The Condiment Hack To Keep Up With Backyard Grill Orders Like A Pro

You know that you've truly ascended to the level of grill master if you're the designated burger chef at summer parties and gatherings. However, remembering how each person wants their burger done is easier said than, well ... done (cue groans). Fortunately, there's an easy tip to help you remember – simply label the bottom of each hamburger bun with a doneness designation using ketchup. Now you can easily recall who wants a medium-well burger while also ensuring that the patties are accompanied by a condiment that complements their favorite toppings.

Preferred burger doneness is a personal choice, one that inspires passionate opinions in many people. Some firmly believe you can't get better than a juicy, rare burger, which has a center that's red and practically cool to the touch. At the other end of the spectrum are well-done burgers, which are brown on the inside with significant charring on the exterior. Despite your personal preferences, a good host meets the needs of their guests; this handy ketchup-bun hack will help you accomplish that, and there are some simple tips on how to use it effectively.

Unless you're preparing massive hamburger patties with equally massive buns, you probably won't have room to get really creative when writing with your ketchup bottle. Keep in mind that store-bought ketchup bottles can make this trick a little harder to pull off since even store-bought squeeze bottles tend to have large openings. You may find the hack easier if you transfer the ketchup to one of those vintage reusable plastic bottles with a smaller spout, which will also imbue your backyard BBQ with a quaint and kitschy feel.

Similarly, don't feel the need to write out the full doneness designation. Instead, use shorthand to indicate which bun gets which burger. A simple ketchup W (for well-done) or R (for rare) should suffice. When it comes to medium-well burgers, MW is perfectly acceptable. And if a guest doesn't like ketchup on their burger, no worries. Mustard also works fine, as does ranch dressing, hot sauce, and a variety of other condiments. In the event that you have a fussy loved one who forgoes condiments altogether, substitute their ketchup label with pickles or a piece of lettuce or tomato. Now that you have the hack down, you'll want to make sure you cook the burgers to the appropriate level.

Of course, to achieve the proper level of doneness, you must measure the temperature of ground beef patties as they cook on the grill. A meat thermometer is ideal in this respect, as it can help you gauge when to pull the burgers off the heat. Well-done burgers range from 160 to 165 degrees, and medium-well patties should achieve a temperature range of 150 to 155. As for medium rare, aim for a temperature between 130 to 135 degrees, while rare burgers are between 120 and 125 degrees. Knowing these temperatures will make matching your burgers to your ketchup-labeled buns that much easier.

It should be said that the USDA recommends cooking burgers to at least 160 degrees to ensure food safety, as undercooked beef carries a higher risk of bacterial contamination. While plenty of people enjoy their burgers at cooler temperatures without incident, certain groups are more vulnerable to foodborne illness, including older adults and children. As such, it's typically best to err on the side of caution to protect potentially vulnerable guests. A burger can take up to 15 minutes to reach the well-done designation (although the cooking time depends on how big the patties are). Since the average bun toasts on the grill in just 10 seconds, you'll have plenty of time to work on writing a beautiful, bold capital MW or W as your meat cooks.