Seven Mistakes People Make When Grilling Out

Just in time for your weekend cookout, here are seven of the most common mistakes people make while cooking out on the grill.  

1. Not Buying Enough Meat.  Most underestimate how much is needed for a good sized burger.  Just remember six ounces per burger and multiply by how many burgers you plan to cook.
2. Buying Hamburger That's Too Lean.  People tend to like burgers that are 80% lean and 20% fat but any lower than that will dilute the flavor of the burger.
3. Over-Handling the Meat.  The more you handle it and mash it up, the less tender it is.
4. Buying Big Buns, but Making Tiny Burgers.  Not matching up your burger with the bun so you are left with too much bun and not enough meat.  Form the patties about an inch wider than the buns to allow them to shrink wile cooking.  To make sure you don't have a hamburger ball, make an indention in the middle of the patty with your finger to allow it to puff up in the middle and to help it come out flat.
5. Pressing Patties with a Spatula While They Cook.  All that does is squeeze out the juice and dries it out which means less taste.
6. Adding Cheese Too Soon.  There is no reason to add cheese till right before you remove it from the grill.
7. Shutting The Lid to Speed Things Up.  Shutting the lid does speed things up a little, but unless you like a nice smoky taste to your burger it is really not necessary.

For a more complete list of mistakes click here.