Sometimes you just really fancy a nice juicy burger for dinner, but I don’t like to buy pre-made ones, as I really like to know what I’m eating, and ensure there are no hidden fats or fillers. This burger recipe is quick, doesn’t need any equipment, other than a burger press, should you wish to use one (in an ideal world, I’d mince the beef myself every time, but it’s Thursday night, I’m tired, getting over a flu bug thing, and I really don’t have the time or inclination tonight).
So, why not try making your own burgers next time. They will only take 10 minutes longer to make than shop-bought ones, but are so much tastier. Another thing you may notice is that there isn’t a lot of shrinkage when you cook them, so your quarter pounders looks as big as they did before cooking.
Enjoy
- 500 g lean minced (ground) beef (1lb)
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or crushed)
- 1 tbsp polenta or fine semolina
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 0.5 tsp mustard powder
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together by hand.
- Divide mixture into 4 and, using a burger press or by hand, make into burger patties.
- Shallow fry in a little sunflower oil for 6-8 minutes on each side.
- Serve on a lightly toasted bun with salad, relish, cheese, and any other garnish of your choice. I served homemade oven chips and corn cobs as an accompaniment.
If you are serving the burger plain, you can up the seasoning a bit and add some herbs. I always err on the side of caution if I'm topping with cheese and/or bacon, as they are both very salty.