The Burger is a quintessential American food. It may be one of the most delicious foods you can have, easy to make but hard to perfect. Here you will find my guide for making the most amazing burgers!
My favorite way to eat a burger is simple: cheese, caramelized onions, bacon and spicy aioli! This combo is knock your socks off good and will leave all your friends wanting more. Whether its a warm summer day out on the grill or a cold winter night in need of a hearty meal.
Read below for my top five tips for the perfect burger.
My Tips:
Use High Quality Ingredients: The perfect burger needs the perfect ingredients. Choose fresh, high quality ingredients and that will translate to a high quality burger.
Choose the Right Bun: Think of the bun as the vehicle for your burger, do you want to ride in style or just take the minivan? Instead of using the average grocery store bun, check out the bakery isle and find a bun that speaks to you. I like to use fresh bakery buns; however, Trader Joe's Brioche rolls are just as good!
Don't Overcomplicate: A simple burger will always be best! Sometimes, I try to overcomplicate my recipes and they never come out as good as simple classics. Pick a flavor profile and stick to it!
Texture Matters: When designing a burger, make sure you keep texture in mind. You want to hit the right notes. Crunchy, chewy, soft. If you have too many soft ingredients then your burger will be a soggy mess. Make sure you get some crunch in there! When in a pinch, just use the 'Bobby Flay Method' of crunchifying your burger with potato chips!
Fat Content: Do not choose now to stick to those new years resolutions! Trust me, if you try to save calories with a lower fat content beef then you will be disappointed with a dry and boring burger. Use 80/20 high quality ground beef.
I could go on with more tips but these are the most important five! What's great about this recipe is that you can mix and match any flavors you'd like. Just make sure you remember the tips above and you are guaranteed to have a mind-blowing burger experience!
A Perfect Burger
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
For the Onions:
2 Large White Onions Sliced
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Butter
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Bourbon
For the Burger:
1 1/2 lbs 80/20 Ground Beef
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1 tbsp Canola Oil
4 Slices of Sharp American Cheese (optional)
4 Slices of Sharp Cheddar Cheese (optional)
For the Aioli:
1/2 cup Mayo
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Cayenne
Pinch of Salt
1 tsp Lemon Juice
For Assembly:
4 Pieces Bibb Lettuce (optional)
4 Pieces of Thick Cut Bacon (cooked per instructions)
4 High Quality Burger Buns
Instructions
For the Onions: Make sure to start these nice and early. Put a large pan on medium heat add olive oil, butter and onions. Cook for 15 minutes undisturbed until onions are translucent and fragrant. Cook for 15 more minutes stirring occasionally until onions begin to brown, at this point add the sugar and salt and bourbon. If onions begin to dry out, add more olive oil. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until onions are brown all the way through. Keep on low heat until ready to serve.
For the Burger: After starting the onions, form your burger patties. Split the ground beef into four even portions and form into 3/4 inch thick patties. Season exterior generously with salt and pepper (recommended kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper) and make a deep imprint in the center of the patty with your thumb. Let sit at room temperature while the onions cook.
When the onions are on their last 15 minutes, preheat a cast iron skillet with canola oil on medium-high heat until oil begins to smoke. Make sure your pan is screaming hot! This is how you get a nice sear on the burgers. Place the burgers in the pan, without crowding it and allow to cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 3 minutes (4 if not using cheese) for medium rare. After 3 minutes, top burgers with cheese and cook, covered, for an additional minute until cheese has melted and burger has reached desired temperature.
For the Aioli: Mix all ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
For Assembly: Toast your buns (optional). Starting from the bottom, spread a generous layer of aioli on the bottom bun. Top with a piece of lettuce, burger, bacon, onions and the top bun.
Serving Recommendations: Baked Sweet Potato fries and a Caesar Salad!
Enjoy this recipe and don't forget to comment down below!
Cooks Notes:
You can use any kind of cheese that you have on hand, I like this combination because the cheddar provides great flavor while the American is super melty and ooey-gooey!
Don't forget to put that thumbprint in the burger and let them come to room temperature! This allows an even cook and prevents the burgers from puffing up.
No nutritional information is available at this time.
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