The Meathead Method – A Smart, Savvy Guide to Next-Level BBQ

I’ll be honest: I never thought I’d get excited about a BBQ book. I’ve always loved cooking, but the grill? That felt like foreign territory—something I’d leave to my husband or my son. And its usage was usually limited to burgers, chicken and steaks. 

This summer, intending to elevate my BBQ skills, I picked up The Meathead Method by Meathead. I figured at minimum I would get a few ideas on how to expand the meat options and maybe actually use some of the vegetables that I get in my CSA box every week. 

This isn’t your average BBQ book full of smoky bravado and meat-on-every-page energy. Don’t get me wrong—there’s plenty of that (in a good way). But what makes it different is how much it teaches you.

Full disclosure, I am someone who actually reads cookbooks before deciding what to attempt and then changes three ingredients in each recipe. So I loved that this book reads more like a reference book with recipes woven in. It’s packed with science, but the approachable, eye-opening kind. I was excited to learn how salt interacts with meat, or why indirect heat gives you better control. It teaches technique and the importance of tools, such as a meat thermometer.

Any while yes, there are recipes for burgers (see recipes below), there are more than 100 recipes including dishes you would never imagine cooking on a grill like a Nobu-style miso black cod, clam chowder or a smoked vichyssoise (I haven't tried those yet, but I plan to soon). 

If you’re looking to add more skill, science and confidence to your cooking life, and elevate your grilling skills, The Meathead Method is 100% worth the read. I thought I was just buying a cookbook. Turns out, there might be a new grillmaster in town. 

Beyond Basic Burgers: My New Favorite Summer BBQ Recipes

Now that I’ve got my grilling confidence up (thank you, Meathead Method), I’ve been experimenting with all kinds of summer BBQ favorites—starting with the ultimate classic: burgers. But not just any burgers. These are flavor-packed, juicy, next-level creations that make you actually excited to fire up the grill.

If you’re looking to impress at your next cookout or just want to break out of the boring burger rut, these burger options from the Meathead Method are sure to impress during your next summer cookout. (Recipes reprinted with permission)

Best Chicken Burger Ever

Ground chicken and turkey are too lean, so we amp them up with ground bacon. This burger is great on a bun, or it sits handsomely atop a salad.

Makes 2 burgers (6 to 8 ounces each)

Takes 30 minutes to prep, 20 minutes to cook over direct heat

Special Tools: Food processor

2 ounces dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1[1/2] tablespoons high-quality olive oil 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 medium onion

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon toasted (brown) sesame oil

2 ounces (about 2 slices) thin-cut bacon

12 ounces ground chicken

1-inch finger of fresh ginger

1/2 small Asian pear

2 scallions

10 fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon medium-grind black pepper

1/4 teaspoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt

2 buns (I like onion rolls and brioche rolls, don’t you?)

About the sun-dried tomatoes. If yours are leathery, soak them in warm water for at least 1 hour before making into the jam.

About The Asian Pear. Asian pears have the taste of a pear with the texture of an apple. Feel free to substitute a slightly underripe pear or a ripe apple.

1. PREP. In a bowl, combine the Smoked Tomato Raisins, oil, and thyme and make a smooth spreadable “tomato jam,” adding a little more olive oil if necessary. Peel and thinly slice the onion and make Quick Pickles (page 342). Mix the mayo and sesame oil. Put it all in the fridge for serving.

2. MAKE THE BURGERS. Mince the bacon into BB-sized bits. Put them into a large bowl. Add the ground chicken. Mince or grind the ginger to get 1[1⁄2] teaspoons. Cut the Asian pear into quarters and peel and core it and then cut it into 1/4-inch dice until you get 3 ounces. Eat the rest. Peel dead skin off the scallions, chop off the roots, mince the whites. Save the greens for another dish. Chop the cilantro into small bits until you have about 2 tablespoons. Everything into the bowl. Add the oregano and black pepper. Don’t add any salt. It compacts the meat. We’ll salt later. With a light hand, mix everything and form 2 loosely packed patties. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 6 hours.

3. FIRE UP. Prepare a grill for 2-zone cooking and aim for Warp 10 in the direct zone. Place a grill topper over direct heat. When you are ready to cook, toss a wood chunk or a handful of chips or pellets on the fire.

4. COOK. Season the burgers generously with salt and put them on the topper on the direct side. Cook, lid down, flipping gently every 4 to 5 minutes until the temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest point. The surface should be nicely crusty and golden brown. Grill the buns cut sides down over direct heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. SERVE. Dollop a nice chunky spoonful of the tomato jam on each bottom bun with some quick pickled onions. Top with the burger, spread some sesame mayo on top of the burger, and then add the top bun.

The Ultimate Smash Burger: Oklahoma Onion Burger

During the Depression, meat was too expensive to be consumed casually, so, legend has it, Ross Davis of the Hamburger Inn on Route 66 in El Reno, Oklahoma, came up with a Nobel Prize–worthy innovation. He decided to beef up his 3-ounce burger by griddling it on a mound of onions. This not only saved money, but the caramelized onions make the meat surprisingly tasty. Not to mention the crispy edges on the patty.

Although the original Hamburger Inn in El Reno closed, Sid’s Diner, Johnnie’s, and Robert’s Grill (since 1926) have carried on the tradition. In about 1938, a second location of the Hamburger Inn opened a two-hour drive south in Ardmore and is still going strong.

You can do this the traditional way on a griddle or, if you don’t have a griddle, you can do this in a frying pan. It splatters, so put the frying pan on the grill.

Makes 2 burgers

Takes 20 minutes to prep, 20 minutes to cook

Special Tools

Griddle, wide spatula with a sharp edge to get under the patty without leaving meat on the metal (I bought a heavy spatula and ground it to a sharp edge), and as with all griddling, an infrared gun thermometer and a dome are helpful

1 stick (4 ounces) butter

1/2 pound coarsely ground beef chuck (80% lean)

1/2 pound yellow or white onions

2 old-fashioned hamburger buns

2 tablespoons tallow (beef fat), clarified butter, or vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt

1/2 teaspoon medium-grind black pepper

2 American cheese singles

8 dill pickle chips

1. PREP. Take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Divide the beef into 2 equal portions and make them into 4-ounce balls. Peel the onions, slice them in half, cut off the ends, and then slice the onions as thin as possible. If you have a mandoline, use it. Divide the onions into two piles, each about 3 ounces.

2. FIRE UP. Fire up the griddle to about 375°F as measured with an infrared gun. If you don’t have one, a few drops of water on the griddle should dance around and vaporize rapidly. You will need to work fast, so make sure you take all the ingredients and tools out with you.

3. TOAST THE BUNS. Put a light coat of softened butter on the cut side of each bun and place them cut side down on the griddle. Press them down with your spatula to make sure they are intimate with the hot metal and brown evenly. After a minute check to see how they’re doing. When they are golden to light brown, set them aside.

4. COOK THE BURGERS. Put 1 tablespoon of beef fat for each burger about 6 inches apart on the griddle. When it has melted, place the underside of your spatula in the fat so it is greased on one side. Slap each ball of meat onto the oiled metal, and pile the onions on top so you can’t see any meat. Smash down on the onions and meat with the spatula until each patty is about 4 inches in diameter. Tilt the spatula and work the edges so they are as thin as possible. If some onions hang over, that’s OK. Sprinkle the salt and pepper on top. Let the patties cook for a few minutes until the edges turn browned and crispy.

5. FLIP THE BURGERS. Work the spatula gently under the edges of the patty all around, pressing hard against the griddle until the burger lifts free. Try not to leave any of that hard-earned Maillard behind. Flip the burgers so the onions end up underneath. A second spatula comes in handy to help with this, or just place your hand on the onions to hold them in place. They’re not too hot. Place the top buns on top of the meat and leave them there for a minute until they steam and warm and absorb onion and beef aromas.

6. ADD THE CHEESE AND SERVE. Lift the buns, place the cheese on the burgers, and if you have a dome or a pan, place that over the burgers to help melt the cheese. Otherwise just close the lid. When the onions are good and caramelized and the cheese is melted, place the bottom buns on top of the cheese, and then flip the burgers onto the bottom buns cheese side down. Add the pickle slices on top of the onions, then place the top buns on, and slide the whole thing onto serving plates. Some folks in Oklahoma put mustard on their burgers, but that masks the meat and onion flavors too much for me.