Michelin Star Chef, Dave Chang, has revealed that you should never cook this particular item on a BBQ - and we're shocked!
In a recent episode of The Dave Chang Show, David Chang, the chef whose flagship New York restaurant, Momofuku, with two Michelin stars, made a shocking announcement about our summer BBQs - we've been messing them up! The Chef revealed that in order to improve our barbecue cuisine we should not be cooking burgers on the grill!
"We have assumed as a culture that in summer, we eat a burger, and it's grilled. I actually think the grill is a horrible thing for the burger ... I think this viewpoint could get me in trouble," he said per The Daily Mail. As burgers are a staple in most BBQ's this is certainly a point of contention for many!
The Chef went on to explain how we can improve our burgers, and why the slightly charred burgers on a barbecue should be a thing of the past.
Dave suggested that a better method is to use a griddle or a frying pan so that the locks in all the moisture. "The success rate of the griddle is better than the grill, and also there's no clean-up, you have nothing to worry about." He then added, "A juicy burger is going to turn into a guaranteed grease fire, why use it?"
But what about that flame-grilled flavour? Surely a barbecue improves the burger by giving it all that smokey goodness? Dave disagrees. "This whole idea of imparting flavour from the grill, the only flavour that's being imparted is the carbonised c–p that's on it," he said. "You would need to cook a burger over charcoal for 12 hours to get that smoky flavour. I think the grill and the burger is a marketing lie."
The chef went on to slam a 'backyard burger' and claimed that the nostalgia was more potent than the flavour."A backyard burger is an experience that you try to convince yourself that it's better than it actually is. It's the nostalgia, it's the smells, it's your friends." He added, "But if you actually take it out of the context, it's not that good."
So what should we cook on the BBQ? The Chef suggested, "It's good for chicken, chicken thighs, spatchcock chicken, pork, lamb chops, and seafood. There are some vegetables that are good grilled, squash and aubergine, but only if they're cut a specific way or they can still fall through the gaps. Corn is clearly the only champion. I can't think of anything else."
So there you have it! If you want to impress your guests avoid cooking burgers on your barbecue! Stick to the other meats that he suggested and quote Dave Chang so you sound like a BBQ connoisseur!
