Post by greensheepuk on Jun 28, 2013 20:35:32 GMT
So I added the quotation marks to the thread title because I've got a real problem with anything being referred to as gourmet, at least the interpretation of gourmet over the last couple of years (i.e. normal for some of us but expensive none the less). I've been saving up some pics of random burger creations to post on a burger thread but after seeing a story on BBC news about 'the rise of the gourmet burger' i figured I couldn't wait any longer and had to post. There's nothing remotely gourmet about any burger, all of the concepts involved are simple and above all logical, you don't have to pay a premium to anyone to make a good burger.
There's no real recipe here, just reflections/ideas on what i think of burgers and just how good they can be:
1. Meat
It seems in the UK that we are presented with 3 flavours of ready minced beef:
- Extra lean steak/beef mince - Too little fat, no good for a good burger
- Lean steak/beef mince - Still too lean, no good for a good burger
- Beef mince - Perfect 20% fat quantity for a good burger but questionable cuts of meat for a burger, unpredictable taste/texture.
So I bought a mincer for my trusty old kenwood chef and it's served me very well. I use chuck/braising steak and/or shin almost exclusively. It's relatively cheap and has plenty of marbled fat to get you somewhere near the magic 80% lean to 20% fat ratio. It's by no means an exact science but is my beef has some half decent marbling then I'll simply trim away any big chunks of fat then send it through the mincer. If the beef looks quite lean then I'll keep the chunks of fat and just give them a quick chop before mincing in an attempt to bring it towards the 80/20 ratio.
2. Seasoning
I'm an absolute believer in the idea that a good burger should taste like a good steak with a different texture. So the only seasoning I use is there to enhance the meat flavours, not change them. I use salt, pepper, worcester sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. In regard to the onion and garlic powder, I always have fresh garlic and onion in the house, but i believe the powders are a better option for burgers.
3. Mincing
I prefer to mince steak on a medium plate. I started off thinking that a coarse plate would give a 'meatier' texture, which it does, but quickly realised that it leaves you with less of a burger, medium is the way forward for me.
4. Cooking
High heat, regular turns. I do think a good burger should be cooked medium/well. I don't think you can't cook them rare or even medium like a steak, it just doesn't feel right (to me). The only addition i make to cooking is usually to brush the burger with seasoned butter before it's final cooking on each side, it makes a real difference to flavour. Then just rest for a couple of minutes.
5. Assembly
Here I can speak with certainty. There is no definitive order to assemble a good burger. I think the meat should be near the bottom, the salad garnish near the top and the cheese somewhere in between! But try it out for yourself, there are too many great varieties to list! The only advice I would give is that like a domestic pizza, you should try to minimise water content before building the burger. I.e. drain juicy tomato/pickle/chilli slices on paper towel briefly first, I like a well stuffed burger, but not one that explodes on contact with my mouth!
6. Pics
A few examples that I've saved up:
Fillet Burger:
Rare fillet steak, smoked bacon, cheddar and Parmesan, tomato and lettuce. Tomato chutney on the bottom, mayo on the top.
Home Minced 'Muffin' Burger Using Minced Chuck:
Juicy Lucy:
Minced and seasoned chuck formed around a mature cheddar cheese centre. Wish I'd taken a picture of the inside but was too busy inhaling it! This my favourite burger by far. Very 'clean' and steaky taste/texture on the outside with a gooey cheese centre, the trick i think it to ensure a really good seal around the cheese centre but also to let the burger cool a little before eating, rest it like a good steak:
There's no real recipe here, just reflections/ideas on what i think of burgers and just how good they can be:
1. Meat
It seems in the UK that we are presented with 3 flavours of ready minced beef:
- Extra lean steak/beef mince - Too little fat, no good for a good burger
- Lean steak/beef mince - Still too lean, no good for a good burger
- Beef mince - Perfect 20% fat quantity for a good burger but questionable cuts of meat for a burger, unpredictable taste/texture.
So I bought a mincer for my trusty old kenwood chef and it's served me very well. I use chuck/braising steak and/or shin almost exclusively. It's relatively cheap and has plenty of marbled fat to get you somewhere near the magic 80% lean to 20% fat ratio. It's by no means an exact science but is my beef has some half decent marbling then I'll simply trim away any big chunks of fat then send it through the mincer. If the beef looks quite lean then I'll keep the chunks of fat and just give them a quick chop before mincing in an attempt to bring it towards the 80/20 ratio.
2. Seasoning
I'm an absolute believer in the idea that a good burger should taste like a good steak with a different texture. So the only seasoning I use is there to enhance the meat flavours, not change them. I use salt, pepper, worcester sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. In regard to the onion and garlic powder, I always have fresh garlic and onion in the house, but i believe the powders are a better option for burgers.
3. Mincing
I prefer to mince steak on a medium plate. I started off thinking that a coarse plate would give a 'meatier' texture, which it does, but quickly realised that it leaves you with less of a burger, medium is the way forward for me.
4. Cooking
High heat, regular turns. I do think a good burger should be cooked medium/well. I don't think you can't cook them rare or even medium like a steak, it just doesn't feel right (to me). The only addition i make to cooking is usually to brush the burger with seasoned butter before it's final cooking on each side, it makes a real difference to flavour. Then just rest for a couple of minutes.
5. Assembly
Here I can speak with certainty. There is no definitive order to assemble a good burger. I think the meat should be near the bottom, the salad garnish near the top and the cheese somewhere in between! But try it out for yourself, there are too many great varieties to list! The only advice I would give is that like a domestic pizza, you should try to minimise water content before building the burger. I.e. drain juicy tomato/pickle/chilli slices on paper towel briefly first, I like a well stuffed burger, but not one that explodes on contact with my mouth!
6. Pics
A few examples that I've saved up:
Fillet Burger:
Rare fillet steak, smoked bacon, cheddar and Parmesan, tomato and lettuce. Tomato chutney on the bottom, mayo on the top.
Home Minced 'Muffin' Burger Using Minced Chuck:
Juicy Lucy:
Minced and seasoned chuck formed around a mature cheddar cheese centre. Wish I'd taken a picture of the inside but was too busy inhaling it! This my favourite burger by far. Very 'clean' and steaky taste/texture on the outside with a gooey cheese centre, the trick i think it to ensure a really good seal around the cheese centre but also to let the burger cool a little before eating, rest it like a good steak:
love a juicy lucy too
