Did you know there are better ways to cook your burgers than the barbecue? New York chef Abbie Gellman walks Inside Edition through her tried and true steps to cook the best burger this holiday season.
The Fourth of July is the most popular day of the year to barbecue in the United States, with 71% of Americans reporting having fired up their grills. But did you know that some chefs say there are better ways to cook your burgers?
That's what famed chef David Chang says, stirring controversy after noting you should never barbecue a hamburger.
He says it's time to bring the beloved burger indoors.
New York chef Abbie Gellman agrees, telling Inside Edition, "When you cook them outside over high heat, the fat from the burgers falls into the fire."
While the sight of a burger grilling may look appealing, the method of cooking has its risks, she says.
"Everyone loves to see the flames licking up the burgers, but then you are actually burning the burgers; that's that char flavor and when that happens, it creates carcinogens, which is not good for our bodies," Gellman says.
The best way to cook a burger is on the stove using a cast iron skillet, she says.
"It's really hot already; that is key. You want your pan to be hot," Gellman says.
She demonstrated the method for Inside Edition, spraying a little oil onto a pan and waiting until the pan got a little smoky to place her meat down.
"We don't want to touch it; we will let it sit and get a good crust, and then we will flip it over," she says.
She advises cooking a burger this way for three minutes on each side, until the meat is between 150 and 160 degrees.
Other foods, like chicken and fish, are fine on a barbecue because they don't necessarily drip juices onto hot coals. Hot dogs are OK, too, because they're already cooked.
And then there's the age-old question of whether ketchup should be refrigerated or not.
Heinz has settled the great debate just in time for the Fourth of July, tweeting "FYI: Ketchup. goes. in. the. fridge!!!"
