Some burger recipes can seem really complicated and contain dozens of ingredients. I think the best burgers are the ones that are kept simple and full of flavour. There are only 4 ingredients in these burgers – beef, onion, ketchup and mustard. They’re so tender and delicious – just try them and you’ll see!
The key to a good burger is not over working the meat. If you spend time mashing all the ingredients or overworking them to bring the burger together, you’ll end up with a dry, tough, crumbly burger – yuck! You want to touch the meat as little as possible. I use a sharp knife to mix the ketchup, mustard and onion into the beef just enough so it’s all evenly distributed and then shape it into the burger patty in a few seconds.
You want to keep the burger in the fridge right up until you’re going to cook it. Unlike a lot of meat, this will cook better straight from the fridge rather than from room temperature.
Shape the burger patty so it’s slightly bigger than the bun as it will shrink a little bit while cooking.
This is a really quick and easy recipe that gives you a delicious burger in 15 minutes – what could be better?!
Try my perfect oven baked chips which go great with this.
What are you waiting for? Give it a go and let me know what you think!
This recipe is for one burger – double up as needed.
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Ingredients
125g minced beef
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon raw onion, diced
1 burger bun
Sliced cheddar cheese (optional)
Extra optional toppings: lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mustard, mayo
Directions
- Add a drop of olive oil and butter to a frying pan with a pinch of salt and cook over low – medium heat until the onion has softened. Leave this to the side to cool.
- Once the onion is cooled, add it into a bowl with the minced beef, ketchup and mustard. Do not add any salt or pepper at this time. Salt will make the beef tough so season the outside of the burger just before cooking.
- Use a sharp knife to slice through the beef until the sauce, onions and beef are just combined. You want to touch the beef with the knife as little as possible to bring everything together. Then use your hands to form the burger patty. Don’t press this together tightly – just work it enough so it barely comes together. Press your fingers lightly into the centre of the burger to create a dimple. This will stop the burger from swelling in the middle while cooking.
- Cover the burger and put in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Heat a frying pan over medium – high heat until hot and then add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Leave the olive oil for a few minutes to heat. Sprinkle the burger with salt and freshly ground pepper on both sides and add to the frying pan.
- Allow the burger to cook on the first side for around 4 – 5 minutes without touching. Then turn carefully and cook for another 4 – 5 minutes on the other side. Only turn this burger once while cooking so it doesn’t become tough / fall apart. If the burger breaks a little bit while turning, don’t panic. Just push the edges together with the spatula and leave to cook. If you’re adding cheese, I would add this after you turn the burger so it has time to melt. After 4 – 5 minutes on the second side the burger should be cooked completely through.
- Remove the burger from the pan, place on a plate and cover with tin foil for 5 minutes. Don’t skip this step or you’ll end up with a soggy burger bun!
- Now it’s time to assemble! I like to heat the burger buns in the oven for a few minutes and then layer with my favourite sauces and toppings. Now tell me this isn’t a good burger – I dare you!!
Really enjoying the simplicity of your recipes, that look colourful tasty and entice me to cook.
Thanks so much Deirdre, so happy you like them!