Cooking Burgers for a 100 People or a Large Group (10 Clever tips for speed)
Hamburgers are everyone’s favorite, especially during the holidays, family reunions, and get together with friends.
A juicy hamburger can be the best way to entice the crowds or guests, however, preparing for a big event can be very challenging.
Cooking burgers for a crowd involves proper planning and strategic execution between preparing a large number of ingredients and executing the methods of cooking.
If you have fun behind the burger grill, your guests will probably have fun eating the burgers, too!
Also, drinks and soda cans are something to consider how many you need. And What is a burger without a side of fries – see our guide on how to many fries you need for 100 people.
Here are tips and techniques to ensure quality and speed when cooking burgers for a crowd.
How to choose the Top Frozen Hamburger Patties
If you have a big group and you want egg burgers! – learn how to cook scrambled eggs in advance
See How To Cook Waffles For A Crowd
Sloppy Joes go good with burgers and see our post on sloppy joes for a crowd and kids.
See exactly how to calculate how many burgers you will need for a big group.
What Onions Are Best In Your Burger when cooking for a crowd?
How to Cook hamburgers for a Crowd?
1. Use a Gas Grill
A gas grill would be better for hamburgers since it is easy to set and change the temperature rapidly and this is key to producing a good grilled burger. Not to mention the bbq or smoked flavor you can get. Having good heat control gives you lesser chances to have mistakes in cooking; hence you can expect a juicier and meatier burger when using a gas grill.
Using a gas grill you can easily rent extra grills or ask a friend to bring theirs around.
Can you grill burgers on a traeger grill? Yes you can – open the lid and sent to 275 F and you can do it.
Professional burger makers for crowds typically use gas grills to heat up and cook quickly.A larger 4-5-6 burner grill also has multiple burners that allow you to create several cooking zones for grilling, searing, and even for warming up hamburger patties and sauces like bbq sauce.
The gas grills are perfect options for those who regularly cook burgers and steaks. Aside from being easy to clean, they can also be used for a longer time of grilling without having to replace the gas or propane.
Propane grills usually need a 20-pound tank that can be used for about 25 hours while natural gas grills can have an unlimited fuel supply and will only require you to install a natural gas line from your home to the grill.
Top Burger Tip – if cooking indoors for crowds, you have to ready adequate pans and a lot of vegetable oil or butter for cooking a juicy perfect burger.
2. Cook with friends and family
Grilling burgers for a crowd is not a one-person job, not unless if you want to get exhausted and easily overwhelmed if the crowd is large. If you are after quality and speed, invite over your friends or family to help you in preparing, cooking, and cleaning. You can also opt to hire part-timers if you are cooking burgers for a group of 100 and above.
If you want to get technical, it is highly suggested that you get someone who can able to stand for long periods of time, has a talent for grilling, and has tough eyes and nose to deal with smoke. Although you can get a bigger griller for more convenience, it is still impossible for one person to do it all and keep track of so many burgers – get some help if there are more than 20 people. Friends and family are best.
3. Check your equipment and utensils
A broken gas grill will bring hassle and pressure to your part so check it a few days before – which leaves time to get it fixed or arrange a replament.
Also, check your gas bottle – even buy a spare.
Nothing slows down a cooking process like a malfunctioned grill, loss of fuel, or a melted plastic spatula (Use Metal).
Before anything else, make sure to check your equipment and utensils-have enough propane, pre-use your grill, and see if your utensils are in good working condition. Make sure the tool handles are not loose.
If you have just bought your grill and unfamiliar with it, take some time before the event to try turning it on and do some grilling to check if the burner works properly; make sure all the temperature control knobs are functioning well; see if the gauge is heating immediately and make sure it is clean. Most importantly, never forget to refuel to last your coking throughout the event or party.
Your utensils should have no rust to ensure the safety of your guests. Bent and broken utensils should also be replaced to make your overall grilling experience is fun and successful.
4. Use the right utensils and cutleries
A knife and a fork are not enough for cooking a burger for a crowd. So, what exact items do you need for cooking hamburgers? Here are the essential things that you need:
- Apron
- Tongs
- Flipping spatula
- Scraper
- Meat thermometer
- Cutting Board
- Plate
- Burger press
Before we get further into details, remember that it is a must to separate utensils for raw and grilled meat to prevent cross-contamination.
We included an apron as part of the essential things that you should have since food safety is a top priority.
Tongs are needed for heating and flipping the burger buns as well as for splitting the patties when sticking. When serving the freshly cooked burgers off the grill, tongs are useful, too!
The flipping spatula is needed if you do not want the juices or sear pieces of the burger patties when flipping. If cooking on a solid surface, especially on a grill or cast iron skillet, you need to use a stainless spatula with a wooden handle to not burn yourself.
A grill scraper is also essential since it helps you remove the burgers from sticking too much to the grill and remove unnecessary excess particles in the grill. This utensil will help you in cleaning up also.
A meat thermometer is essential for cooking burgers since it can help you in determining the internal temperature of the burger patty. To ensure food safety, especially against bacteria, you need to use this and ensure that the correct temperature is reached.
The cutting board is a must-have for assembling your burgers and cutting the rest of the ingredients such as tomatoes, white onions, cheese, and more. If you are going to really get organized – get color-coded chopping boards e.g red for raw meat, green for vegetables etc.
Aesthetic plates are great for serving your burgers to your families and friends. A good and clean presentation is also an enticing way for the crowd. Also, use white-colored plates to emphasize the sumptuous colors of your burgers.
And lastly, a burger press is suggested to make your patties in uniform sizes. You wouldn’t want to serve uneven burger patties to your guests, right? The other thing about using a burger press is with the same sized patties, they will all cook at the same time. Rather than fat patties taking long than thin one- and when you are in a rush you will not have time to think about this.
So I reckon a burger press if you are making your own burgers for a crowd is a must!
5. Preseason the burgers
Preseasoning the burgers is an important step to do. When cooking for a large group or crowd, it is better to preseason or marinate the meat before cooking. This lets the meat absorb all the flavors – Preseasoning is better to be done at least 6 hours before cooking. Also, you can use powders like garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper to really give your cooked burger a great taste. Also, consider making some mini burgers they can go down a treat when presents as a slider.
How to season hamburgers?
Salt, pepper, and garlic or onion powder are the most basic seasonings you can add. According to food experts, preseasoning your meat is essential to savor all the flavors and prevent rushing when large quantities of ingredients are to be cooked. You can even pre season your toasted bun with a little garlic powder and butter.
If you want to have your burger’s flavor, opt for table salt, sea salt, or kosher salt for a “saltier” taste.
6. Thaw the frozen burger before cooking
Thawing the meat before cooking helps you save time, especially when they are frozen pre-made burgers. Moreover, to thaw your burgers before cooking will increase their quality, too. Not to mention the food safety aspect.
You may see some people cooking their frozen patties right after freezing them, but it is actually more time-consuming and may result in unevenly cooked burgers. The best way to do this is to pull out the burgers one to two hours before grilling them and just let them thaw on the kitchen or countertop. Another and better tip is to transfer them from the freezer to the chiller 24 hours before your gathering.
Take note that it is risky to thaw your meat for a long time at room temperature since it can accumulate bacteria or may cross-contaminate.
7. Quickly grill the buns
If you want to upgrade your burger’s taste, quickly grill the buns just enough to keep it warm and crispy. To do this, put the buns right on the heated grill and cook it for a minute. Grilling or heating the bun for a minute will also absorb the meat’s flavor.
When cooking for a crowd, it is best to serve warm and crispy buns along with freshly cooked patties to make it even more inviting to eat. Also, not heating the buns during the event will make them drier and undesirable to eat.
8. Clean the utensils and equipment during the entire process
Food safety is the most important thing to heed. It wouldn’t be nice for people to see your burger place as messy as it gets. As mentioned above, if you think you would get busy during the cooking process, get someone who will help in cleaning before, during, and after the event. Try to run a professional-looking juicy burger cooking station!.
If you serve 100 pieces of burgers, you cannot prevent some spilling of the numerous seasonings and ingredients all over the area and on your hands. Have many rolls of paper towels handy and a big rubbish bin with a plastic rubbish bag insert so as it gets full you can easily take it out and put a new one in.
Also, a clean area will help you cook faster. It is even better to prepare a second set of clean utensils to replace it with the dirty ones halfway through the day.
When Cooking Burgers for a Crowd what are the best burger condiments?
Burger sauce like barbecue sauce is a classic as is Worcestershire sauce
- ketchup
- blue cheese
- cheddar cheese
- bbq sauce
- pickles – ( How Many Pickles Per Hamburger)
- onions
Related Questions
Can you cook burgers in the oven?
Yes. Though burgers are best cooked on gas grills, they can still be cooked in the oven and have a delicious result. The oven is a good alternative if you cannot grill in the backyard, especially during winter and spring.
How long to cook burgers in the oven?
It usually takes over 20 minutes for burger patties to be cooked in the oven. Never forget to preheat the oven and cook for 160 degrees Celsius.
How do you keep hamburgers warm for a crowd?
You can grill the hamburgers right before serving. You can also use the oven to heat them until they are ready to be served. Make sure to keep them warm all the time otherwise, it will be less appetizing.
Can you make burgers in advance?
Yes. If you choose to make burgers in advance, you can form or pre-season the patties and put them into the freezer in advance until they are set to be grilled.
What are the most popular burger patties made of?
Ground Beef – 45% of people like this beef patty best
Chicken Burger – 35% of people think the chicken burger is best
Turkey burger – 11% of people like a turkey patty
other burgers are lamb patty, veggie burger, and pulled pork.
How do you prevent your hamburgers from shrinking while grilling?
The best way to prevent burgers from drying out is to use a grill that has both high and low heat zones. Start your burgers in the high heat zone and sear in the juices and move them quickly to the low heat zone and they will stay a nice and juicy burger.
Do you need to add breadcrumbs to burgers?
No, you do not need breadcrumbs in a traditional burger patty, it is better to use an egg as a binding ingredient as the burgers form better and do not dry out. Or use a burger press.
How many burgers do you need per person?
If your burgers are small – less than 4 oz plan on 2 burgers per person.
Also remember that people will eat more burgers in the evening when drinking beers, than at a lunchtime crowd.
Best Tip For Cooking Burgers For a Crowd
The biggest takeaway that we can give to you is you should expect mistakes throughout the cooking process. Cooking burgers for a crowd will never be an easy task to do. The larger number of guests you serve, the bigger chances of having mistakes you will experience.
Do not stress over it. Come prepared and make it enjoyable for you and your cooking companions.