Build a Better Burger this Grilling Season with Stew Leonard’s!
Stew’s Butchers’ and Chefs’ Tips for the Juiciest Hamburgers of the Summer

 

Norwalk, Conn. – May 11, 2023 – With the arrival of backyard grilling season, Stew Leonard’s customers are fired up for a memorable – and tasty – start to summer!  Stew’s butchers and chefs know that at the top of every crowd-pleasing summertime menu is a classic cheeseburger.  Here, they share their tips for grilling the perfect burger every time now through Labor Day.

“The secret to making a juicy burger on the grill is starting with freshly ground beef, whether you’re grilling up some of Stew’s 80/20 chuck or treating friends and family to one of our Filet Burgers or Rib Eye Burgers,” said Stew Leonard Jr., president and CEO of Stew Leonard’s. “Our beef comes directly from family-owned ranches in the Midwest, and it is ground fresh daily by our butchers.  Add a toasted bun and a slice of deli cheese, and you’ve got a winning burger.” 

Step 1: Choose Your Meat

  • According to Stew Leonard’s team of in-house butchers, choosing good quality beef is the first – and most important step - for a delicious burger.
    • If using ground chuck, look for beef with a fat content of 20%. The 80/20 ratio is the key to a perfect burger that’s juicy but not greasy.
    • Stew’s Naked ground chuck patties and Naked ground beef are both 100% Black Angus Beef, plus they are free of antibiotics and have no added hormones or preservatives. 
    • Stew’s Filet Mignon Burger is made by hand fresh daily by butchers using cuts of filet mignon, short rib, and ground chuck. 
    • Stew’s Ribeye Burger is a rich and juicy ground blend of beef ribeye and chuck.
    • Stew Leonard’s Organic Ground Beef Chuck and Organic Hamburger Patties are Certified Organic, Non-GMO, and 100% grass fed!  Our ranchers never give their cattle antibiotics or add hormones, resulting in a lean, flavorful, and more nutrient dense ground beef.

Step 2: Form Your Patty

  • If using ground chuck, Stew Leonard’s chefs recommend that the patties are about a ¾” – 1” thickness and a 3” – 4” diameter. Make a small indentation with your first two fingers in the center of the patty to prevent the burger from puffing up and ensure that the patties stay nice and flat on the grill.
  • Season the patties with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper after they’ve been shaped and just before you put them on the grill. Adding salt to the ground beef too early can toughen the meat.

Step 3: Heat Up Your Grill

  • Preheat your grill. Set your gas grill to high heat, close the cover, and let warm up for 15 minutes or prep a charcoal grill for direct heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Then brush the grates to remove any stuck-on bits. Grab a wad of paper towels using long-handled tongs and dip in a bowl of vegetable oil. Run over the grates so the patties don’t stick.

Step 4: Ready…Set…Grill!

  • Be sure to leave the patties alone once they’re on the grill and aim for one single flip halfway through cooking time. And don’t press the patties down on the grill when cooking. This could cause flare-ups and a dry burger.
  • If testing the burgers for doneness, use an instant-read thermometer and insert horizontally into the sides of the patties. Take off the grill as soon as it’s at the doneness temperature you want.
    • Medium-rare: 120°–125°F
    • Medium: 130°–135°F
    • Medium-well: 140°–145°F
    • Well-done: 150°F-155°F
  • Adding cheese? Place the slices on the patties once they’re flipped then cover the grill for the last minute of cooking.

Stew Leonard’s Bacon and Cheddar Cheeseburgers

This mouthwatering burger features bacon and cheddar and might just call for a fork, a knife, and a stack of napkins!  Serves 4.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Slices cooked Stew’s Premium Bacon, halved
  • 4 Stew’s Naked Ground Chuck Patties
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. Vegetable oil
  • 4 Slices Stew’s NY Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 Sliced Stew’s Hamburger Rolls, toasted on the grill
  • ½ large red onion, sliced
  • Iceberg Lettuce

Directions:

  • Heat a gas grill to high (450°F).
  • Season both sides of each patty with salt and pepper. Brush the patties with the oil, and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, about 2 - 3 minutes per side. Be sure to add a slice of cheese to each patty during the last minute of cooking. Close the grill cover to melt the cheese.
  • Place cheeseburgers on each bottom bun. Top the cheeseburgers with the cooked bacon, onion slices, and lettuce.  Top each with a bun.

To read Stew Leonard’s complete grilling guide – covering everything from steaks and shrimp to chicken, corn, and more – visit https://www.stewleonards.com/fire-up-the-grill/

About Stew Leonard’s

Stew Leonard’s, a family-owned and operated fresh food store founded in 1969, has seven stores in Norwalk, Danbury, and Newington, Conn.; in East Meadow, Farmingdale & Yonkers, N.Y.; and in Paramus, N.J.  An eighth store is planned to open in Clifton, N.J. in 2024. Stew’s earned its nickname, the “Disneyland of Dairy Stores” because of its country-fair atmosphere, with costumed characters and animated entertainment throughout the store that keep children entertained while parents shop.  Stew Leonard’s legion of loyal shoppers is largely due to the stores’ passionate approach to customer service: “Rule #1 -- The Customer is Always Right”; Rule #2 – If the Customer is Ever Wrong, Re-Read Rule #1.”  This principle is so essential to the foundation of the company that it is etched in a three-ton granite rock at each store’s entrance.   The company’s culture is built around an acronym for S.T.E.W.: Satisfy the customer; Teamwork gets it done; Excellence makes it better; WOW makes it fun.  For more information, visit Stew Leonard’s website at www.stewleonards.com.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT:
Meghan Bell, Stew Leonard's
203.750.6107 or [email protected]
Media inquiries only please; customers should call 860-760-8100