If you are as carnivorous as we are, proper beef burgers are a must at least once a week! In London, we found that the best place for a good burger, reasonably priced, family friendly and very civilised, and of course served with a good glass of red wine is Bar Boulud at Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge.

Of course, this is all pre-Covid. During the lockdown period, we have all had to learn to make our own food, and I guess that’s when home cooking really thrived! This is my recipe for the ultimate beef burger patty, a very generous serving at 225g each!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Minced beef (organic ideally) 10% fat 1kg
• 1 onion (chopped finely)
• 2 garlic (chopped finely)
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tbsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Pimenton (more if you like it hot)
• Chives 
• Coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Spring onion (chopped)
• Jalapeños (chopped)
• Black Pepper (grind)

• Brioche Buns
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes

Methods

Making burger patty is very simple. Firstly, chop all the ingredients finely. You can fine tune this to the spices or taste you like. I have added paprika, pimenton and jalapeños to make it spicy hot. Instead of salt, I have used fish sauce (also for that umami taste). The basic to a good burger patty is always the onion, garlic and egg yolk.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the minced beef with the ingredients above. It is crucial to mix all the ingredients well. Use your hands (wash them first).

I use a burger press to make my patty. It helps to keep the patty together when cooking. Since I bought my burger press, the chances of the burger patty falling apart during cooking (especially when BBQ-ing) has drastically fallen to zero! Mine is an OXO burger press but there are many brands out there that works well including Joseph Joseph.

I usually prepare the burger an hour or two before cooking, so the patty has had a chance to marinate and sit in the fridge to firm up a little before cooking (another good tip to prevent the patty from breaking apart during cooking). I have made my patty at 225g each and of course, if you are not so carnivorous, you can reduce it to 115g (quarter pounder).

The patty can be cooked on the grill, in a pan or on the barbecue (which is what we did today). In the summer, when it’s scorching hot (like today), a BBQ is always a great way to cook burgers and wedges, of course with some apple cider for the cook (to keep her happy and hydrated).

On the barbecue, it takes approximately 15-18 minutes (turning mid way) for the burger to cook through. If you want it medium, approximately 12-14 minutes is about right. Of course this is all dependent on the heat, the thickness and weight of the patty.

I like to serve my burger with brioche buns, sliced tomatoes, cucumber and spicy wedges. My son has kindly made me some burger flags to hold the burger together. Perfect to enjoy with a glass of Apple Cider.

For us, burger time is family fun time though usually messy. Enjoy yours! Bon appetite.