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Spending a relaxing afternoon in the backyard frying up burgers on the grill is nothing short of the ideal day for a BBQ aficionado. However, little do you know of the harm you are committing. That’s because according to a famous Michelin two-starred chef, you’re making burgers the wrong way. Or didn’t you know?
As a backyard-cooking, tong-clicking BBQer, follow along to see where you stand on this recent controversy.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Chang Says
David Chang stirred up a hornet’s nest of controversy earlier this summer when he casually provided his suggestion for the proper way to cook a hamburger. On his podcast The David Chang Show, David said “Grills suck for burgers,” explaining that grills turn them into “carbonized crap.”
“We have assumed as a culture that in summer, we eat a burger, and it’s grilled,” David said on his podcast. “I actually think the grill is a horrible thing for the burger.”
“This whole idea of imparting flavor from the grill, the only flavor that’s being imparted is the carbonized crap that’s on it,” he added. “You would need to cook a burger over charcoal for 12 hours to get that smoky flavor.”
Not content to leave sleeping dogs everywhere to lie in peace, David even went on to say that grilling burgers are just a “marketing lie” and a “guaranteed grease fire.”
Griddle Your Loins
At this point, if you’re calm enough to continue reading, you’re probably wondering what is the better way to cook a burger. According to David, the answer comes in the form of a griddle or frying pan. In this way, burger-making suddenly becomes a decidedly more indoor activity.
“The success rate of the griddle is better than the grill,” David said. “And also there’s no cleanup, you have nothing to worry about.”
Even though David doesn’t recommend using the grill for making burgers, he values it as a great way to make other types of BBQ food.
“It’s good for chicken, chicken thighs, spatchcock chicken, pork, lamb chops, and seafood,” he said.
Nostalgia Goggles
So far, we have opinions on the proper way to cook from a professional who has achieved the highest levels of his profession. And yet, David had even more wisdom to share, having saved the worst for last.
Having fully admitted that “I think this viewpoint could get me in trouble,” David let loose with a damning denouncement of the entire BBQ lifestyle.
“A backyard burger is an experience that you try to convince yourself is better than it actually is,” David said on his podcast. “It’s the nostalgia, it’s the smells, it’s your friends. But if you actually take it out of the context, it’s not that good.”
Huh. Awkward.
Cowed into Submission
As lovers of the burger-making backyard grill, we’re dismayed by David’s opinion. We admit he may have a point about the better way to prepare burgers, but we’re totally dismayed by the way he has condemned backyard barbecues as a lie. I mean, without a backyard grill, where can we suburban fathers find our much-needed solace?
David is no stranger to food opinion controversies. He has previously denounced Wagyu burgers and even suggested the best way to make mac & cheese is in a wok. But the real question is: Is Chang’s opinion enough to make a real change in the world?
Temp Temptations
At ThermoPro, we hope you are making burgers exactly the way you want them. And to ensure that your burgers come out perfectly each time you grill or griddle them (if you end up listening to David), use a ThermoPro meat thermometer like the ThermoPro Lightning One-Second Instant-Read Meat Thermometer. Our thermometers tell you when your food is thoroughly cooked by showing you the internal temperature of your ingredients.
To browse our full lineup of thermometers, visit the ThermoPro online store on Amazon.
