Planning a barbecue? Whatever you do, do not put burgers directly on the grill

If you’re planning to host a barbecue feast this summer, do not put your burgers on the grill.

That is, if you want your taste buds to thank you.

While it sounds almost blasphemous, three top chefs are advising everyone to keep those patties far away from the flames.

Bryan Voltaggio, chef and co-owner of Voltaggio Brothers Steak House in Washington; Gray Brooks, chef and owner of Littler and Jack Tar & the Colonel’s Daughter in Durham, N.C.; and Tae Strain, chef at Momofuku CCDC in Washington all agree grilling is the worst way to go.

Instead, they recommend using a plancha or a cast-iron pan.

This way, you keep the beef’s delicious fat and natural juices, instead of losing them to the grill’s cracks, they said.

If you don’t want to lose the classic summer feeling of cooking burgers on the grill, Brooks recommends putting a cast-iron griddle on the grill. And for those who like the smoky grill flavor, just grill onions, he said.

“Do Not Grill”

The seven other foods that made Bloomberg’s “Do Not Grill” list this year are:

1. Peeled Shrimp
2. Lettuce
3. Skinless Chicken Breasts
4. Sausages and Thick-Cut Bacon
5. Top Round and Bottom Round
6. Tortillas
7. Pineapples and Peaches

This story was originally published July 5, 2019 at 4:14 PM.