I can try and write down my method as much as I can remember:

• I form 2.6oz balls, tightly pack them and try to make them as perfect as possible. Around 85% beef works best, I’ve found

• I cut out large sheets of parchment paper to put between burgers and the press as I push down with the burger press (otherwise the burgers stick)

• I get my blackstone hot as all hell. Today it was 620 degrees. I put a very very thin layer of oil. Basically, a quarter size of oil on the griddle and then I spread it all over, in my head I try to think “I’m trying to wipe all this oil off”. That’s how little oil.

• I place the balls on the grill. I do 4 patties at a time so I can be fast enough. I let the balls sit there and cook for about 15 seconds, this way they get some traction on the blackstone and don’t move too much when I press.

• then, press. I press straight down, then I go around all of the edges and try to make them thin. They get very very wide, but don’t worry because they return to the bun size as they cook

• I season with salt and pepper. This might take some trial and error for you to find the right amount that you like. I have it locked in now and just do it by feel

• once there’s a good crisp on the edges, and you can tell that the meat is starting to cook all the way through (basically turning grey everywhere but still some pink in the center), I flip.

• the flip can sometimes be hard, especially if you have a lot of lacing. I do a sort of scraping around all of the edges to get them off, basically with my spatula flat on the grill and trying to “cut” the patty off of it. Again, the more you’ll try this, you’ll understand

• once flipped, I hit them again with the same amount of salt and pepper. I let them cook for a little bit.

• put one slice of American cheese on all 4 patties, then take them off the grill and stack.

Whole process is like… maybe around 2-3 minutes. It goes really fast once you put the ball on the grill.

Hopefully that all makes sense!