Making a hamburger press

[melonkernel]

Hi, i am from Finland, and here you won't find a hamburger patty press in a (at least local) store. So i would need to make one i guess. (So i can feed my newly purchased Weber Grill [which by the way is lovely])

I can get stainless steel pipes.

Has anyone here made one?

I am thinking of something like the attached photo.

(If i want to buy whole-meat patties here, they are around 1

[melonkernel]

oops, i posted this in the wrong "general discussion". The admins may move this thread as they see fit.

[ThomasPowers]

I don't know anyone in America who uses one. We always shaped the hamburgers with our hands.

[HWooldridge]

A tortilla press would work but they probably don't have those in Finland either...

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

We had two in the restaurant where I worked through high-school and college. One was a hinged ordeal that was more hassle than it was worth, not to mention getting it apart to clean it! (healthcode and whatnot...) The other was basically two discs that fit inside a tube (made of some kind of plastic) Set down the tube, put the bottom disc in, put in burger, and smoosh it flat with the top disc. The top disc had a handle on it, so once the patty was made, you held the handle, lifted the tube up while keeping the discs in place and voila! hamburger patty. But, unless you're running a restaurant, I wouldn't worry about perfect patties. Just make a 1 pound ball of burger, squish it a bit and throw it on the grill.

-Aaron @ the SCF (who's fully aware that a 1 pound burger is precisely 4 times as fattening as a 1/4 pound burger....but it's Oh so Good!)

[azmike]

how about a stainless steel ring about 4 " diameter x 3/4"--use your hands to form (can also be used to fry eggs in for a egg sandwich)

[triw]

When I worked in kitchtens we used mayonaise jar lids (gal. size) wax paper on the bottom and top and press the lid ovet to form the patty very quick and very cheap.

[orgtwister]

i got my hamburger press as a gift from harbor freight they have two types ones 2.00 and others 10.00 they have a web site i don't know if its worth geting them from there personaly i don't use it i do the same as thomas roll it in a ball squish it. you could just use a piece of stainless pipe or tube or pvc pipe of the size you want about 2 inches or so high and make a center press for it it may be hard for you cut stainless for that fit i would get (if you have them there)a plastic cutting board and make the center out of that. and get a stainless pull knob and put in the center

[Glenn]

Use two saucers (small plates) and form the hamburger patty between them. Waxed paper keeps the hamburger from sticking. Clean up us just washing the two saucers.

[rthibeau]

apparently you want to do this for your own use..this is good. Canned goods, vegetables, beans, whatever........find one the size you want your burgers, find a second just slightly smaller that will fit inside the first very close. Do not open the second one. Open both ends of the first, clean it out, put the amount of burger you want in the first (open) can and place on flat surface. Put second (unopened) can inside first, push down to form round patty......repeat. Clean cans for reuse later or keep supply on hand.

[melonkernel]

Hey, thanks, i got a great deal of good advice fro you all.
I intend taking on the quest of making the ultimate pattie ;)

[Finnr]

I remember seeing burger presses turned from maple as a kid. Which is rather a while ago but I think it would still be workable.
Finnr

[melonkernel]

I could saw a large hole in a thick massive (hard) wood board. Then we have a hole, and a plug. those could then be shaped and polished to become a nice hamburger press. (hmm, an alternative not involving hammers and fire ... )
Perhaps something like this:

[ironrosefarms]

At the restaurant I worked when in high school we rolled the meat out with a rolling pin on top of waxed paper then cut the patties with either a knife (square patties) or a large soup can for round. Worked very well and we could put out a bunch of patties in a short time frame.

[melonkernel]

I think i will go with that approach.

And now for the actual patties. ...
What do you prefer to put in them?
Here, a lot of people put breadcrumbs and egg to make them stay together, but recepies for hamburger patties do not include them.
(Hamburgers: The Patty - The secret to the perfect burger)

But other than onion and spices, do you put other stuff in them, or is it "all about the meat"?

[melonkernel]

Or, i will try the different approaches you all suggested and stick with the most convenient one, that makes the best patties, which includes as little mashing up the meat as possible while still giving it the perfect shape and making them store-it-in-the-freezer-able.

[Glenn]

VG0071 All American Burger

IForgeIron.com > Vulcans Grill has over 70 foods listed and how to make them.

Vulcans Grill is open to anyone that wants to post their way to prepare a food or dish. Blacksmiths do have to eat you know. (grin)

[Justin Caradoc]

I like to put A-1, minced garlic, and a pinch of cyane pepper in my burgers. I only use a tea spoon of the A-1 per pound when it is cooked the flaver gets stronger.

[melonkernel]

I tried yesterday to make some patties using the top cut off a plastic container and a jar as the press. it worked fine and i made some nice patties, 100g, 10cm diameter and half a centimeter thick. I placed the circle on silicone topped cooking paper sheets, and put 100g of meat in them an pressed, then stacked them onto each other and put them in the freezer, using the papers as separator. They were however a bit difficult to separate once they were frozen. I probably should press them first on a separate paper, then add put them between separation-papert and onto the freezer.

My next plan is ofcourse to grill some of them tonight.
But now my project is this:

Make a pattie press using stainless-steel pipe and a plastic cutting board as orgtwister suggested, and then make additional stainless-steel-pipe parts 10cm diameter and 2cm "high" to make bun-makers. With 9-12 of these at the same time in the oven one could easily make the perfect buns as well.

[rustyshackleford]

I would use the stainless for this project.
1.Find a base about 1/4"=1/2' thick, make it circular with a tab on the back.
2.TIG on a vertical hinge to this tab.
3.Find a similar size stainless tube, cut it about 3" tall, then mark an inch from the top, and cut most of the way through the pipe, leaving a 1" square tab.
4.Opposite of this tab, and at the bottom, weld your other hinge tab, making sure it seats with the other properly.
5.Bend the 1" tab at the front down, finish the hinge at the back, and
6.Find a disk that will fit into your pipe. Attach a knob to this and clean it all up.

When using, press the patty, then twist the disc as you lift it, to break any suction. hope it makes sense, ask if it doesn't!

[Glenn]

When you finish making the hamburger patties, put a sheet of waxed paper on BOTH sides of the patty, then stack them together. That is paper, patty, paper, paper, patty, paper, paper, patty, etc. When frozen the paper separates easily giving you a paper, patty, paper section that you can place under a stream of warm water to heat and easily separate the paper from the patty.

[keykeeper]

I have a hamburger press that is an original tupperware, NEAT LITTLE TOOL!!!!!!!! I'll see if I can get some pictures, let's you make as THICK a burger as you please.

Yeah, Tupperware rocks, Sam!


On another note, I like to make burgers with these additives, for about 1 pound of ground meat ( any red meat will do!):

-one tablespoon or so of Worcestershire Sauce
-healthy dose (teaspoon or so) of Garlic powder
-some dried minced onion (tablespoon works well)
-couple shots Tabasco sauce
-dash of black pepper
-teaspoon or so Beef bouillon powder or soup base powder

measurements are approximate, usually I just fudge the amounts until I think it looks good and will taste good. I very rarely measure when cooking.

mix all ingredients thoroughly into the meat, make into about 3 big ole honkin patties, grill until cooked through.

MMMM, MMMM, MMMM,

I love being a carnivore!

[melonkernel]

Hey, awesome tips, everyone...
I grilled the patties i made along with commercial ones i had bought earlier (the expensive whole-meat talked about, that are supposed to be the best around here)
They were similar in shape and handling (flippability) but mine were oh-so-much-tastier and the commercial ones were much more rubbery.
And my wife agreed aswell. (And the ones i bought, i thought until now were the best patties ever made)

thanks again...

question: How many of have decided to make hamburgers during this discussion?

[melonkernel]

I would use the stainless for this project.
1.Find a base about 1/4"=1/2' thick, make it circular with a tab on the back.
2.TIG on a vertical hinge to this tab.
3.Find a similar size stainless tube, cut it about 3" tall, then mark an inch from the top, and cut most of the way through the pipe, leaving a 1" square tab.
4.Opposite of this tab, and at the bottom, weld your other hinge tab, making sure it seats with the other properly.
5.Bend the 1" tab at the front down, finish the hinge at the back, and
6.Find a disk that will fit into your pipe. Attach a knob to this and clean it all up.

When using, press the patty, then twist the disc as you lift it, to break any suction. hope it makes sense, ask if it doesn't!

I might have to re-read it a couple of times to fully understand. but no i am off from the computer. => family

[NateDJ]

The hardwood press looks great, you could forge some really nice hardware for it and make it look very elegant! Set it beside your other grill tools and use it for a drink holder if nothing else.:D