That balance is why they hold together on the grill and stay moist right through, instead of drying into a hockey puck. Cooking them well is mostly about not fiddling: a properly hot barbecue, a light hand, and the discipline to flip them only once. This guide covers getting your coals right, the timings for a juicy result, and when to add the cheese so it melts just so. We’ll also cover the rest – yes, even burgers are better for a minute off the heat before they hit the bun. Pile them into a soft, lightly toasted roll with whatever you love: a slice of good cheese, crisp lettuce, red onion and a proper burger sauce. These are burgers with real beef flavour, the kind that remind you what a burger is supposed to taste like. Fire up the barbecue, get a cold drink in hand, and you’re ten minutes from the best burger of the summer.

Makes 4 burgers
Prep 5 minutes
Cook about 8-10 minutes

Ingredients
4 x Abbey Meats 6oz chuck and brisket burgers
4 soft burger buns
A little oil, for the grill
Sea salt and black pepper
To serve: cheese slices, lettuce, tomato, red onion, gherkins, and burger sauce or ketchup

Method

1. Take the burgers out of the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking so they aren’t fridge-cold going onto the heat.
2. Get your barbecue properly hot. For charcoal, wait until the coals are glowing with a light coating of grey ash and no flames. For gas, heat to a high, steady temperature.
3. Lightly oil the grill bars and season the burgers on both sides with salt and pepper just before they go on. Don’t press or reshape them – handling them too much makes them tough.
4. Lay the burgers over direct heat and leave them alone for 3-4 minutes. Resist the urge to move or squash them, as pressing just pushes the juices out.
5. Flip once, and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Add a cheese slice for the last minute and close the lid, or cover with a tray, to melt it.
6. Warm the cut side of the buns on the grill for the last 30 seconds until lightly toasted.
7. Lift the burgers onto a plate and let them rest for 1-2 minutes while you build the buns.
8. Load up and serve straight away.

Butcher’s tip: For food safety, burgers should always be cooked through to the middle – unlike a steak, they shouldn’t be served pink. Cook until the juices run clear and there’s no pink left in the centre.