Any Burger Recipes?

[MikeD]

I appreciate that this is a Forum decicated to mainly sausage makers, but feel sure that there must be many burger makers amongst its members so would like to ask them for any proven recipes that they use in the art of making the perfect burger, or meat pattie as some refer to them.
I have no wish to use pre made burger mixes sold by the various companies as I have a suspicious aversion to the potential E numbers that they contain including MSG, and like my sausage making, I much prefer to control both the meat, quality and content as well as the additives.
I look forward to being given an insight into what members of this forum produce in the form of burgers, thanks in anticipation.
Mike

[wheels]

I do a ground chuck, salt and pepper mix. Or, I use Oddley's burger mix. It minimises shrinkage and doesn't add a distinctive taste - just a bit of je ne sais quoi

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1754&p=31227&hilit=Oddleys+Bonza+Burgers#p31227

Phil

[NCPaul]

I also like chuck and like using a very course plate; I make it to be 8 mm. Don't overwork the meat when forming the patties and my preference is 5 oz. 140 g.

[MikeD]

Thank you both for your replies to my question, but meat apart what I would like to know is what do people add to make their burgers, I have used pureed red pepper and white onion, strained in muslin to stop the burger mix becoming too sloppy, added to that I have sometimes used sumac, paprika cumin, and of course salt and pepper in varying quantities, I have also created my own version of a merguez burger using a combination of ground lamb & pork adding my home made harissa paste.
I suppose the list of ingredients is endless, but what I had been hoping for is someone to come along with a well proven recipe that they use regularly that I might try to create as opposed to endlessly experimenting, sometimes not very successfully with the various herbs, spices and meat combinations. I know there are most definitely some recipes out there, but perhaps not with forum members, you only have to look at the likes of Weschenfelders and Surfy's to see the variety of creations that they market to make the perfect burger, though they are not for me for reasons that I previously stated as I want complete and total control of what I add to the meat I buy, after sourcing the best quality meat from a super reliable old school butcher, I do not then want to go and ruin it by adding some manufacturers concoction of E numbers. Look forward to any comments.
Mike

[DanMcG]

I like to add smoke to my burgers!

[ComradeQ]

My opinion, use high quality meat with little extra other than salt and pepper. I think if you are already sourcing the best quality meat it seems a damn shame to ruin that by turning it into some sort of meatloaf loaded with extra ingredients. I use approximately 1/3 chuck, 1/3 brisket and 1/3 short rib. Grind on a course grind and, without mixing all the strands together, I try to press the meat into the moulds. I avoid as much as possible to mix at all, this prevents myosin development and ensures the protein strands are separated with the optimal tenderness. After pressing I only salt and pepper immediately before grilling, and as DanMcG says, occasionally I will smoke on a very low heat for a short while and then sear on a BBQ at a high temp to get a crust. Add some good quality cheddar and that, to me, is a perfect burger (with whatever sauce and condiments you like). I always use butter basted and lightly toasted brioche buns, the bun makes all the difference.

[MikeD]

Thank you ComradeQ for the very detailed recipe of meat quantities that you employ in your method of making beefburgers, the photographs are mouth watering, and it seems simplicity is the key to the perfect burger. I intend to source those three beef cuts from my butcher and give your method a try in the near future and am looking forward to tasting the results. DanMcG and your reference to using smoke was something I had not given consideration to, and having a smokebox on my BBQ I also intend to give that a try too. All I need is some decent weather to fire it up. Many thanks again for your very interesting and detailed response, and as I said the photographs of the finished burgers are fantastic.
Mike

[MikeD]

An update to the burger making method passed on by Comrade Q. Yesterday I sourced the meat cuts that were suggested, but was unable to obtain the short rib, the butcher advised topside instead, so I picked up 500gm of each of the three meat varieties and once home I ran them all through the grinder on the coarse plate, I then made the mixture into 1/4 pound burgers saving four to test out, I froze the remainder.
I have to say that they turned out absolutely first class, good meat flavour, moist and certainly on a different level to what I had been experimenting with previously, I think your opinion, that to buy good meat in the first place, is to then ruin it by mixing in additives, other than the sprinkling of a little salt and pepper just before placing the burgers on the grill.
I am now sold on the idea of meat only burgers, and allowing the choice to be made afterwards of the addition of whatever, be it cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, dill, mayo etc., for myself I just like a plain burger topped with a thin slice of melted cheddar in a lightly toasted home made bread bun, I will at some stage try the addition of smoke to the grill, but suffice to say I am now fully sold on just meat for the burger.
Thanks for the advice, I am converted.
Mike

[wheels]

Those burgers sure look good. The thing I note is the amount of fat - that's what makes the difference.

[denty632]

I grew up in Australia, there Burgers for the BBQ are a fancy mix of mince, breadcrumbs, onion, egg etc etc etc. Basically as noted above a mini meat loaf.

I now use quality mince (I live in the Falklands, we only get real mince from a butcher) or I make my own. I have a very simple patty maker and simply have mince, topped with pepper, salt just before I fry and a good hot skillet pan. They are excellent

[DanMcG]

Hey ComradeQ What size plate did you use for you burgers? they do look outstanding.