I haven’t come around to tasting all the recommended burgers, partly because I don’t review food as a profession ( although I wish I did) and partly because although I LOVE me some burgers, for me, burgers come with a certain mood, usually when I’m famished after a long night of partying.
I picked up a couple of freshly ground meat patties while doing some grocery shopping the other day and decided to put my money where my mouth is. So this may not be the best burger in town, but it’s as close as it gets to the real thing. Here are some five great tips for making a nice classic burger at home.
Step #1 The Right Bun
It’s gotta be fresh, none of that pre-packed nonsense, rather puffy single buns you can buy from a bakery. Whip-up some low-fat easy spread butter and give’em a nice crispy toastiness in the oven.
Step #2 High Heat
We all yearn for a juicy burger. That means no overcooking but not too much pinkness either- this isn’t a filet after all. So you have to cook your patties on high heat to ensure most of the juices stay inside. I like to pan-fry mine in some healthy 100% virgin olive oil.
Step # 3 Keep It Fresh
I can’t stand the sogginess of a veggie that’s been in the fridge for a week. So if you wanna make this process worthwhile you have to add only the freshest of ingredients. My favorites are iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and red onions.
Step #4 Real Cheddar Cheese and Caramelized Onions
If you’re gonna waste all your efforts by throwing in a slice of processed cheese then I suggest you just go to McDonald’s (mmm) We have great cheeses in our grocery stores so make sure you get some of that real cheddar cheese. Minutes before you think your burger is done cooking stack some slices over the patty while its in the pan. Now grab a handful of red onions, spray in some drops of sesame oil and caramelize away.
Step#5 Stack-It Like Its Hot
Don’t underestimate the importance of placing your toppings in a strategic way,any false move and everything couldl fall apart in an instant. Also, you gotta prioritize when it comes to taste. I suggest you work with both buns separately first and then make the heavenly merge. I like mayo on my lower bun, and mustard on the upper one. The ketchup will fall right on the cheddar and patty.
Step#6 Enjoy
And there you have it- The Best Burger In Beirut 😉 Bisoux
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Waw delicious 😀
I love it! and that’s how its done, though it would have been the healthiest burger in town with brown bun and bala lcheddar, bas i love cheddar too so i get it hehehe bas way to go, sarlon medre ade 3am be nabsho 3al best burger:p
ahhhhhh…. another amazing food article by Ivy… i think it’s about time you invite all your readers to a home cooked meal 😉
what do you think guys?!
You should change name to Horny after Dark…you brown-nosing-feggit!
yuuum eh im there :p
OK..i’m a vegetarian and even my mouth is watering!
generally, sounds good…but I am not so sure about pan frying it in olive oil. The burger is already fatty enough, a good non-stick pan should suffice…unless you happen to be cooking over a real fire 🙂
What about mushrooms?
Yum! Looks great IVY!
YUMMMM……
I don’t want to diss on your burger cos it seems to me you are very proud of it and put a lot of effort into it.
Sadly it still fails as a burger, here is why:
Fail#1: Using those bakery bought buns, they are too dry.
Fail#2: Baking them in the oven, makes them even drier. I don’t know about you but I hate the feeling of having the roof of my mouth shredded by dry and too crispy buns.
Fail#3: Frying in olive oil……I won’t go into the health risks of that.
and your biggest FAIL: Using those store bought pre made burger patties……
There is a saying: Those who love hotdogs and respect the law should never have to witness either of them being made.
The same applies to those store bought pre made frozen patties: they contain all the meat from the animal that is usually thrown away: tendons, ligaments, parts of the animal that should remain unnamed, conservatives…..all the bad things.
Tips for next time:
1. Get the pre packaged buns that Pain d’Or sells, just make sure they are fresh, check production date. These are the best buns for burgers in Lebanon, PERIOD! (Iv tried all possibilities)
2. Make your patties: get some beef mince with some natural fat in it and spice it up with whatever you feel like! Just don’t put any salt or pepper in there as it will start curing the meat and you will end up with dry burgers.
3. Use a skillet only if you don’t have a barbecue and for god’s sake don’t use olive oil, Canola oil is best. Put salt and pepper on the patties right before frying them, this will form a crust once they sear and will seal the juices inside.
4. If you press down on your burgers with a spatula….you deserve to burn in hell. It will push all the juices out.
5. Caramelize the onions in the fat that drips from the burgers….Toast the buns in the skillet instead of the oven, you can gently brush them with a bit of butter or olive oil before that.
And mushrooms! Cos mushrooms and Swiss cheese rock my socks!
Good luck.
Source: Me – the burger fanatic.
Make your own patties, yo. It’s not hard and it’s way more rewarding than buying pre-made ass meat patties.