Your Best Grilled Burger

Gather the ingredients. Heat a gas grill on high for 10 minutes with the lid closed or prepare a hot charcoal grill fire.

Meanwhile, divide 1 1/3 pounds (21 ounces) cold ground beef (80 percent lean) into 4 equal portions and shape the meat into patties that are wider than your buns (the burgers will shrink a bit during grilling). If you have two deli lids, use those to form the patty. Otherwise, form the patties so there is a depression in the center with an approximately 1/2-inch wide rim around the edge. Handle the meat as little as possible.

Season the burger patties with 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper on both sides.

When the grill is ready, place the burgers on the hot grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, undisturbed, until they release easily from the grill grate and have a nice char.

Flip the burger patties and cook, undisturbed, for 4 to 5 minutes more or until cooked to your liking (use a thermometer if needed: the internal temperature should be 135 F for medium-rare burgers or 145 F for medium).

In the last minute or so of cooking, place 4 sesame burger buns on the grill to toast and place 1 or 2 slices of the 4 to 8 slices American cheese, if using, on top of each burger patty to melt.

Serve the burgers right away on the toasted buns with your choice of optional toppings: mayonnaise, leaf lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced onion, and/or pickles.