EXTRA TASTY HOMEMADE BURGERS

These simple yet delicious homemade burgers take very little time to prepare and cook and are sure to be a hit with your family. Plus you know exactly what’s in them.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS DISH

• A family favourite
• Suits a low budget
• Cuts down on your processed food intake
• Quick and easy, ready in less than 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Homemade burgers always taste better than shop bought and you know exactly what’s in them. Look at the ingredients of the supermarket ones and you’ll find some weird and wonderful added ingredients – would you like a sprinkle of sodium metabisulphate on your burger?

It’s much easier to make them from scratch than you think. The best and most tasty burgers have very few ingredients. You do need to consider the quality of the beef for burgers. Try to buy one with at least 10% fat which will help to keep the burger moist and the onions juicy.

I make mine extra tasty with my secret ingredient… Worcestershire sauce. It adds a great savoury umami flavour. The only other added ingredients are salt and pepper and that’s it! You can of course add other flavourings like garlic powder, paprika and dried herbs if you prefer. Or try different types of meat. Minced turkey, lamb, and pork can all make great burgers.

HOMEMADE BURGERS – STEP BY STEP

The first step is to add the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to the meat and mix well with your hands. Only hands will do for this job! Divide the mixture into 4 and roll into a ball. You then need to slice your onions and put them in a frying pan with a little oil. Then place your ball of meat on top and squash them flat into a patty shape. It helps the burger to cook more evenly by putting an indent in the middle of the patty with your thumb. Cook the patties over a medium heat for around 5 to 8 minutes each side.

The tastiest burgers are cooked this way on top of onions. The fat and juice from the meat oozes onto the onions and makes them caramelised and delicious, and the flavour of onions permeates the meat. I find this method much better than adding raw onions into the meat mixture.

For the last few minutes of cooking, place the slices of cheese on top of the burgers and, if you have one, add a lid to your pan. The lid is not essential but the steam will melt the cheese faster.

While the burgers are cooking, lightly grill your bun on the inside. Keep a close eye on it as it can burn easily. I prefer a brioche bun.

HOW TO SERVE YOUR HOMEMADE BURGERS

To serve the burger I like to spread some mayo on the bun and top with pickled gherkins, then the burger patty, those delicious fried onions and some sliced tomatoes and lettuce. I love these burgers with some skin on fries and a side salad. Delicious!