Martin Family Recipes

June - Lynda's Recipe for Making Your Own Beef Burgers

Forget the fast food outlet and supermarket versions of burgers - make your own specially designed to your personal taste. This can be any weight from 4oz to 8 oz (120gm to 225gm) or more! However the thicker the burger, the easier it is to cook to the required level, ensuring it will remain juicy. 

INGREDIENTS

900g minced beef - containing 20% fat to keep the burger moist OR:

900g chuck or blade steak, even rump, trimmed but still with 20%fat

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Oil

Sometimes the simplest recipes are best, preserving the full flavour of the beef. It is, as ever, a matter of choice, so experiments can be made by adding any of the following or a combination of two or three options:

• Finely chopped parsley, onions, capers or even a few tinned anchovy fillets (delicious as you get the saltiness without the fishy taste but leave out extra salt)
• A small amount of Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco, Soy sauce, tomato ketchup
• Pinch of cayenne, chilli pepper or paprika.

It is all a matter of taste... and having fun finding your favourite flavouring, let your imagination run riot!

METHOD

If you are not using ready minced beef: cut the meat into chunks cutting out any gristly bits but leaving enough fat on to achieve the 20% necessary. Put it in a food processor or through a mincer but don’t make it too fine or the burger will lose its succulent, crumbly texture.

In a bowl season the beef with freshly ground pepper but not salt at this stage. Add any other ingredients from the options above if desired.

Form the meat into rounds - 4 if you are having 225g burgers, 8 if 110g size. Press meat together firmly, put on a plate covered in cling film in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

The burgers, brushed with a little oil, should be seared quickly on both sides either in a frying pan and finished in a hot oven, or cooked on the hot BBQ grill, also brushed with a little oil, for just a few minutes each side depending on how pink or how well-done you like your burgers. At this stage add a little sprinkle of salt if required. Serve with salads, new potatoes, or just between a bap, bun or brioche.