Warning: I keep seeing cooks in Chicago overworking their burger patties

I watched a line cook at a spot on Randolph Street handle the same patty four times before it hit the grill, pressing all the juice out. It matters because a loose hand makes a tender, juicy burger, not a dense hockey puck. I learned this from my first head chef who would make you start over if you touched the meat more than twice. Has anyone found a good way to train new hires out of this habit?

3 comments

3 Comments

sandra1462d agoOG Member

Loose hand makes a tender, juicy burger" - try a silent countdown timer.

ray2102d ago

My buddy's chef made him use a timer like sandra146 said, but for shaping.

dylan1242d ago

Wait, timers for shaping? That's kinda wild lol. The whole point of a loose hand is to not overwork the meat, not to race against the clock. If you're rushing to shape before a timer goes off, you're gonna squeeze it tight without even meaning to. Better to just use a light touch and stop as soon as it holds together, even if it's a little messy.