on bristled vs bristless grill brushes? I recall your tip on cleaning the grill BEFORE using it (rather than after) but a lot of bristless grill brushes require a bit of water to 'steam clean' the grates... On a charcoal grill I'm not sure I want to drip much water onto the coals before grilling so I'm at a bit of an impasse (considering concerns with loose bristles on standard grill brushes)...
Great looking burger Kenji!!! Thanks for the Video!
Kenji man you are making some great content. Cheers
Some people say that if you let the flames lick the meat too much it causes it to be carcinogenic and increases risk to cancer. Is that true?
Yes
But if you’re eating a burger in general, the increased cancer risk is a drop in the bucket as far as health concerns go.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt haha thanks Kenji that's awesome!
Great tip on pressing of the middle of the burger (golf ball analogy) I get it now lol 🙏
I like that you added the speeding up. I just lose track of the time. That's what's nice about your cut / minutes method. If you're gonna speed it up can you note how long it's been in editing? Love your videos. I've started cooking because of you. I get it now.
Mayo and pickles are definitely the most important condiments, followed closely by onions... 10/10
Hey @J. Kenji López-Alt , what are your thoughts on a burger that's sous vide and then finished on top of a chimney starter versus a straight grilled burger? Do you have some scientific breakdown for this comparison?
Hey Kenji! In the market for a new grill. Curious what type/ model your utilizing in the video?
If you have minced meat and it contracts to a ball, wouldn’t meatball be a better analogy than golf ball ?
I use grill grates to avoid those flames bc of health reasons. Very useful.
I just had a great supper and I thought it would be safe to watch this. I TOTALLY WANT A BURGER NOW!
The burger won’t puff at all if you it’s just loosely packed. A cookie cutter works great to help mold it.
so what's the final verdict on putting pepper on before cooking? isn't it just going to burn/scorch no matter what? I've only been peppering anything after searing recently
You should throw out that metal grill brush and get a synthetic one!! The metal bristles can get stuck on the grill, your food and then in your esophagus. Just ask any ER physician
Does ground beef need to be cooked all the way? Just curious cause I had heard that it does.
@@kjdude8765 gotcha thanks.
@@kjdude8765 Technically, no. ‘Technically' we are all free to eat it completely raw out of the fridge. There is certainly no law against it.
Don't eat undercooked mince unless you grind it yourself. Working in an abattoir will will show you that
@@kjdude8765 Well, yes, technically there is a risk, but the question wasn’t if a risk existed, but if the risk warranted a necessity to cook the meat all the way. The answer to that is clearly that it is up to each person to decide that for themselves. In other words, only Orlando Conde can decide if he desires to, rather than needs to, avoid that small risk.
But do you buy just regular brand American Cheese like a Kraft or is there a better quality brand out there? I typically don't love American Cheese. I prefer Bleu, Cheddar, Swiss, or basically anything else lol. Thanks!
I love your style on all your videos. Do you ever cook the burger off flame (over indirect heat) for some time before finishing it over the flame? I find that for more fat content the flare ups on a charcoal grill make it hard to manage the heat.
Kenji and Weissman dropping burger videos on the same day. Now we just gotta wait on Babish.
Do you let the meat rest at room temp first or do you form/cook while it’s cold?
Quick question cuz I have no where else to ask without ridicule
When I make a burger, it's basically leaking when I'm done cooking it. It's basically a watery fat sandwich. Am I doing something wrong? If I cook it longer it becomes all hard or loses flavor. It's fully cooked all the way through as well. Very soft meat
Use fresh ground beef instead of frozen!
Hi Kenji!
I was wondering if you have ever used a wok induction burner? And if you have, do you think they're a good alternative to a gas burner?
Possibly my favorite title to a food video.
Hey Kenji, what type of grill do you recommend. Charcoal or gas? Cause I like charcoal but takes me time to get it ready, plus I get inconsistent heat.
Just want to hear what you think.
Edit: yes I saw the part where he talked about letting the lid open on charcoal and closed in gas.