Raph Rashid: My Perfect Burger.
I like to keep my patty in proportion to my bread. I hate a bad bread-to-beef ratio, which is why I work backwards from the bread.
Measure your bread roll then press out your patties to be at least 10-15 per cent bigger in circumference, as they will shrink.
Cuts like chuck and brisket with an 80/20 meat to fat ratio work well. Get your butcher to prepare the minced (ground) meat with this ratio.
Treat your patty with the same respect you would show a fine steak.
For me the beef needs to be the star; any other topping that is obstructing rather than enhancing the beef needs to go. This is what I build from. I want the cheese to be creamy and mellow, the lettuce to give a little snap and the tomato to refresh.
The onion just helps balance the beef and the mayo. Hot sauce and mustard are there to add some extra spice and sour. Careful though; it's easy to go overboard.
COOKING A GREAT PATTY
Heat a barbecue, chargrill pan or frying pan over a high heat.
Season the patty with salt and cook salt side down. Give it a little extra salt while it's cooking. Flip when a crust has formed and when the sides have also cooked about halfway up, and then add cheese. I like to cook my burgers to medium-rare, which is around 2-3 mintues each side depending on the weight of the patty. Give your patty a minute to rest.
THE MAYO
The mayo can make or break a burger. I do like a tangy mayo with my burger, which I've included. It's a good base and if you like it a bit sweet you can add some tomato sauce. Happy slathering!
STRAIGHT MAYO
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 300ml (10 fl oz) grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, mustard and 1 teaspoon of the salt until combined. Continue to whisk and slowly drizzle in the oil. Give yourself a break every 50ml and add in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Keep going until all the oil and lemon juice has been used.
TANGY MAYO
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 gherkin (dill pickle) roughly chopped
- 1 quantity straight mayo (see above)
Stir the cayenne pepper and pickle through the straight mayo until well combined.
