Nothing compares to a juicy burger. Now, with the right amount of salt and pepper, the classic seasonings, and a beef patty at the right temperature, you will be craving this ultimate perfect burger.
The Perfect Patty
Burgers always taste best when left simple. Above all, this burger recipe allows the ground beef to shine. This recipe uses about 1.5 pounds of fresh ground beef. Make sure to use ground beef that’s between 80-85% lean with roughly 15-20% fat. The fat will create a buttery flavor for the beef. The fat makes the burger juicy and preserves the taste by only adding fresh black pepper and kosher salt. First, season the ground beef. Next, use a food scale or eyeball the beef which needs to be divided into patties. Ultimately, equally divide the beef into 4 patties (3/8 lb.) or 6 patties (1/4 lb.).
Ultimate Toppings
Nothing beats the classic toppings of an All-American burger. Ripe cherry tomato, butter lettuce, bread and butter chips, tangy aioli, and toasted bun. But, sometimes more toppings create the ultimate perfect burger. Some pretty stellar toppings include applewood bacon, bbq onions, and cheddar cheese. First, lets discuss the bacon. Using applewood chips to smoke anything creates a rich, intense, aromatic flavor. Which will only intensify the goodness of the burger. In addition to the amazing flavor, applewood bacon would also decrease shrinkage when cooking. Personally, I purchase items not containing sulfites and nitrites for health reasons. I strongly recommend you do the same. This is my favorite applewood bacon bacon.
Another delicious topping is bbq onions. Onions can bring a major flavor profile to any dish. In this recipe red onions are used, but any onion will work. In order to make the onions pop, they need to be cooked for a total of 25 minutes. First, saute the onions in oil and a little butter for roughly 5 minutes. During this time, season them with a little salt and pepper. Then, reduce the heat to low and let the onions become deep brown (caramelized). If during this process the onions start to stick to the pan, simply add a tablespoon of water. Allow to cook for 20 minutes on low heat. Next, add your favorite bbq sauce and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes.
Ultimate Perfect Burger with BBQ Onions
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- 2 Skillets
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs. Ground Beef 80-85% Lean
- 1 Onion optional
- 3 Tbsp. BBQ sauce optional
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1-4 slices Cheddar Cheese optional
- 4 Hamburger buns
- 1 Head of butter lettuce
- 1 Tomato
- 1-4 pieces Applewood bacon optional
- 16 pieces Bread and Chip pickles
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce Optional
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Water
Instructions
For the BBQ Onions
- Cut a medium sized yellow/red onion into thinly slices.
- Heat a medium skillet to high. Add the tablespoon of olive oil an sliced onion.
- Cook on high heat for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Stir occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook the onions for 15-20 minutes. Add in the tablespoons of water and stir occasionally.
- Stir in the BBQ sauce. Allow the BBQ sauce and onions to mingle for 4-5 minutes before serving.
For the Ultimate Burger
- In a medium sized bowl, add the 80/85% lean ground beef, salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce.
- Mix well with spoon or hands. Then, divide up into 4-quarter lb. patties flatten out as much as possible.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add two patties. Cook until crispy and slightly pink in the center. Roughly 4-5 minutes total. Flip-Over the patties with a spatula.
- If adding cheese, place a slice of cheese over the patty. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. To allow the cheese to melt cook for 1 minute.
- Place the cooked patties onto a plate. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Clean out the skillet and repeat the process for the remaining patties.
- As the burgers are resting, create your tangy aioli. Or grab your condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard). Allow with the burger toppings butter lettuce, tomato, applewood bacon, and pickles.
- To assemble the burger. Place a spoonful of your tangy aioli on the bottom halve of the bun. Along with 1-2 pieces of butter lettuce.
- Place your beefy patty on top of the butter lettuce. Optional: Add two slices of applewood bacon and bbq onions.
- Then add slice of tomato and 4 pieces of butter and chip pickles. Smear a few tablespoons of more tangy aioli or other condiments.
- Lastly, close the burger with top bun and serve.