Okay…so Summer may be over but you can keep it alive by whipping up some homemade burgers and ‘stickin’ them on the barby’ (/on the hob in your kitchen)! Don’t bother buying them ready made from the supermarket – make them fresh yourself; it is MUCH cheaper, tastier and is beyond simple to do! Plus you can make them according to your own preference….and everyone will be dead impressed.
I like to make a big batch and then freeze them. BBQ/Meat pangs come round? Pull them out, defrost and they are ready to cook!
What follows is the first of three burger recipes to follow…..Italian style!
I like to make a big batch and then freeze them. BBQ/Meat pangs come round? Pull them out, defrost and they are ready to cook!
What follows is the first of three burger recipes to follow…..Italian style!
Recipe:
Ingredients (makes approximately 10 burgers):
1kg good quality beef mince – go to your local butcher
1 white onion, minced finely
1 bulb of garlic, minced finely
4 sprigs rosemary, destalked and chopped finely
4/5 sprigs thyme, destalked and chopped finely
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lemon, juice only
1 egg
Method:
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. With your hands smush it all together until mixed thoroughly. The egg is used to bind everything together so that it doesn’t fall apart during cooking.
2. Top Tip: To check your flavours and seasonings….Heat a frying pan over medium/high heat with a glug of vegetable oil in it. Take a small bit of the mixture and form into a miniature patty. When the pan is hot fry it in the oil until cooked to your liking. Taste it….if needed add more lemon/seasoning/garlic….whatever you think it needs.
3. When satisfied, take a handful of the mixture and, using your hands, press it into burger shaped patties about 3/4 of an inch thick, round and about 6cm in diameter. If your mixture feels a bit wet (this can happen sometimes – either because of the lemon juice, or sometimes because the salt draws water out of the beef while it sits) then before forming squeeze it tightly, removing as much of the liquid as possible.
4. Either cook immediately or clingfilm and freeze. To cook; heat a frying pan with oil in it. When hot add the burger and leave for about 3 minutes on one side, before turning and frying for a further 3 minutes. There should be a nice crust on both sides. I like my burgers a medium rare – butcher bought mince can often be very lean and cooking it medium retains more moisture and stops it becoming dry. But suit yourself.
5. Serve with the trimmings of your choice: Try blue cheese and bacon, or cheddar, an egg….or whatever you fancy.
Ingredients (makes approximately 10 burgers):
1kg good quality beef mince – go to your local butcher
1 white onion, minced finely
1 bulb of garlic, minced finely
4 sprigs rosemary, destalked and chopped finely
4/5 sprigs thyme, destalked and chopped finely
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lemon, juice only
1 egg
Method:
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. With your hands smush it all together until mixed thoroughly. The egg is used to bind everything together so that it doesn’t fall apart during cooking.
2. Top Tip: To check your flavours and seasonings….Heat a frying pan over medium/high heat with a glug of vegetable oil in it. Take a small bit of the mixture and form into a miniature patty. When the pan is hot fry it in the oil until cooked to your liking. Taste it….if needed add more lemon/seasoning/garlic….whatever you think it needs.
3. When satisfied, take a handful of the mixture and, using your hands, press it into burger shaped patties about 3/4 of an inch thick, round and about 6cm in diameter. If your mixture feels a bit wet (this can happen sometimes – either because of the lemon juice, or sometimes because the salt draws water out of the beef while it sits) then before forming squeeze it tightly, removing as much of the liquid as possible.
4. Either cook immediately or clingfilm and freeze. To cook; heat a frying pan with oil in it. When hot add the burger and leave for about 3 minutes on one side, before turning and frying for a further 3 minutes. There should be a nice crust on both sides. I like my burgers a medium rare – butcher bought mince can often be very lean and cooking it medium retains more moisture and stops it becoming dry. But suit yourself.
5. Serve with the trimmings of your choice: Try blue cheese and bacon, or cheddar, an egg….or whatever you fancy.
Combine! (minus the egg shell…)
Combined
Tester time!
