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Published May 21, 2008 11:26 am - Get out the grill. This weekend will be the first one for many families to hold cookouts, whether in the back yard or at the lake. Building a better burger By BETTY SMITH Press special writer TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — Get out the grill.
This weekend will be the first one for many families to hold cookouts, whether in the back yard or at the lake. And when the grill comes out, hamburgers are the first thing to go on it – whether as something for the kids to dine on while the adults seek out more sophisticated fare, or as a favorite for all. So it’s appropriate that May is National Hamburger Month. “You can’t beat the taste of hamburgers right off the grill topped off with some garden fresh vegetables such as tomatoes,” said Michelle Goss, clinical dietitian for the Cherokee Nation. Heather Winn, Extension educator for Oklahoma State University Extension in Cherokee County, said her family will feast on grilled hamburgers this weekend. “I’ve bought some new spices to try out gourmet hamburgers,” she said. “I wanted to think up something that was different, as well as economical and tasty.” She found a gourmet hamburger spice mix at the supermarket that had a lower sodium content than other mixes she had seen. “The consistency of the ingredients was not real fine; it was bigger pieces of spice,” she said. Winn tries to get lean hamburger meat, even for grilling. But if the meat you’re using is a little fatter, not to worry – much of the fat will drip off during the grilling process. Winn often purchases ground chuck or ground sirloin, but frequently uses the frozen, pre-shaped burger patties, adding her own touch with special seasonings. “If you’re going to make burgers, the more coarse it is ground, the better,” she said. “It actually helps it stay together.” Keeping the meat cool before putting it on the grill, whether in the refrigerator or a few minutes in the freezer, will also help the patties stick together. Goss said hamburgers can be part of a healthy meal. “Hamburgers are an excellent source of phosphorus, protein, selenium, vitamin B-12 and zinc. They are a good source for iron, niacin, vitamin B-6 and riboflavin as well,” she said. “Choose the leanest ground beef you can afford. The 95 percent lean ground beef is the best choice, but the higher the percentage, the less fat it will have in it.” Goss said a grilled 3-ounce 95 percent lean ground beef patty has approximately 125 calories and 5 grams’ total fat. “A trick you can try when grilling with lean ground beef is to add one egg white or half-cup egg substitute to your beef so it stays together better. This will also add some flavor,” she said. “Another consideration when grilling is to not press down on the hamburgers with a spatula while grilling, because this causes it to flame and burn the hamburger more. Better to flatten them before putting them on the grill.” 
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