How to cook a gourmet cheeseburger like a food trailer....

[Major Nikon]

4. I use ground chuck

More specifically I buy chuck roast and grind it myself in small batches. Ground chuck is generally 20% fat content, which I find perfect for the types of patties I make. The fat should still be rendering when the patty is done, otherwise you don't have enough fat content and will wind up with a dry burger. To counteract the effect of using leaner ground beef, some people under cook their patties, but there's no way I'm going to eat a burger with red in the middle. Properly seasoning the burger is very important. Salt and pepper at a minimum, but things like onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika work quite well.

I don't use a dome. If I use cheese at all, I use either processed cheese slices or grated cheese, both of which melt with just the residual heat after you take the burgers off the pan.