The Perfect Paleo Burger

Burgers tend to get a bad rap for not being a healthy choice. When you choose high-quality meat and use wholesome ingredients, this is a great 30-minute meal to make for your family.

Remember, the successful secret to eating a healthy lifestyle is finding healthy alternatives to your favourite foods. By doing so, you don’t feel like you’re depriving yourself and binge later.

Instead of a gluten-based bun, I pair this Perfect Paleo Burger with my Grain-Free Burger Buns I shared a few weeks ago. I usually top my burger with spinach, tomato, avocado, dijon, and soy-free vegenaise. And if you’re looking to make it a complete meal, try having my Best Ever Backyard BBQ Summer Salad, too.

The Meat

When looking to make a healthy alternative to a fast food burger, you want to make sure you are opting for high-quality beef. I always tell my clients in The Clear Skin Solution to try and choose grass-fed beef. Grass is the food cows are designed to eat — not corn or grain (like the majority of the animals are fed).

Grass-Fed Benefits:

• Leaner and juicier
• Higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin Bs
• 2-4x more omega 3 fatty acids
• Healthier ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fats
• More good unsaturated fats
• Lower bad saturated fat
• 3 to 5 times more CLA (conjugated linoleic acid)

If you’re wondering what all those different food labels mean, check out my ultimate guide here.

Best Burger Tips & Techniques

• Add the salt/seasoning JUST before cooking as salt will draw moisture out of the meat.
• Place in the fridge for 30 minutes if you’re worried about the burger not holding together.
• Skip adding eggs as it makes a denser burger because the juices can’t run as easily throughout the meat.
• Say no to the breadcrumbs — they absorb moisture and result in a dryer burger.
• Handle the beef as little as possible to prevent it from getting too tough.
• Don’t compress to make tight burger patties as this will also cause the meat to be tough.
• Do not use a spatula to press down on the burgers. This releases the juices.
• Handle the burgers as little as possible once cooking.
• Always let rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking to allow juices to redistribute through the burgers.

Reducing HCAs

Grilling in general can create Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs), which studies suggest may cause certain cancers. There are some tips you can do to help reduce the risk of HCAs like:

• Use a citrus or vinegar based marinade for at least 30 minutes before hand. One study showed this reduced formation of HCAs on grilled steaks by 57% – 88%.
• Marinades that contain honey, maple syrup or sugar can cause charring. Use for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
• Avoid flame flare ups.
• Chose lean meats (less flare ups).
• Cook over a cedar, hickory or maple plank.
• Don’t place directly over a flame.
• Don’t overcook/burn meat.
• Don’t press the meat while it cooks. This releases drippings onto the flame and contributes to flare ups.
• Clean the grill and replace charcoal after every use. Leftover drippings can keep cookI gotta and become carcinogenic.
• Cook your meat with herbs, spices, tea, etc. The phenolic compounds found in them can help reduce the HCAs due to their antioxidants properties.

The Perfect Paleo Burger with Seasoning Recipe

Super juicy beef burger seasoning perfectly.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 burgers

Author: Katie Stewart Wellness

Ingredients

• 1 lb grass-fed lean ground beef or bison
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Unrefined sea salt to taste (or seasoning below)

Optional Seasoning:

• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 ½ tsp unrefined sea salt
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Instructions

• Clean, oil, and preheat your BBQ.
• Combine the beef, garlic, and dijon in a bowl and mix well. Separate beef mixture into four equal portions.
• Gently shape into desired thickness (I make mine about 1”).
• Use your thumb to make an indent in the middle of each burger to prevent them from shrinking while cooking.
• Just before cooking, generously season the top of each burger and place it seasoned-side down on the grill.
• Sear on high heat for 1 minute then reduce heat to medium. Cook 5-7 minutes more.
• Just before you flip, season the other side. Sear on high for 1 minute. Reduce to medium and cook 5-7 minutes more.
• Remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the burger.
• Place in my grain-free burger buns and add desired toppings.