Who doesn't love a burger? We sure do anyway, and there's nothing better than a delightfully crafted homemade beef burger to get your mouth watering. In this blog we look at the steps to make a classic cheeseburger, from which meat to use, to tips to forming your burger patty.
Using lean beef can give you a dry and tasteless burger so aim for mince with around 20% fat. A good cut to use is chuck, from the shoulder of the cow, which you can either have your butcher prepare or mince yourself with a food processor.
Aim for around 150g per patty, start with a ball and form your burgers by handling the meat as little as possible. Add a small dimple to the top of each patty so that they don't warp and become spherical when cooking. Starting with slightly wet hands will help you avoid getting them sticky.
To make a classic hamburger it's not necessary to add anything else at all to the mix; no onions, no egg, no herbs or spices and definitely no breadcrumbs! Simply season the patties with salt and pepper just before you place on your grill. Always avoid adding salt too far in advance as this can dry meat out.
Ideally use either a griddle pan, frying pan or barbecue to cook your patties with a medium to high heat. The aim is to grill your burgers quite quickly, achieving a crisp edge whilst not overcooking the centre. Only flip once and don't press down your patties, this will dry them out by squeezing the fat out. Cook for around 3-4 minutes per side depending on how rare you like them and rest for a few minutes before serving.
Cheese should be added after the burgers are flipped, choose something that melts well like Monterey jack, Gouda, or cheddar. Prepare your favourite toppings, classics included shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced beef tomato, red onion, and gherkins.
Toast your bread before stacking your burgers, brioche or sesame seed buns work great. Spread your choice of sauce on the top slice, choose from ketchup, mayo, mustard, relish, or the whole lot!
If you try our burger recipe for yourself, make sure to let us know via our social channels how you get on. We'd love to ogle at your burger pics!!
