Homemade burgers from scratch

Vietnamese version (bản tiếng Việt): click here!

I’m not a big fan of burgers, I don’t eat burgers regularly… mostly because I have a small mount and cannot have a big bite full of flavor from a burger. Another minor reason is that I find the store-bought burger buns (in the bread aisle) or those from fast-food chains not tasty. The uncomfortable aftertaste discouraged me from getting a second burger… Therefore, I decided to make burger from scratch, to see if me and burgers can start a relationship again.

Joshua Weissman, thank you again for showing me how to make delicious and sexy-looking burger buns at home!

Follow Joshua’s instruction in his cookbook but I made a few modifications for my whole wheat buns as the gangs want to have more fibers (Note that his recipe in cookbook is slightly different than his website or videos). I did not use bread flour, instead I combine whole wheat flour with vital wheat gluten. There is a magic formula to use when you don’t have bread flour:

1 cup of Bread flour = (1 cup – 1.5 teaspoons) of All-purpose flour + 1.5 teaspoon of Vital wheat gluten

Savory Simple

I also made the tangzhong from whole wheat flour. For anyone who didn’t know about tangzhong like me, here is a useful link: Introduction to tangzhong. The bottom line is that this is a technique for softer yeast bread and rolls. I used 2 full eggs. I also made burger patty from scratch, with a little help from the KitchenAid meat grinder. The recipe yields 9 burger buns that are roughly 3 inches in diameter. Each of us can only handle up to 2 burgers so I guess the serving size varies depends on how much you guys can eat.

Ingredients: (for 9 burgers)

• For the burger buns: following Joshua’s instructions. Or just buy burger buns in stores, if you don’t mind.
• For the patty:
  • Beef chuck roast (or ground beef): ~1.5 lbs (~ 700 grams)
  • Garlic: at least 8 cloves
  • Shallot: 1 whole big shallot
  • Seasoning:
    • Mushroom bouillon powder: 2 teaspoons
    • Sugar: 1 tablespoon
    • Ground black pepper: 1 tablespoon
    • Extra garlic and onion powder: 1/2 tablespoons each
    • Ground paprika: 1/2 tablespoons
• Pickle onions (or caramelized onions), lettuce, mayonnaise when assembling the burgers

Preparation:

• Making the burger buns with Joshua’s instruction or getting the burger from stores. (Tips: burger buns in bakery section, which are daily baked, are way better than those in the bread aisle)
• Making the burger patty:
  • If you use ground beef from the beginning, skip this part. If you want to grind your own beef, start with the chuck roast and cut into small pieces. Attach the meat grinder attachment to the KitchenAid stand mixer, carefully add the meat to the grinder. Place another bowl beneath the grinder to collect the ground meat later on. To start grinding, set the power at low (number 2).
  • Finely chop or mince the garlic and shallot and add to the ground meat, together with all the seasonings mentioned above. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
  • After the marinating time, use a serving spoon and scoop out a spoonful of ground beef to make a sphere (with the size of a tennis ball, then gently press down to form a 0.5-in (~1.25 cm) thick patty.
  • Place the patties on the grill (or pan sear) for 2 minutes per side. Check the temperature of the center of the patties, if it reaches 130 – 150 F (medium-rare – well-done), take them off the heat and the patties are ready.
• “Burgers… assemble!”:
  • Cut the burger buns in half, toast them if you want
  • Spread your sauce of choice on both slices of burger (mine is a spicy mayo)
  • Place lettuce and pickled onions (or caramelized onions) on the bottom slice, followed by the juicy burger patty
  • Crown your burger by placing the top slice on… and… enjoy!

Total time: 35 minutes (the process of making the buns is excluded)

You may ask… am I gonna love burgers now?… Hmmm… I still have a mixed love-hate feeling with it… but at least better than fast-food chains or store-bought burgers. That’s all I can say. And I will take it as a positive move!

Alright, friends! That’s it for this basic burger post! Hope you all enjoy it then!