Want to make burgers at home?

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It's really easy to make burgers at home, so why not give it a go with this simple yet tasty recipe. It's quick to put together without sacrificing any of the flavour.

Burgers remind me as much of summer barbecues and cookouts as they do of satisfying pub lunches. Which is why I love them because you can enjoy them whatever the weather or season! And of course, one of the great reasons to make burgers at home is so you can customise it exactly to your liking.

A classic beef burger never disappoints, and a big incentive to make burgers at home is the ability to choose the quality of meat that goes into the patty. It really does make a difference to the flavour and texture of the burger, so I would always recommend choosing the best quality mince you can find. Or, mince your own, if you can. I prefer grass fed beef mince, if I can find it, that has a bit of fat (10%-12%) to keep the burger flavoursome and juicy.

It seems everyone has their own idea of what make the perfect burger, particularly in how it's dressed. What kind of bun is best? We like a lightly toasted brioche bun, plain or seeded. Do you use ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, none of the above or all of the above? We like a combination. Do you put the sauce on the top bun or the bottom bun? Top for us! When you make burgers at home, the possibilities become infinite!

Popular toppings include, but are certainly not limited to:

• Cheese (Cheddar, Gruyere, blue)
• Bacon (streaky)
• Lettuce (Iceberg)
• Tomato
• Onion
• Pickled cucumbers
• Sauce (ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise)
• Chillies

So treat yourself to a homemade burger the next time a craving hits!

Here's what you'll need to make burgers at home:
(Click here to jump straight to the recipe)

Oil for cooking
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
750g beef mince
40g breadcrumbs
40 ml milk
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup or tomato paste
2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, picked)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

And here's what you'll need to do:

• Rinse the spring onions, and slice them finely. Peel and mince the garlic.
• In a small frying pan, heat a little oil on medium low heat, and cook the onions gently until fragrant, add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside until needed.
• If you're using fresh thyme leaves, rinse and pick them now.

• Meanwhile, prepare the breadcrumbs, if making your own. Either break the bread down into crumbs using a food processor, or simply use your hands to tear it into very small pieces - it does not need to be precise. If the crust on your bread is soft enough, no reason not to use it, and I prefer the added texture.
• Put the breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl.

• Add the milk, and give it a quick stir until the bread has absorbed most of the milk.
• Add the mince, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup or tomato paste, thyme, onions and garlic, and some sea salt and black pepper. Mix roughly with a spoon, and then use your hands to mix thoroughly until everything is well combined.

• Divide the mixture into four chunks of approximately equal size. Shape each chunk into a ball between your hands, then flatten to make a patty (approximately 2.5cm / 1 inch thick). Set the patties aside on a separate plate.
• Cover with cling film, and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, to set and allow the flavours to develop.
• About 20 minutes before cooking, remove the burger patties from the fridge to warm up slightly.
• Heat some oil on medium high heat in a heavy based frying pan (I like my Lodge cast iron pan), or heat up your barbecue grill.
• Cook for a few minutes on each side, depending on how well done you prefer your burgers.
• If you're making cheeseburgers, add a slice of cheese on top after flipping.

• Serve with your favourite sauces and toppings, and enjoy!

Want to make burgers at home?

By Wendy | Serves 4

Have you ever wanted to make burgers at home, so that you can customise the flavours and get it just to your liking? Read on to see how easy it is.

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus resting time
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Course: Main
Cuisine: American, Modern European
Tags: Homemade Burger, Pub Lunch

Ingredients

Oil for cooking
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
750g beef mince
40g breadcrumbs
40 ml milk
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup or tomato paste
2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, picked)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Rinse the spring onions, and slice them finely. Peel and mince the garlic.
2. In a small frying pan, heat a little oil on medium low heat, and cook the onions gently until fragrant, add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside until needed.
3. If you're using fresh thyme leaves, rinse and pick them now.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the breadcrumbs, if making your own. Either break the bread down into crumbs using a food processor, or simply use your hands to tear it into very small pieces - it does not need to be precise. If the crust on your bread is soft enough, no reason not to use it, and I prefer the added texture.
5. Put the breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl.
6. Add the milk, and give it a quick stir until the bread has absorbed most of the milk.
7. Add the mince, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup or tomato paste, thyme, onions and garlic, and some sea salt and black pepper. Mix roughly with a spoon, and then use your hands to mix thoroughly until everything is well combined.
8. Divide the mixture into four chunks of approximately equal size. Shape each chunk into a ball between your hands, then flatten to make a patty (approximately 2.5cm / 1 inch thick). Set the patties aside on a separate plate.
9. Cover with cling film, and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, to set and allow the flavours to develop.
10. About 20 minutes before cooking, remove the burger patties from the fridge to warm up slightly.
11. Heat some oil on medium high heat in a heavy based frying pan (I like my Lodge cast iron pan), or heat up your barbecue grill.
12. Cook for a few minutes on each side, depending on how well done you prefer your burgers.
13. If you're making cheeseburgers, add a slice of cheese on top after flipping.
14. Serve with your favourite sauces and toppings, and enjoy!

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