Homemade burgers

Homemade Burgers

Cheap, simple and so tasty, homemade burgers are the business.  The ultimate comfort food, the best sandwich, washed down with a cold, cold beer, happiness at your finger tips.

The ingredients are as simple or as complicated as you want to make them, mince, onion, an egg, flavourings and some binder like breadcrumbs (or not, depending on how much of a purest you are).  That’s it.  A pound of mince will make 4 burgers, 4 x quarter pounders!  See, even the maths are easy peasy!  As there was only 2 of us for dinner, we ate two and froze two, so tucked away in the freezer is a simple supper for some busy evening.  I did not have burger buns in the freezer, but found two breakfast English muffins and they turned out to be just perfect.  I know, only in MY freezer!

Fionnuala’s Saturday Burger Dinner, Beer optional

450g/1lb beef mince

1 medium onion, finely chopped

About 50g/2oz dried breadcrumbs or two slices of bread made into crumbs.*

One egg

Level teaspoon of dried mixed herbs or fresh if you are growning your own

Salt and lots of pepper

Some fixings

A burger bun or similar (don't forget to toast it)

Cheese that melts well, I used cheddar

Some sliced onion

Lettuce (gottta get your 5 a day!)

Sliced tomato

Ketchup and/or Mayonaise or a mix of both (advanced class only)

*I cheat and always have this in my house

In a large bowl, add all the burger ingredients.  Then, clean hands in, squish all the ingredients together until well combined. 

Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts and pat down into a burger shape.  It is best not to make them too fat or they will not cook evenly.  Fry in a little oil for about four or five minutes each side until the juices run clear.  Do not squeeze all the juices out while testing as then your burger will be dry and horrible.  While the burger is doing its final cooking add some cheese on top and allow it to melt slowly.

By now, you should have your fixings out and ready to go.  I like oven chips with this, so they should be ready by now, and let everyone build their own burger. 

As the oven is on, why not add some  slices of bacon on a tray to crisp up.  Goodness knows you need the calories!

Your burger should look something like mine, if not, you will have to try again next week.