June 2, 2012 | Meat & Poultry

It’s that time of year – grilling season! So kids, have your parents help you fire up the grill and get ready to learn the basics of how to make a great burger! You may have noticed in my burger above that I don’t have a bun – that’s only because I’m not crazy about filling up on the bun, and prefer it solo. But you certainly can slide your own burger between any kind of bun you like.Making a great burger isn’t magic, but it does require a few things. First of all, start with high quality beef or bison. It should have some fat to it or your burger will be too dry. Second, all meat needs seasoning, so shape your burger into a nice patty – not too thin! – and then sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Next make a small thumbprint indentation in the center of the patty. When you cook a burger, it plumps up in the middle. Some people press down on it with a spatula flatten in back out, but that pushes out all of the wonderful juices of the burger, so don’t do it!Cook your burger over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side (add another minute per side if you like it really well done). See how that indentation plumps up to make your burger filled in, but still flat?You can use any condiments you like on your burger, but these are a few of my favorites: ketchup, Dijon mustard, slice tomatoes, lettuce, sliced pickles, and guacamole. Some other things you might like to try are BBQ sauce, grilled onions, or cheese.Because I didn’t use a bun, I set my juicy burger on a bed of lettuce and tomato, but if you’re using a bun, put the lettuce on the bottom part of the bun, then the burger.I topped this one with guacamole, more tomato, and some homemade pickle slices. Hey, you should check out that link and tell your parents you have a great, easy way to make pickles this summer!