How to Best Keep Burgers from Shrinking on the Grill

Have you ever gone out to the grill with the most perfect burger formed and then had it shrivel up on the grill into a sad overcooked hockey puck?  I think we have all been there but with just a few simple tips, you can keep your burger from shrinking on the grill and assure you are only having perfect, juicy burgers at all times.  Luckily, the changes you will need to make sure assure your burger doesn't shrink are not major and will easily become apart of your burger making routine so you can continue using burgers as a quick dinner on a busy night and all these tips require no extra cost.

​Burgers are great year round in my opinion, but they are especially popular during the summer months, especially during the major holiday weekends like Memorial Day weekend, July 4th weekend and Labor Day weekend.  Burgers can also be a great weeknight family meal because it is affordable and quick but does not sacrifice flavor.  
If you are looking for a great burger recipe to try, look into this honey sriracha blue cheese burgers.

How does the fat content affect shrinkage of the burger on the grill?

Believe it or not, the fat content of the ground beef you purchase plays a large role in the shrinkage of your beef patty.  Leaner meat tends to shrink more while meat that contains more fat will not shrink as much.  This is because a ground beef with a higher fat content retains more moisture when it cooks, not only giving you a juicier burger but also keeping your burger from shrinking too much

Lean meat has it's time and place but it is not the best option when you desire a burger patty that is juicy and doesn't shrink.  My suggestion for meat to fat ratio is to always get an 80% meat 20% fat ground beef.  This is the most popular meat to far ratio for ground beef so you will always be able to find it.

The Role of Cooking Temperature and Burger Shrinkage

The higher the heat, the more burger shrinkage you will have.  Sometimes it is truly better to cook a burger low and slow.  I am not talking about low and slow like you do with a pork shoulder on a smoker, unless you are smoking your burgers, but there is no need to have your burger taking on the flames of the hot grill.  The higher the heat and the more shrinkage you are going to get.

Another way to avoid too much heat is to keep the burgers away from direct heat for the majority of the time.  By giving the burger a quick sear on direct heat and then switch to cooking burgers on indirect heat, you can make sure your burger does not cook at too high of a heat and shrink.

Does making a dimple in the middle of the burger really help?

Yes, making a small dimple in the center of the patty can help.  I do not find this strategy to be necessary though if you are using a meat with a high fat content and also cooking at an appropriate temperature.  There is still no harm in doing it as another layer of defense.  

By leaving a dimple in the middle of the burger, it allows the meat to expand evenly and counteracts the natural tendency for the edges to shrink.  

Adding binders to the raw patties to prevent shrinking

Adding binders, such as bread crumbs, eggs or mayonnaise to the raw burger patties prior to forming the burgers will help lessen burger mass loss.  

​Do smash burgers shrink?

Yes, smash burgers are going to shrink.  That does not typically matter though because when smashed they tend to be quite large so a little shrinkage actually allows the burger to fit on the bun perfectly.  When smashing burgers, the juices become compressed not giving them much room for the meat to expand so in turn, it shrinks.  Smash burgers are known for their crisp edges so in this case, it is not necessarily a bad thing.  In order to make a smash burger, you will need a burger press.  I detail how to use a burger press through this guide on my site.

​What temperature should burgers be cooked to?

For a medium rare burger, cook the burger until it reaches an internal of 135 degrees.  This will give you the best results and also make sure the moisture content of the homemade burgers is still high so you are biting into a juicy burger.  Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burger will cooking.

Burger Recipes to try

The best way to learn how to make a super juicy burger is to practice.  I have some delicious burger recipes in the grilling section of my blog that can get you started! This homemade big mac comes with a classic copycat big mac sauce that always goes delicious with burgers.  If you want to learn how to make a smash burger, I have a great recipe using my campfire sauce!

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