Freshly Ground Hamburgers
The secret of any burger is to pat them gently, not firmly when forming the patties. It’s best to form these pure meat patties an hour before cooking and refrigerate— they’ll hold their shape better. (They can tend to break apart while cooking, so be gentle.) Broil on one side only if you are concerned about their fragility. Also, never push down on burgers with a spatula while cooking; that compacts the meat into a concrete puck and wastes tasty juices in the bargain. All recipes serve six.
1 1/2 pounds freshly ground chuck
salt and pepper to taste
buns, rolls or bread (toasted on the grill or under the broiler)
Form meat gently into half a dozen 3/4-inch-thick patties. Broil under a preheated broiler or fry in a hot oiled frying pan on medium-high heat. If grilling, it’s best to encase them in a hinged wire hamburger cage. For rare burgers, cook 3 minutes per side; for medium, 4 minutes; and for well-done, 5 minutes.
Serve with your choice of warm buns, rolls or bread, and condiments.
Fail-safe Hamburgers
When buying supermarket hamburger, always check the sell date. The meat should be bright pink without any dark spots or off-odors. When cooking, use a meat thermometer to be sure that it has reached an internal temperature of 160. Unfortunately, the meat will not be rare. It also tends to dry out a bit, so inventive cooks have come up with a fix: add bread crumbs, onions and egg.
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (20 percent fat)
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
Mix together all ingredients, form and cook as above.
Classic Cheese and Bacon Burgers
A classic is something that is just so good, there’s no getting tired of it. Make burgers as above. Slide a slice of extra-sharp cheddar on top in the final 2 minutes of cooking and add a strip of crisp bacon. Sliced fresh Vidalia onion, tomato and lettuce round out this classic. Mayonnaise works best on the bun under the lettuce.
Beef Teriyaki Burgers with Aioli
To the basic burger recipe (above), add 1 teaspoon sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2-inch piece of minced fresh ginger (or 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger). Cook as above. Serve on toasted sesame seed buns with aioli (see below) and sliced cucumbers, avocado and red onion on the side. (Wasabi mayonnaise works well, too.)
Chipotle Beef Burgers
I am a devotee of chipotle— the smoked hot chili available in its own adobo sauce in cans in the international section of the supermarket. Here’s a way to get that flavor to infuse the meat in a surprising way: To the basic recipe, add 3 chopped chipotles from the can and 2 diced jalape–os. Cook as above. Shredded jack cheese and red onion makes a great topping.
Pine Nut Burgers
Every Sunday morning, my mother used to make meatballs with home-ground chuck, an egg, garlic and pine nuts. The scent would fill the house and make us hungry for Sunday supper. This is my re-creation of the flavors of that savory memory: To the basic burger recipe, add 2 minced garlic cloves, 6 tablespoons prepared tomato sauce, 1 scant teaspoon oregano, 3 tablespoons pine nuts. Mix and cook. A minute or two before finishing, top with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Serve on toasted, sliced Italian bread with additional warmed tomato sauce on the side. A bitter green salad, like frisee or arugula, makes a nice side to these.
