Oh yes, the hamburger is all-American.

More than 80 percent of Americans own a grill, and the hamburger remains the favorite choice for a cookout, according to a recent survey. In fact, one of every five times folks do fire up the grill, it's to cook up a burger.

And why not? With a wide range of meats available and plenty of vegetarian options, a burger bash makes for easy summer entertaining, perfect for the Fourth of July.

We had burgers on our mind when we asked chef J.J. Boston if he could grill a few gourmet options and show us how it's done.

Today's burger is much more likely than in the past to have a bit of a twist, a little something different, Boston said. "I try to get people to think outside the box a little bit."

The director of culinary events at Grillmaster's Garden in Zionsville, Ind., teaches cooking classes at the grill shop. Whatever you choose to grill, Boston says, make sure you can take the heat.

"The main reason people aren't successful on the grill is they can't stand the heat," he said. "They want to cook at a lower temperature because it's more comfortable to them."

How hot is hot enough?

"You should hear it when it hits the grates," Boston says, listening for that telltale sizzle when he placed his Tuscan burger on the grill. And when he didn't hear it, he took the burger off, cranked up the heat and tried again — this time with sizzling success.

Once you've got the burger on the grill, Boston said, leave it alone — especially if you want those picture-perfect grill marks. "People mess with the food too much," he said.

The right temperature is key to a successful burger, Boston says, especially if you're grilling a variety of meats.

"The most common mistake is that the temperature doesn't coincide with the type of meat they're cooking," he said, noting that ground sirloin, for example, requires a lower temperature than ground chuck.

And keep in mind that you may need to lower the temperature or move a burger away from direct heat to avoid the problem of it being seared on the outside, raw on the inside.

But whatever you do, he says, don't overcook it.

"It's OK to miss," Boston says of gauging when a burger is cooked. "Just miss under, not over. If it's not done, it's not that difficult to fix your mistake."

CHEF J.J. BOSTON’S GOURMET BURGERS

With variety in mind, chef J.J. Boston came up with three burger recipes, all easy enough for a laid-back barbecue, but with enough flair to suit any gourmet griller.
His blue cheese burger is stuffed with the tangy cheese and topped with crispy onions. His veggie burger has red beans enlivened with herbs and chili garlic sauce and coated in crispy panko bread crumbs. And his Tuscan burger goes global with a combination of veal and Italian sausage topped with marinara.
Boston suggests serving these burgers on buns or bread lightly buttered and grilled. And don’t just reach for plain old ketchup and yellow mustard to top your gourmet burgers; look for interesting condiments at supermarkets or specialty shops, or try making your own. For instance, add wasabi to mayonnaise. Boston used processed pickled vegetables, called giardiniera or jardiniere, to top his Tuscan burger. Salsa or guacamole can add a Mexican flair, and smoked cheeses can add an appealing flavor.

BLUE CHEESE BURGER