Using your hands, combine beef, ice water, salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties, 1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 4 cm) thick (do not pack too tightly). Broil or grill over a high fire, turning once, for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through but still juicy in the center. For the last minute of cooking, place buns on the grill to lightly toast the interior surfaces. Serve burgers on buns.

Deli-Style Burgers: Follow preceding recipe, but use kaiser rolls instead of hamburger buns. Combine 3 tbsp (45 mL) mayonnaise, 2 tsp (10 mL) ketchup and 1 tsp (5 mL) pickle relish; spread over the interior of the rolls. Place a lettuce leaf on one side of each roll and a tomato slice on the other. Place burgers on lettuce leaves and top with ½ cup (125 mL) coleslaw.

Steakhouse Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but decrease the water to 2 tbsp (25 mL), and add 2 tbsp (25 mL) steak sauce with the water.

Peppercorn Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but rub the surface of the patties with a mixture of 1 tsp (5 mL) each black, dried green, and Szechuan peppercorns before cooking.

Whole-Seed Mustard Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but add 1 clove garlic, minced, and 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard to the ground beef. Rub the surface of the patties with 1/3 cup (75 mL) whole mustard seeds before cooking.

Steak and Onion Burger: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but sauté ¼ cup (50 mL) finely chopped onion in 1 tsp (5 mL) vegetable oil until browned; let cool. Add onion, 2 tbsp (25 mL) steak sauce and 1 tsp (5 mL) brown mustard to the ground beef, and decrease the ice water to 2 tbsp (25 mL).

Cajun Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but add 1 tbsp (15 mL) Cajun seasoning and 1 tsp (5 mL) tomato paste to the ground beef.

Apple and Sage Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but sauté ½ cup (125 mL) finely diced peeled apple, ¼ cup (50 mL) finely chopped onion, 1 clove garlic, minced, ½ tsp (2 mL) dried sage and ¼ tsp (1 mL) dried thyme in 2 tsp (10 mL) vegetable oil until onion is softened; let cool. Add mixture to the ground beef.

Mexican Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but omit the ice water, and add ½ cup (125 mL) spicy salsa, 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder, and 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin to the ground beef. Top burgers with additional salsa and shredded lettuce.

Smoked Bacon Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but wrap each patty with 1 slice of bacon, securing ends with toothpicks, before grilling. Grill 4 inches (10 cm) from a charcoal fire strewn with ½ cup (125 mL) hardwood chips that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes.

Super Smokey Burgers: Follow previous recipe, but add ¼ cup (50 mL) shredded smoked cheese (such as smoked mozzarella, Gouda or Cheddar) to the ground beef.

Three-Cheese Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but omit the ice water, and add 1/3 cup (75 mL) ricotta cheese and ¼ cup (50 mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the ground beef. Two minutes before burgers are done cooking, top each with 1 thin slice of provolone cheese; cover and cook until cheese melts.

Ham and Swiss Cheeseburgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but sauté 8 oz (250 g) ham, finely diced, 2 tbsp (25 mL) finely chopped onion and a pinch of ground nutmeg in 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil until onion is lightly browned; let cool. Add mixture to the ground beef. Two minutes before burgers are done cooking, top each with 1 thin slice of Swiss cheese; cover and cook until cheese melts.

Blue Cheese Burgers: Follow recipe for Great Burgers, but omit the ice water, and add 3 tbsp (45 mL) blue cheese dressing and 2 oz (60 g) crumbled blue cheese to the ground beef.