In the days when we were brainwashed that fat makes you fat, we began choosing leaner meat. That included minced meat labelled heart-smart, which turns out neither smart for the heart nor smart for hamburgers.
For years I tried all kinds of tricks, from adding breadcrumbs and eggs, to adding tomato paste and secret herbs. I pan-fired the burgers, grilled the burgers and barbequed the burgers. No matter what I did, they came out too dry.
In my desperation, I turned to the web and found that you need some fat in the mince, unless you want your burgers to dry out. Fat is what makes Wagyu beef so delicious, or beef cheeks, or pork belly. Embrace it, and you can start enjoying hamburgers again. The rest is easy.
- Get some good quality ground beef or lamb (lamb tends to be fat enough)
- Add some finely chopped spring onions or shallots
- I like to add a crumbled up slice of bread
- Don’t spare the seasoning!!
- Add Basil and Oregano or Italian herbs (dried is fine)
Mix it all up gently, minimise handling, make the patties thick enough- about 2cm, pat them into shape but don’t push too hard. Fry or grill or barbeque over fairly high heat in olive or avocado oil (higher smoke point). Cooking time is roughly 5 mins for rare, 7.5 for medium and 10 for well done – just like steak.
We put some Castello cheese on the patties 2 minutes before the end, just long enough to melt. We tend to eat the patties with a Caesar salad and no buns, so please choose your favourite buns lightly grilled, and your favourite toppings.
That’s it