Key Indicators That Your Burger Needs To Be Cooked Longer

Although it is better to initially undercook than overcook a burger (you can always toss it back on the grill, but you can't turn back the clock), it's also preferable to just get it right to begin with. Since you can't see inside those perfectly prepared ground beef patties without some kind of cookout periscope, and proper meat thermometers aren't always within reach, it's good to have a cache of other cues before you grab the spatula. In an interview with The Takeout, Owen Han, a culinary content creator and author of "Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich," shared some signs that your burger needs more time to finish.

"An undercooked burger has a cold or mushy center," Han explains. Not exactly appetizing, even for rare meat devotees. Fortunately, identifying this underdoneness couldn't be easier. You will actually be able to see that sad, soggy surface at a glance, and you can check the burger's exterior temperature with a careful touch test. If you detect any clamminess, it needs more time to cook.

While these are useful tips in a pinch, Han, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and moms everywhere would like to remind you that the safest internal temperature for burgers is 160 degrees Fahrenheit, personal doneness desires notwithstanding.

Unless you have somehow developed the most useless superpower of all time, you will need one of those aforementioned food thermometers to accurately gauge your burger's temperature. ThermoWorks' ThermoPop2 is small enough to fit inside a pocket protector, and it will seal your reputation as a committed burger nerd at the next barbecue. Eschewing this tool is actually one of the biggest burger mistakes you can make.

While you wait for it to arrive, Han offers more visual indicators to determine whether your burger is ready: If it looks raw, it probably is. But, absent that thermometer, if your beef passes the mush test and feels ready to the touch, how can you really know whether it's a cold blood red or a warm, rosy blush inside? Why, with a sacrificial patty, of course!

A sacrificial burger patty is the one you designate for color checking. It needs to hit the heat at the same time as the rest of a batch, and you will slice halfway to its center the moment you want to check for doneness. If it isn't quite ready, cut through the other side after a few more minutes. You might end up with less aesthetically pleasing meat quarters by the time everything is ready, but your intact patties, whatever homemade burger recipe you use, will be as close to perfect as you can get them.