Grill a masterpiece

If you start with top-quality beef, these chefs insist there's no need to embellish the meat with special seasonings, minced onion, bread crumbs, or other add-ins. The old adage that "less is more," is one they embrace.

But they don't hold back on good-quality salt (preferably kosher) and freshly ground black pepper, which simply enhance the beef's natural flavors. It's best to salt meat at the last minute, just before grilling, says Castillo. Salting any earlier will only dry out the meat.

"Cooking a burger properly is the hardest thing about making a burger," says Schlesinger. "Chefs hate cooking burgers since they're used to touching things for doneness that are more contiguous."

When he's cooking for friends at home, Schlesinger might commit what he calls "an act of heresy": He cuts into his own burger to check it out. He jokingly calls it the "nick, peek, and cheat method."

At his restaurant, he might do the same. "If our grill cook just got the tuna sent back, you can believe he'll be checking the next couple ones," he says.

The cooking time is key, of course. To achieve a medium-rare burger on a medium-hot grill, Castillo says, about 3 to 4 minutes per side should be just right. For medium, 5 to 6 minutes, and for well-done, aim for 7 minutes, he suggests.

Bogardus agrees. "On a medium-hot grill, which is best, I can pretty much guarantee that 3 to 4 minutes per side is perfect for medium rare, even with a 10-ounce burger."

Those bubbles and juices oozing out of the burger also hint at doneness. "For a medium-rare burger," says Castillo, "turn it after you see those first droppings of juice." For medium, wait until the juices turn brown.

Some chefs may "nick, peek, and cheat" while others watch the clock. But ask them about the amateur practice of pressing burgers with a spatula while cooking, and you'll hear unanimous outcry. "That's just criminal," shrieks Schlesinger. It's the fastest route to a dry burger.

If you're adding cheese, put it on the burger about two minutes before the meat is done. That way, the cheese will melt just enough.

Once again, the quality of ingredients comes into play. Steer clear of processed, sliced cheeses and go for premium, flavorful ones. At Vox Populi, for instance, Bogardus serves his much-loved burger with aged Vermont cheddar. While he refuses to jazz up the freshly ground chuck in his burgers, he doesn't hold back on fixings, which include smoked bacon and thinly sliced red onions with sliced tomatoes and Romaine lettuce on the side.

"For four years," he says, "I've kept this burger on my menu, and almost everyone wants it just this way."

But when he's at home, Bogardus prefers simpler adornment, adding a spoonful of caramelized onions and a dollop of Dijon mustard. He grills a white bun just slightly to give it a little crunch. "The best thing about a burger," says Bogardus, is that "there are a million different things you can do with it."

But Schlesinger couldn't be bothered. "I like my burger like that Jimmy Buffett song 'Cheeseburger in Paradise,' " he says of Buffett's description: "with lettuce and tomato, Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes."

Page: 1 | 2