A method I use in order to keep it from getting dry (just as juicy as medium rare-medium, and internal temperatures are at the proper levels)
Tools used. Pan, spatula, IR thermometer, thermocouple Materials: some cheap hamburger patties (store brand stuff) (Yes, I am a pretty cheap person :) )
An initial slow ramp-up is used in order to normalize the internal temperature, and get close to the desired internal temperature, and then a more rapid further ramp up in order to begin cooking the meat, and allow the fat to flow out (this does not happen during the initial ramp-up (which allows the meat to retain enough of its juices by the time it is cooked well done), and then finally, a larger blast of heat in order to darken the outside a bit. (I put lots of onions on the pan to add flavor and also reduce the likelihood of any part of the burger getting burnt (especially during the final blast of heat).
Basically trying to replicate the heat evenness of a sous-vide cooker (without the expensive equipment, and without the vacuum)
Throughout the process, the temperatures are monitored, with occasional use of the thermal probe to get accurate internal temperature readings.
Sorry for the bad lighting, I bent a sheet of paper 90 degrees so that it would stand up, and then used the flash light app on the phone in order to shine a light at the paper. I then used my other camera to snap a quick picture.
Cheap hamburger meat from the grocery store, I decided to buy some since it was on sale, and also had a coupon. I pretty much used a pan on a standard stove, and simply adjusted the fire as needed to control the cooking temperature. Mainly as part of practicing cooking things well done without burning or drying the food.
It did not look as good as the better quality meat, but the taste was pretty good since I put a lot of seasoning. My main goal was keeping it as juicy as possible while still making it well done since many of the more standard methods of cooking meat, will cause it to dry out too much when trying to make it well done. I was able to avoid that by starting the process where much of the fat and other juices escapes, later in the cooking process. I will likely try it again with higher quality meal, and probably some steak so see how well the process works.
I may try cooking with a flame thrower one of these days to see if it can work for cooking. Other than that, I will try doing more types of cooking (for most meats, I have medium rare to medium handles really well (I am not sure how to do rare, as it is hard to test the safety even with temperature due to the look (it can have a wide range of temperatures with minimal visual change).
One of the reasons why it came out juicier may just be the fact the you used cheaper ground beef which normally has a higher fat content than higher quality meat. But I am curious if it will work for a higher grade for meat with a lower fat content.
I did another using the more standard method, and it was much less juicy, though this beef may have some filler. My next step will be to eventually try it with some quality ground beef, and eventually some steak.
braise your meat if you want it well done and somewhat juicy.
sous vide can only be done by sous vide method, not necessarily a cooker but by the method.
there are fundamental differences in heat type in pan and sous vide. a pan is hot on the bottom and then radiates to the sides, the oil and your food, cooking only one side. The side that is in contact with the heat source.
if you want to cook via sous vide with out the machine, vacuum pack your meat in a cooking bag and float it in a large pot of hot water, at your desired done temp. you will have to stir or watch closely the temp of your water as the bottom will be hotter than the top but it can be done.
the machines are nice as they move the water and heat it.
you could also put said pot of water and meat into the oven and monitor your water temp for the cook, this will dramatically even out your water temp as the heat is surrounding the vessel versus blasting in one direction.
also, meat cooked beyond 140f will always have less juice and gets dryer as the temperature rises. no matter the cooking method, because as the temp rises the muscle fibers squeeze and push out the moisture that they contained. it sucks, but its the way of the world.
I only eat meat that is well done. Its a real art form to cook meat well done and not dry it out
The first think you need to do is look at how much fat is in the meat. don't buy lean or low fat meat because it will dry out
Try buying mid range quality meat and just place it in gas grill and set it to low. also try keep the meat about 6 to 8 cm away from the flame it will take allot longer to cook but its really worth it
while I recommend preparing store-bought pre-packaged ground meats to well-done, if you have it ground for you or you grind it yourself, you should never exceed medium-well. At the point where you exceed medium well, the flavor profile changes dramatically and you lose all of the unctuousness of the meat and the savory flavors evaporate into the aether and you're left with something reminiscent of a very soggy pile of cardboard. Also, make sure to never, ever, cook a steak well-done. This completely ruins any particularly appealing piece of meat and the texture declines just as dramatically as the flavor.
How you should prepare ground meat to well-done: season and spice as you ordinarily would then form into patties roughly 1/2-3/4" thick, as they will shrink while cooking. I recommend using a cast iron skillet on very high heat on your grill. For ground meat, I find that the increased contact with the very hot cooking surface provides a much better flavor within the crust formed by the caramelization of the sugars within the surface of the patty. Leave it alone for however long it takes to develop into golden-brown deliciousness, then flip. I find that this typically takes somewhere along the lines of 2-3 minutes per side. This will achieve a medium-well burger. To finish the cooking process, move the burgers off of direct heat and into indirect heat. Leave one bank of burners on on one end of the grill, but don't put the burgers over that bank. Instead, close the lid of the grill and allow them to coast to the desired temperature for doneness (somewhere around 165-175 internally) typically this takes on the order of 5 minutes or so.
The most important thing to having a moist burger is to purchase good meat. Low quality meat has tough muscle fibers which contract heavily upon heating and physically wring out the fat and moisture. If you can, buy pieces of meat from the counter and ask them to grind it, or go to a store with a meat counter that grinds fresh daily and purchase from them. The difference in quality is readily discernable.
