Annika Eats

Annika Eats

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Burger 101

The best burger recipe, made at home with perfect accompaniments. Fluffy potato buns, juicy beef and bacon patties, american slice cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes and a special burger sauce. 

When making a goof smash/cheese burger at home, there are a few important points to keep in mind. The bread, the meat, the cheese, the add ons and the sauce. We will get into each element in this burger 101 blog post and also go through some options so you can customize the recipe as per your liking. 

The Bread:

We start with a pillowy soft potato bun that is rich and buttery all in one. You could use my homemade Potato Bun recipe or get them from the store. Further, if you can’t find potato buns, you can use brioche buns or any burger buns available. If they are fresh I love them as they are with some sesame seeds or onion seeds on top but if they are a day or two old id prefer toasting them a little. 

The Meat:

This is a smash/cheese burger style recipe that is perfect on its own but even better with some add ons. Hence we are using beef mince to make these patties. I also use minced bacon to add some more flavor, texture and juiciness to the burger once cooked. If you are using good quality meat you do not need anything more Thant salt and black pepper to season the patties. I like a ratio 80-20 for my burgers. 80% is the meat (ideally chuck, brisket are good options) and 20% fat (either in the form of fatty meat or the addition of fatty cold cuts like bacon which render well once heated). I prefer cooking the patties to a medium doneness but that depends on the people you are serving. 

The Cheese:

There is no doubt that using a good American slice has one of the best melting qualities for a burger but when it comes to flavor there are a few additions that make all the difference. Ive used sliced gruyere but you could use mature cheddar, swiss cheese, monetary jack, provolone, gouda all work well. 

The Add ons: 

These recipes works best with crunchy cold lettuce, either a lettuce gem, ice berg or even romaine lettuce works fine. I’ve also used sliced tomatoes and freshly sliced red onions for a pungent hit. 

The Burger Sauce:

This sauce is so good, it works on anything and everything. Just your regular pantry condiments put together in a bowl to make the perfect sauce with your burger. It is filled with tomato ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles, pickle juice, bbq sauce, garlic powder, paprika powder, black pepper powder ad love.

What equipment do you need to make these Burgers?

We need a heavy bottom frying pan. Why? Cause this cooks the meat evenly and gives it a beautiful caramelized brown color on the patties. I use flat steel scraper but any flat spatula works well to flip the burger patties. You would need a lid to cover the patties as the cheese needs to steam and that will help it melt. 

These are best made immediately, you can make the sauce ahead of time and chill it. The bread can be sliced and kept ready. The add ons (except for the onions) can be sliced and kept ready in a platter as well. When you are ready to serve, get cooking and starting assembling. It is quite nice to have people choose there own toppings and it reduces your work load as well. 

They are best served with fries or some potato chips. Its always good to keep some extra burger sauce on the table. If you are anything like my parents, you will need some extra hot sauce to keep the spice levels high with every bite. Serve them hot and enjoy with a cold drink as well. 

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking. Now that we have covered how to make these burgers, let us get cooking. Happy Eating Ninjas!

Burger 101

The best burger recipe, made at home with perfect accompaniments. Fluffy potato buns, juicy beef and bacon patties, american slice cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes and a special burger sauce.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Course Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Week night meals
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Heavy bottom frying pan
  • Metal scraper
  • Bowl and spoon
  • Knife
  • Chopping board

Ingredients
  

Patty

  • 500 gm Beef mince 80/20 ratio - 80 meat and 20 fat
  • 100 gm Bacon finely chopped
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Oil for grilling

Cheese

  • 6 slices American slice cheese
  • 6 slices Swiss slice cheese

Sauce

  • 1 tsp Thyme
  • 2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
  • 1 tbsp BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp Pickles chopped
  • 1 tbsp Mustard
  • 1 tsp Mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp Vinegar/Pickle juice
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Add ons:

  • Lettuce
  • Tomato
  • Onions

Instructions
 

  • Start by prepping your sauce, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and once combined, set it in the fridge. Slice the potato buns and set aside.
  • We then prep all the sides, I slice the tomatoes and onions while I just tare the lettuce leaves apart quite rustically.
  • To make the burger patties, we mince the bacon until it is fine and mix the beef mince into it using our hands. There is no pretty way to do this so make sure the bacon is evenly distributed. Divide the meat into 4 balls and flatten it our using the palms of your hands.
  • Season each side with salt, pepper and a drizzle of oil. Heat up a heavy bottom frying pan and on medium heat add each burger patty to the hot pan. Cook for 2 mins on this side and flip it over - there should be a caramelized brown color on the meat. Add your cheese and cover with a lid. Cook for 2 mins and take them off the heat.
  • Once the patty are ready, its time to move fast, slather the burger sauce on the bottom of the potato bun, add lettuce, tomato, onion and the hot patty, cover the top with the other half of the potato bun.
  • Serve with more sauce, French fries and a cold beer/soda.

Notes

  • When cooking your burger patties, the cooking time might vary depending on the size of the patties, the heat of the pan, the doneness required and the thickness of the beef as well. Hence make sure to cook each patty as per your liking and preference.
  • Potato buns recipe is here.

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