Make a Hamburger

Toss out those processed burger patties! Making your own burger is both easy and a much healthier option. All you need is to get some freshly ground beef from your favorite butcher and to put in a bit of effort. If you want to know how to make a hamburger, just follow these steps.

Ingredients

For the Burger

  • 1 pound (453 grams) 85% lean ground beef/chuck
  • 6 burger buns
  • 1 egg yolk

For Seasoning (Optional)

  • ½ small red or white onion
  • Ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon white pepper
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Handful fresh herbs, chopped roughly
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For Toppings

  • 2 thinly sliced tomatoes
  • 6 slices of cheese
  • Lettuce leaves
  • Ketchup
  • Mayonnaise

Steps

Making the Patties

  1. Get the right meat. Get a butcher to grind chuck beef for you with a 15% fat content. If you use more fat and it will just drip off the meat and cause fire flare-ups; less and the burgers will be dry. If possible, buy the meat the day you’re going to cook it.
    • Ask the butcher to grind the meat twice, once in the coarse plate of the grinder and then through the fine plate.
  2. Place the ground beef in a bowl. You'll add the other ingredients to it when you're ready.
  3. Roughly chop the onion and garlic. Put them in a bowl and mix them together until combined.
  4. Add any of the ingredients you want to add to the burger. This includes the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, and the chopped herbs. These ingredients are optional, but they can add a special flavor to the meat.
  5. Add the egg yolk. Season one egg yolk with Make Salt and Pepper Dip and mix everything together. It is easier to start mixing with a spoon; then use your clean hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
  6. Create the burgers. Handle the meat as little as possible, so you don’t squeeze out the juices.
    • Shape the mixture into 6 equal-sized balls using your hands.
    • Press the balls down to make flat burger shapes about ½ inch (1.27cm) thick. Make a small indentation in the center of the burger with your thumb. This prevents the center from swelling, leading to uneven cooking.

Cooking the Burgers

  1. Arrange the burgers on a plate. Cover them with plastic wrap or wax paper. Chill for 30 minutes to a few hours to make the burgers firmer and easier to cook. Burger meat is best cooked cold.
  2. Choose your cooking method. The homemade burgers can be cooked with a broiler or grill, fried in the skillet or frying pan, or barbecued. They can also be baked. The method used depends on what you have available and what you prefer by way of taste and texture. Whichever method you choose, after taking the patties out of the fridge, spritz them with a little cooking oil or brush them with some melted butter before cooking. Here are the different methods you can use:
    • Broiler/grill: Preheat the broiler (upper level grill) to medium heat. Line a broiler pan with foil, for easier cleanup after cooking. Place the burgers in the broiler pan. Broil them for 6-7 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked.
    • Frying pan or skillet: Add oil or butter to the pan and fry the burgers well. Be sure to use low heat and a long cook to properly cook the burgers the whole way through.
    • Place the burgers on the barbecue grill. Cook as usual for hamburgers on the barbecue.
    • Make Baked Hamburgers: Place in the oven on 350ºF/180ºC for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness. You may like to flip them over halfway, testing doneness regularly.
  3. While the burgers are cooking, prepare the toppings. You can choose to use whatever toppings you like, but here's what you can do to prepare traditional toppings for the burger:
    • Wash the lettuce and tomatoes.
    • Halve the burger buns, then thinly slice the tomatoes.
    • Place the ketchup and mayonnaise on the table for diners to make their own choice.
  4. Serve. Once the burgers are cooked to each diner's liking, serve the burgers. Place inside the bun with the toppings and deliver to the table.
    • Alternatively, place the burger on a plate with other food such as rice, chips, mashed potato, or salad.

Making Different Kinds of Burgers

  1. Make a burger king whopper. Everyone loves this classic hamburger which tastes delicious with American cheese and pickles.
  2. Make a McDonalds Double Cheeseburger This delicious hamburger is twice the fun -- with two meat patties!
  3. Make baked beer burgers. This delicious hamburger is made with beer, onion soup mix, and a dash of Tabasco sauce.
  4. Make Pizza Burgers Just add mozzarella cheese and spaghetti sauce to your burger to add an Italian spin to your favorite burger.
  5. Make a Peanut Butter Bacon Burger Love bacon? Love peanut butter? Then why not add them to a burger?
  6. Finished.

Tips

  • Don’t press down on the patties with your spatula as they’re cooking. It will just make you loose those tasty juices, leading to dry burgers.
  • If you are frying on a pan, it is good to cover the pan with a lid to keep the burgers juicy and moist.
  • If you want a cheeseburger, slice the cheese thinly and place it on the burgers when the patties are almost ready to come off the grill.
  • Ground lamb can be substituted for beef if preferred.
  • Look for condiments that don't contain a lot of sugar (or high fructose corn syrup).
  • Place the burger and topping on the bun with some ketchup and mayonnaise on the side.
  • The faster you eat it the better. The warm burger is very vulnerable to bacteria.
  • Be creative with toppings. You want a hamburger that you will like!

Warnings

  • Cook the beef well to remove the chance of bacterial or other infections. To avoid E. coli contamination, avoid eating burgers that are still raw in the middle.
  • Grills and broilers are obviously very hot; take appropriate precautions and use oven mitts to protect your hands.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

Things You'll Need

  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Wooden spoon for mixing
  • Large plate
  • Mixing bowl
  • Plastic wrap or wax paper (cut individual squares for each burger)
  • Foil-lined broiler pan and rack or frying pan/skillet or barbecue or oven baking sheet (lined with parchment or greased)
  • Spatula for lifting burgers
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