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Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

Grilling Perfect Burgers is easy if you follow these simple tips:

* Use beef with the right amount of fat. I recommend 80% to 85% lean ground beef. The fat is what makes your burgers juicy.

* I also recommend grass-fed beef, if you can find it (Whole Foods carries it; you can also find it at farmer's markets). Grass-fed beef not only tastes better, it's also leaner and has a better nutritional profile.

* If your ground beef is frozen, thaw completely in the refrigerator before using. Do not try to cook beef from a frozen state.

* To see if your burgers are done, check using an instant-read thermometer. Insert it in the side of the burger through to the middle. Burgers should be cooked to 160 degrees F.

* Color is not an indicator of whether or not your burgers are cooked thoroughly. Burgers that are brown inside may not be cooked to 160 degrees F, and burgers that are cooked through may still be pink inside.

* Handle the beef as little as possible while shaping the burgers. Overhandling results in toughness.

* Form patties that about 3/4-inch thick. Press your thumb in the middle of each patty to prevent it from bulging during cooking.

* Refrigerate your burgers while preparing the grill. Preheat the grill long enough to get it nice and hot, about 15 minutes should do it.

* Season the burgers with salt and pepper on the outside, just before grilling. I recommend Maldon Sea Salt. Its large crystals really bring out the flavor of the burgers. And by seasoning the outside of the burgers, the salt, which enhances the beef's flavor, will hit your mouth first.

* Place the burgers on the grill, and leave them there. Do not press down on the burgers during cooking.

* Flip once, after 3-6 minutes.

* Let your burgers rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

Related : Molten Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe

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Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

The Bottom Line

With Maldon Sea Salt, you can make everything from green beans to watermelon salad taste like it came out of the kitchen of a four-star restaurant for roughly the price of a latte and muffin at Starbucks.

Pros

* Dramatically enhances the flavor of food, especially vegetables.
* Less expensive than typical "gourmet" sea salts.
* Provides a delicately satisfying mouth feel.
* Only need to use a little to get a lot of flavor.

Cons

* Not available in most supermarkets.
* More expensive than regular salt.
* Only to be used as a finishing salt -- not for baking.

Description

* Light, flaky pyramid crystals of sea salt that melt in your mouth.
* Around $6.50 a box.
* Can be purchased in bulk online.
* Available online or at specialty stores like Williams-Sonoma.

Guide Review - Maldon sea salt Will Transform Your Cooking

Every so often, you can add a little something new to a recipe, and whoosh! The difference rocks your world.

Such was the case the first time I tried Maldon sea salt.

A few years ago, Slate magazine did an informal taste test of popular gourmet sea salts. They tested a wide variety of popular salts on everything from a cucumber to pasta sauce, french fries, and plain, on the finger.

Maldon came out on top. With a price of around $6.50 a box, I figured it was worth a try.

I expected it to work well for me, in the way that a new peeler or measuring cup works well. Nice, but nothing to really comment on. I wasn't prepared for how much it would make in the overall flavor of my food.

My family actually commented on how much better my Roasted Green Beans tasted. And once, when I was out, I came home to find my 9-year-old rooting around in my spice cabinet to find the Maldon salt so her plain microwave-baked potato could taste the way I made it taste the night before.

The beauty of Maldon sea salt lies in its size and shape. It's not the typical chunky round crystal of most sea salts. Rather, it is a flaky pyramid. Somehow the extra surface area adds both extra crunch and lightness on the tongue.

And because it is so flavorful, a little goes a long way. A mere 1/2 teaspoon tossed with a pound of cooked broccoli is enough to make a statement.

Related : Molten Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe