The Ideal Burger Shaping Tool Is Already Hiding In Your Pantry
Have you ever made hamburgers from scratch and ended up with lumpy, deformed patties that look nowhere near as neat as the ones at a restaurant? Sure, it's easy to roll some ground beef into spheres with smooth edges, but once you smash them, those edges usually don't stay so neat. Nowadays, you can find a number of different hamburger-shaping tools to solve this problem, from presses to hamburger ring molds. Or, you can save some money by just using the items that are already in your kitchen.
One option for a burger-shaping tool can be found in your pantry or refrigerator. For example, a TikTok video shows a circular food lid being used. The person in the demonstration lines the cap with plastic wrap before stuffing a wad of ground beef into it. One viewer commented that they use large yogurt container lids to make thin burgers.
Other lid possibilities include mayonnaise and peanut butter, but a lid is just one of many kitchen items that can be used as a burger-shaping tool. There are plenty of others that can be found in your kitchen cupboard.
Drinking glasses and bowls can also be used as burger shapers
If you don't have a condiment lid, or you prefer to use something else to shape your burger patties, you can use drinking glasses or small bowls as burger ring molds. A burger ring mold is a circular metal tool that you press onto your flattened ground beef to shape it. After pressing, you remove any excess beef pieces outside the ring. To use a drinking glass or bowl as your burger ring, you would simply press the open side onto the ground beef.
Whether you use a glass, bowl, or food lid, don't forget to cover it with plastic wrap, especially if you plan to use the item for its original purpose again. The wrap serves as a barrier for the raw meat, but you should also wash the item thoroughly with hot water and soap when you're done, just in case any part of the raw meat made contact with it.
Although presses, rings, and other store-bought tools are effective in giving you perfectly shaped burger patties, if you don't own one, just open your pantry or cupboard. Chances are, you'll find an item with a round opening that you can use. It won't cost you a dime and can be just as effective as other burger-shaping tools.