actually the cafe at the bottom of Bangalow- opposite the Abracadabra shop (biggest bunch of baskets once the sun). Does a good burger.
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That’s interesting, I hadn’t heard that before in the context of hamburger patties. Can you describe this mouthfeel?
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bangburgerbar?
I agree with you @slammer, too much handling of the mince gives the burgers a mushy texture.
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I find if the mince is over worked, particularly leaner minces the cooked result burger patty is tough. Best patties should be made with a standard fat mix mince 10% to 15% fat content.
From the Teys Group
“All you need to do is combine the ingredients (with clean hands or a fork) until it is well blended but not overworked” Not that they explain why but there are a few hints elsewhere.
Overworked mince has less “spacing” between the minuscule air pockets and so the fat and natural moisture in the meat which helps keep the patty moist tends to exude from the meat while cooking rather than filling those little spaces. Working the mince with your hands starts to melt the fat in the mince and also affects the myosin and actin proteins causing the overworked meat patties to become dry and tough on cooking rather than a softer and more moist patty if worked/mixed just enough.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00021369.1971.10859903
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So you are saying handling makes them softer and hold together less?
Excerpts from “pantryandlarder.com”
“Don’t overwork the beef or grind it too much
Overworking ground beef will be the death of it. Having a perfectly shaped patty won’t be of any benefit if the meat has gone sloppy.
Think of it in terms of dough.
You’re always warned not to overwork the dough because once you’ve gone too far, there’s no going back. Overworked dough results in a rock-hard loaf of bread.
It’s the same with ground beef. But instead of becoming too hard, the meat becomes too soft. Constantly poke and prod the ground beef and you’ll turn it to mush.
Handling ground beef more than necessary can cause it to become soft and mushy
STOP TOUCHING IT!
Grinding the meat too many times is another form of overworking it. You’ll eventually pulverize it into a big mushball.”
__________________________
When herbs and spices and often fillers, are added to the meat mince, we tend to go in and mix it all up as much as we can, which might work for meatloaf and such, but ruins the “meat” consistency of ‘burgers.
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I had hoped by now to get a few more opinions on the question of working burger mince. So far we have one saying it alters the texture but not how, one saying it makes them tough and one saying it makes them sloppy.
If I may add two observations:
-
The texture depends on other factors such as the amount of liquid and fat, and the amount of salt and when it is added as well as how much the mix is worked.
-
A wholesale butcher of my acquaintance had a big contract to supply supermarkets with skinless spicy sausages called Chevaps. Cevapi or Cevapcici (which I believe means little Cevapi) are a Balkan favourite served grilled. He told me the secret to making them hold their shape is to add the salt early with the spices and to work the mix. Then when it is extruded without a skin it will stay formed until it is cooked.
I am having trouble sourcing the mechanism for this but I think the salt and friction starts denaturing some protein and this glues the mince together. My favourite on food science Harold McGee is silent on this. I can testify that it works, your chevapi will make it on to the plate whole if you follow this procedure.
Elsewhere there are number of references saying if you want burgers to be tender do not salt the mince but salt the formed burger just before cooking as you would a steak, or maybe when it is cooked.
On the web at least there seems much lore and little science on this subject. Here is one reference that at least seems systematic and organised but it is mainly about salt not working the mix.
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I hear you regarding the different reasons offered.
However, there’s agreement in the conclusion: the ‘burger mix shouldn’t be overworked.
By personal experience I don’t mix too much the ingredients, and I avoid too fine a grind. A patty should be tender but ‘meaty’ IMO.
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I can eat just about any burger, however Mrs Kanga2 isn’t much of a burger person.
To contrast to above comments, her common criticism is the patty is too solid. When she makes meat balls, she whips the mince to break up the mince particles, adds some liquid stock and extras. The result, her target, holds it shape until you bite into it, and you find a very tender melt in the mouth texture. She thinks that is what a burger patty should be.
I know, I know, I’ve tried to reason with her.
As for burger chains, she’ll vote in order Burger Project, Grill’d, & Hungry Jacks (/ Burger King). I prefer Grill’d.
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And there is one reason why there is no agreement on the question of the “right” way to mix burgers.
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The cook needs to hold in their mind the desired outcome, whether it is more tender or firmer texture, and the same procedure will deliver it. 
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The consensus for achieving a tender, moist, meaty, ‘burger is:
Don’t handle it too much.
The opinions differ as to what would happen if we do over mix. 
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We had our home cooked burgers for dinner on 2 nights this week using Coles Tiger breadrolls, and I upgraded mine to the next level with the addition of a large Portabella mushroom cooked on the BBQ.
I got a couple of Portabella mushrooms today to go with the pack of Wagyu & Beef Chuck Burgers.
COST PER BURGER
Wagyu pattie $2.25
Bacon $0.50
Egg $0.50
Bread roll $0.35
Cheese $0.40
Tomato $0.60
Spinach $0.20
Beetroot $0.10
Condiments $0.10
Mushroom $0.90
TOTAL $5.90
Tonight’s burger prior to placing the 2 halves together.
AND A NOMINATION FOR THE BOOBY PRIZE.
The other day, my wife came home with a Big Mac Meal for lunch.from the nearest Maccas at Woree which I posted on Tripadvisor as the worst Maccas I have ever come across anywhere in the world.
It comprised a small soft bun, 2 small dry meat patties, some shredded iceberg lettuce and some disgusting sauce.
Total cost including a small cup of cold chips and a post mix drink. $12.95.
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Wow, I didn’t realise there is such passion in beef patties.
When overworking the meat mix, I end up with a tighter and drier cooked pattie.
I don’t know where they get their sloppier pattie outcome.
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Not only passion, but also magic! 
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Not anymore.
A few weeks ago, we made them and the patties were very tough and rubbery, nothing like they used to be, but hoping that it might have just been a one-off bad experience, we had them again last night.
The patties could not be flattened before cooking and were the toughest and most tasteless we have ever had.
I took the remaining 2 patties back to Woolies today and got a full refund, and I said to the person at the counter to try pressing on the top pattie which was covered in plastic film.
She could not press it down with her finger, just as I could not.
Congratulations Woolies. In your usual inimitable style, you have somehow managed to turn what was the best store bought burger patties into the worst ones we have ever bought.
And Woolies latest “brainwave” are these ridiculous burger kits.
