Urb’n’Spice Ultimate Recipe Series

Burgers are a very personal food and as such, it is my belief that burger recipes should provide the user with the flexibility to Make It Your Own Burger.

The following recipe will provide a number of options; as well I will also elaborate on why I have done what I have done. Enjoy!

MAKE IT YOUR OWN BURGER

BURGER CHEF TIPS:

For this recipe:

1.  Seasoning the meat will occur when mixing the burger meat. This will enhance the flavour experience with every bite.

2.  The recipe utilizes a 50/50 split between beef and pork for the following reasons:

i. Pork adds more flavour to the burger

ii. Pork will add moisture and fat to the burger as lean or extra lean beef can often result in a dry burger. NOTE: The ratio of beef to pork can be changed to suit personal preferences.

3.  Bear in mind that with the addition of pork, the burger will shrink more than an all-beef burger. Therefore, purchase your buns with that in mind. When making the burger patties, adjust the size to allow for shrinkage.

4.  If you can find sourdough hamburger buns, you will not regret using them over a standard burger bun. The added flavour of the bun will make a tasty difference. Buttering and toasting the buns is also always a hit.

5.  The experienced griller will understand that the additional fat from the pork will cause lots of flames, so I would recommend barbecuing these burgers over indirect heat.

6.  Adding to the overall flavour of the burgers can be easily done at the end of the cooking process by adding a sprinkle of salt and pepper, or if preferred, some barbecue sauce.

7.  With the additional fat content in the burgers, they will typically cook a bit faster than normal all-beef burgers, so keep a close watch on them. For those who utilize thermometers to determine doneness, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and USDA recommend a temperature of 160^oF or 71^oC to ensure your burgers are cooked safely.

Make It Your Own Burger Recipe

CHEF TALK:  This is an excellent ratio recipe for hamburgers, meatloaf and meatballs.  It is an excellent base for many recipes.

Yield:  Approximately 12 burgers (each  1/4 lb)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ lbs. (680 g) lean ground beef
• 1 ½ lbs. (680 g) ground pork
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (gluten-free bread crumbs if required)
• 2 eggs, large
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons finely ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 – 2 teaspoons onion salt
• 1 – 2 cloves of fresh garlic, finely minced
• ¼ cup finely sliced green onion

METHOD:

1. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients until well mixed. (Do not over handle the mixture). CHEF TIP: Take a tablespoon size amount of the mixture and make a small patty. Cook this small sample in a frying pan and taste for seasoning. Adjust the mixture to taste (tweak) using the ingredients from above.
2. Once the mixture is at the preferred level of flavour, portion and shape the mixture into patties, barbecue and enjoy!

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• To achieve maximum flavour, refrigerate the patties for several hours so the flavours marry nicely.
• These burgers freeze well.  CHEF TIP: place a small square of parchment or wax paper in between each patty when freezing. This makes separating the frozen patties easier.

ACCOMPANIMENT OPTIONS:

There are so many variations available to you when building your burger and “Making It Your Own”. My favourites * and other suggestions are:

• Cheddar Cheese (Old), sliced *
• Fresh tomatoes, sliced thinly *
• Bacon strips, cooked to preferred crispness (I like extra crunchy) *
• Lettuce leaves *
• White Onions *, sliced or
• Caramelized Onions (my favourite) *
• Pickles *
• Condiments: mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce
• Roasted Garlic Aioli (another personal favourite) *
• Sautéed Mushrooms

Realistically, yet unfortunately, you cannot get all of the accompaniment options on the burger all at once, but experimenting with the different combinations will only serve to support the wonderful flavour in your burger patties when you “Make It Your Own Burger.”

You Might Also Enjoy:

Gluten Free Rock Star Veggie Burgers

Australian Meat Pies

How to Caramelize Onions

How to Make Roasted Garlic Dressing, including How to Roast Garlic and How to Make Garlic Puree

LEARNING TIPS:  

Please CLICK the link above to access my UrbnSpice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post link under the following subheadings:

• The Simple Spatula
• Scoops for Portioning
• Tweaking
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As always, if you give this recipe for Make It Your Own Burger a try, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback.

You can find me on social media – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy! 

 

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urbnspice Chef

 

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