Burger Bliss - Your secret guide to making sheer burger bliss.

For More Humour...

So my husband decide to get DSTV a few months back. He watches the Cartoon Network, yes folks the Cartoon Network and we don't have children!!!, other than 6 cats and 2 dogs. Naturally I love to watch all the cooking channels. The food network channel is one of my favourites. I was completely baffled at the different types of food that is available especially in the US. From Cuban, Mexican and all the different cooking styles from different regions.  Their burgers look so huge and amazing with so many different toppings. Guy Feiri and Bobby Flay gave me a whole new insight to Grilling and making your own burgers.

In South Africa, unless you do a major Google search you will find a restaurant that may specialize in burgers. The most popular food chains for burgers is Spur's,the  Dross, and for quick take out is Steers, McD's, and KFC. Nothing particularly exciting.  One of my favorite restaurant food chains is Cattle Barons, but still I haven't found THE BURGER PLACE!!!.

OK, there was a place in Plettenberg Bay - On the Bridge I think was the name of the restaurant, they had really exciting burger toppings - maybe it was because we where on Honeymoon... the only problem was that it was 500 KM from Cape Town and when we did return after a few years only to be disheartened that the place closed down. *Sniff Sniff*

Anyway, after a few cooking shows I had an inspiration.  Attempt to make my very own burgers from scratch and that includes making the patty from scratch. You should definitely try making your own patties, they are juicy more flavoursome, not rubbery, and don't have all that unnecessary added gunk they put in the processed foods.

Here is a few Abby's Tips in making your burger which was very much thanks to Bobby Flay. He is the burger/grilling King!!

If you going to use mince beef don't use lean or extra lean mince and most definitely do not use Ground Beef Mince. (with soya and all that extra added stuff - not cool for burgers, maybe if you are making meatloaf...) Try to get 75/80% beef and 20/25% fat ratio. Don't fall for the being healthy option and use very lean meat. You want something that has nice flavour. Why not ask your butcher to ground your meat for you and take the sirloin or rib eye option - but dont forget the 80/20 ratio.

A generous size burger patty should be between 170-200g. Try to use a scale to even your portions.  When you form your patty, try not to handle your meat to much. Make sure that it is cold. This way your body heat doesn't melt the fat of the meat and makes it more easier to work with. A little trick is to wash your hands in ice cold water. After you've formed your patties, put them back in the fridge to cool down for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Use Both Hands to form the Perfect Patty - Pull the meat apart into equal pieces, then pat down into a patty on a hard surface with one hand while forming the rough edge with the other. Resist the urge to slam down! A nice little tip is to use a lid of big mayonnaise jar. Preferably the thick plastic lids from Nola.  

When beef patties cook, they contract, and can leave you with a rounded, uneven burger. When forming the patty, make an indent with your thumb in the middle. This will ensure that the meat plumps nicely. Flatten the patty before placing on the grill. Never press down on the patty or flatten it while cooking. This will release the precious juices that are essential to a burger's flavor.

To form a good crust, set the patty on the grill and leave it alone for several minutes. Over high heat, a burger usually cooks in about four minutes per side. You also want your grill pan to be really hot, the hotter the better.  You want to sear or char the meat really quickly so you have nice color on the outside and all the flavour inside. 

Stick it down and leave it. You want to touch the burger three to four times at most. You'll know if you have a sear and it comes right off. If it sticks to the grill, it hasn't been seared long enough. Also you will want to flip them one at a time. Starting with the one you put in first (say 12 'O Clock) and work in a clock-wise manner. 

I love my burgers to have that char-grilled criss-cross effect. This is my secret: After you get the first sear, do a quarter turn, leave it alone for a little longer -- a total of 5 to 6 minutes for that first side. Then flip it, cooked-side down, leave it another three to four minutes, then do another quarter turn, let it get its marking, then take it off the grill. 

Properly melt the cheese. There is nothing worse than a burger with half melted cheese. Place a metal bowl over the burgers to melt the cheese. Or stick under the grill.

REALLY IMPORTANT: After you take it off the heat, let the burger rest. Why?- This way it won't immediately lose its juices at the first bite. It doesn't have to be long say just for two to three minutes -- just like you would any steak.

Use the toppings and condiments to make the burger more exciting. Everyone's got a different idea about what tops the perfect burger. Other than the usual- lettuce, tomatoes, gerkins etc. Try at least five or six other,  or even less common options. Consider pepperoni,chorizo, bacon, jalapenos, or dried cranberries, pears,and different chutneys like apple and plum and break out of the chedder/mozzerella cheeses. Think brie, Camembert, blue cheese, or Gorgonzola or Gruyere, emmethal.

Always stick to the 4 most important factors:

• Thickness of the patty,
  
• The fat content of the meat,
  
• The heat of the grill,
  
• The condiments — that affect the burger. 

If you take care when controlling these factors and you'll end up with sheer burger bliss.

How do you like to prepare your burgers and what are some of your favourite burger toppings?