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What worked: All of it worked, other than for the ultimate structural failure of the bun.
What didn’t: Not a problem, but simply a heads-up: Things can get a little hairy if your bacon requires tending when you’re expected to be basting your hamburgers, and it does require to be perfectly done simply at the minute your burger is prepared for it, to prevent overcooking the meat. That stated, his timing did work for me.
Recommended tweaks: I do not see why you could not prepare your bacon beforehand, if you want a more relaxed experience; simply remember to heat the grease back up in time to toast the buns. If you can’t find Red Leicester cheese, a mild cheddar would work well in its place.
From Jamie Oliver’s Convenience Food by Jamie Oliver. Copyright 2014 Jamie Oliver.
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1 3/4 pounds ground chuck steak
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Olive oil
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1 big red onion
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1 splash of gewurztraminer vinegar
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1 pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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2 large gherkins
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4 sesame-topped brioche hamburger buns
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4— 8 slices of smoked bacon
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4 teaspoons yellow mustard
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Tabasco Chipotle sauce
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4 thin pieces of Red Leicester chees e
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4 teaspoons tomato catsup
Hamburger Sauce
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1/4 of an iceberg lettuce
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2 loading tablespoons mayo
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1 heaping tablespoon tomato catsup
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1 teaspoon Tabasco Chipotle sauce
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1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
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1 teaspoon brandy or bourbon
- . For the best burger, go to your butcher and ask them to grind 1 3/4 pounds of chuck steak for you. Divide it into 4 and, with wet hands, roll each piece into a ball, then press into flat patties approximately 5 inches broad and about 3/4 inch wider than your buns.
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. I like to prepare just 2 burgers at a time to achieve perfection, so get 2 pans on the go– a large non-stick fry pan on a high heat for your burgers and another on a medium heat for the bacon. Pat your hamburgers with oil and season them with salt and pepper. Put 2 hamburgers into the very first pan, pressing down on them with a slotted spatula, then put half the bacon into the other pan. After 1 minute, flip the hamburgers and brush each prepared side with a 1/2 teaspoon of mustard and a dash of Tabasco. After another minute, turn onto the mustard side and brush once again with another 1/2 teaspoon of mustard and a 2nd dash of Tabasco on the other side. Prepare for 1 more minute, by which point you can position some crispy bacon on top of each hamburger with a piece of cheese. Add a tiny splash of water to the pan and place a heatproof bowl over the burgers to melt the cheese–30 seconds must do it. At the very same time, toast 2 split buns in the bacon fat in the other pan till gently golden. Repeat with the remaining 2 burgers.
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To construct each hamburger, add a quarter of the burger sauce to the bun base, then leading with a cheesy bacon hamburger, a quarter of the onions, and gherkins. Rub the bun top with a teaspoon of catsup, then gently compress. As the hamburger rests, juices will soak into the bun, so serve right now, which is great, or for an extra-naughty experience, cover every one in parchment paper, then give it a minute to get gorgeous and sloppy.
Carefully chop the lettuce and combine with
the remainder of the burger sauce ingredients in a bowl,
then season to taste.