You'll be hard pressed to find a person who does not enjoy the occasional jazzed up hamburger. You can approach a serious Foodie, a European transplant, and even a borderline vegetarian and they will all light up when you mention the idea of putting together a perfectly grilled hamburger with the appropriate toppings! Moreover, with the downward swing in the economy it's inevitable that more people will turn to fast food given it's price point and convenience, but don't be tempted to head to McDonald's, Burger King, or Sonic, just make your own:
Here's my ingredient list:
- ½ pound of 80 percent lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1-2 soft hamburger rolls (I don't like fancy bread for hamburgers and I especially don't like hard crunchy <or toasted> bread - in my view, hamburger rolls should be soft. My preferred brand is Pepperidge Farm Whole Wheat Hamburger Rolls)
- 4 larger pieces of white cheddar
- 1 large red onion
- Ketchup (Heinz has the market, will someone please challenge them?!)
- 3-4 slices of Bacon (Nodine's is good but expensive)
- 2-4 Arugula leaves (I like the bite it gives versus iceburg)
My version of the perfect burger starts with 80 percent lean ground beef. You can, of course, buy leaner ground beef, but fat equals flavor (so be forewarned if you opt for leaner meats). I always purchase my meat from a local butcher or the local Whole Foods (I like knowing where my meat comes from).
½ a pound of ground beef should equate to two ¼ pound hamburgers. In a medium sized bowl, lightly and gently combine your room temperature ground beef with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. It is key that the meat be at room temperate and that you do not overwork/mix the ingredients in your bowl. Once you combine the meat, take half the mixture and form a somewhat round patty and give it a light squeeze with both hands (lightly flattening the ball to create a burger shape).
In terms of the onion, I like to have sautéed onions for my hamburger instead of the raw variety you find at diners and hamburger joints. So, grab your large onion and dice into thin slices. Next, slowly heat a small sauté plan and add your sliced onions and a bit of salt. Give the onions a good stir every 4-5 minutes and you should get perfectly caramelized onions in about 15-20 minutes (the key is slow cooking the onions).
I use a large All-Clad non-stick grill pan to cook my hamburgers and I usually apply a bit of olive oil to the pan (both for flavor and to help the non-stick thing). I start by preheating my grill pan for 4-5 minutes on a medium flame. Next, place the burgers on the pan (preferably in the center) and do not touch for about 3-4 minutes. After a few minutes, flip the burgers and again do not touch for roughly 3-4 minutes. During the last minute of cooking place your cheese on the burger and add a bit of water to the pan (this should create steam) and cover with a lid. The cheese should melt pretty quickly (about 30-60 seconds) The total cooking time should yield medium burgers (with some pinkness in the center).
In terms of the bacon, I like to use a microwave oven. So, place a paper towel on a large plate and layout your bacon strips on the towel. Take a second paper towel and place it on top of the bacon. Microwave the bacon for 4-5 minutes depending on the strength of your oven.
My final assembly order is: 1., hamburger role bottom, 2., hamburger, 3., ketchup, 4., sautéed onions, 5., bacon, 6., arugula leaves and 7., hamburger role top. And, even though the main character in Sideways drank a fine wine with his takeout burger, I prefer beer. Specifically, there's no better match than Brooklyn Lager with the above burger!
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