Why do my grilled burgers look like big fat meatballs?
Hamburger (especially with a good fat ratio) shrinks. As the fat drips out and the meat pulls up, it may begin to look more like a tennis ball than a burger if the patties are not shaped right when you make them. Make the hamburgers for the grill rounder and flatter than you want them to look when you’re done. Also take your thumb and mash the center a little flatter than the edges (which also helps to hold the marinade). As the meat draws up a bit, the center will come up higher and the entire burger will be even looking. Why do my burgers turn out smaller than the buns? Remember that grilled hamburgers shrink and often as much as 25%. If you’re making them bun sized when the meat is raw, then you’re going to have skimpy burgers. For standard sized small hamburger buns, I use around ¼ or up to 1/3 a pound per patted out burger. They look awfully big when I’m patting them out, but they shrink and fit just right. With the big fancy buns, go even bigger with the patty size. Why don’t my
