Cheeseburgers on the Grill

What fool would Google a recipe for cheeseburgers, you ask? Well, I just might have, if I hadn't gotten play-by-play instructions from my S.O. on how to light a barbecue grill without setting myself on fire. For all you gals out there who don't grill yet but feel compelled to learn, let me liberate you with some basic information on the topic. And while we're here, we may as well indulge in some juicy beef!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of ground beef, 85% lean makes a nice, juicy burger
4 hamburger buns
4 slices of American cheese
4 thin slices of red onion
4 slices of fresh, garden tomato
condiments to your liking

Equipment:

Gas barbecue grill, full propane tank already hooked up, burger flipper, serving plate

Procedure:

Okay, the hardest part about this is lighting the grill, so pay close attention now.

1. Open the lid of the grill.

2. Squat down by the propane tank, and turn it clockwise to open the valve so that propane gas can flow out.

3. Set the burner(s) on Start/Hi. You will start to smell the unmistakable odor of propane. Breathe deeply.

4. Depress the ignitor switch several times - you'll know if you did it hard enough if it makes a clicking sound. Well, at least that's how my grill works - maybe yours does something different? Consult with Meat-Eating Man Friend for confirmation of this.

You'll also hear the fire kick on - poof - and you'll be able to see flames. Don't get too close now, we don't want any singed eyebrows or crispy remnants of what once were your bangs, for those of you who still do the Big Hair '80s thing (why?).

5. Close the lid of the grill, go back into the house, and quickly form 4 hamburger patties out of the ground beef. Make sure they're well-flattened like the ones they sell at Shoprite already made for you. As an added precaution, press your thumb into the middle of each burger patty. This will allow for a pool of grease to collect, ensuring that the burger cooks thoroughly, or something to that effect. Pile your burgers on a plate, and carry out to the grill along with your trusty burger flipping implement and a clean plate to set the cooked burgers on.

6. Return to the backyard. Open the grill, and gently place all four burgers on the part of the grill grate that's closest to you. You're going to cook these bad boys for anywhere from 2 to 4 minutes each side, depending on how well done you like your burgers. Close the grill and return to the house to gather together your bag of hamburger buns and American cheese slices. Don't dilly-dally, now.

7. Carry the buns outside and set on the picnic table. Unwrap the cheese slices if you haven't done so already, and place on the serving plate for later use. After a minute or two, open the grill lid again to check how your meat is coming along. If it's bubbling on the edges, it's time to flip. Careful, careful! Raw meat patties are slippery little buggers.

8. While waiting for the burgers to cook on Side 2, open up the hamburger buns and place each one face down on the grill, toward the back. You just want them to get the slightest big toasty, so basically as soon as you lay the last one down, get ready to pick the first one back up. Arrange on plate in the "open and ready to receive burger" position.

9. Check burgers again. You may want to pierce the center to see if they're cooked to your desired level of doneness. If they're close to being ready, grab a slice of cheese and gently fold in each corner, then place atop one of the burgers. Repeat for the remaining 3 burgers, remove all from grill when melted. Place each burger on a bun, then garnish with onion, tomato, and condiments if desired.

Hooray!! You're a grill master.

Submitted by: Dina Giolitto
http://wordfeeder.com

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