Tamara’s Homemade Hamburgers

Burgers are probably one of the most famous and consumed food symbols. They can be made in more than thousand ways and are enjoyed in local fast food joints, worldwide famous fast food chains and haute cuisinerestaurants. Depending on what you like and expect from your burger, you can take it to whatever level you want. It most definitely pays to make your own at home. You are in control of the ingredients you use and it’s fun. Making burgers brings me pleasure. Ways to combine ingredients, sauces, condiments are endless.

As far as the buns are concerned, I wanted that effect of soft top without crust. This can be achieved by baking them on steam: you put a pot of hot water on the bottom of your oven. Also, sugar and butter help to make the soft top. I’m sure you noticed how burger buns tend to be a bit sweet? It’s good to cut buns in half and toast them before assembling burgers as they won’t soak too much sauce and burger juices, they’ll stay nicely crisp.

Alfa and omega of every burger are definitely patties. I recommend you buy meat at your local butcher shop, let them grind it in front of you if possible. I almost always add sliced onion or garlic to my patties, an egg and ground crackers or bread crumbs to combine the mixture. I am aware that some “burger puritans” don’t approve additions to the patties and acknowledge only a patty made of meat. I like them this way. Don’t over mix the batter as they need to stay tender. If you like them well done, feel free to use meat with higher fat percentage because they won’t dry out. Just be careful not to use too much fat as they’ll shrink during baking. Bake them on high heat that will make the outer crust and seal meat juices inside.

Tamara’s Favorite Hamburger

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• Author: Tamara Novacovic
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

Tamara’s homemade hamburgers feature soft, steam-baked buns and juicy patties made with fresh ingredients, perfect for a delicious homemade meal.

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Ingredients

Units USM

Burger buns

• 4 cups (500 g) all purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) lukewarm water
• 1 envelope (7 g) dry instant yeast
• 3 tbsp lukewarm milk
• 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 tbsp softened butter
• To brush: 1 egg, some water, sesame seeds

Burger patties

• 1 lb (500 g) ground meat (usually 70 % beef, 30 % pork)
• onion, finely chopped
• 12 salted crackers, finely ground (you can use breadcrumbs instead)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 heaping tsp powdered garlic and paprika
• salt
• pepper

Avocado and cottage cheese sauce

• 4 tbsp cottage cheese
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• salt
• pepper
• avocado
• tomato

Classic burger sauce

• 2 tsp mustard
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 5 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp powdered paprika
• 1/2 tsp powdered garlic
• 3 pickles
• lettuce
• tomatoes

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Instructions

1. To make the buns, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water with the sugar and let it sit for about 5 minutes until frothy.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the softened butter, lukewarm milk, and egg. Add the dissolved yeast mixture.
3. Add salt and flour to the wet ingredients and knead until a soft and smooth dough forms. If necessary, adjust with a little more flour or water.
4. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a pot of hot water at the bottom of the oven to create steam.
6. Divide the dough into equal portions and shape into buns. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let them rise for another 15-20 minutes.
7. Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool.
8. For the patties, combine ground beef, chopped onion, powdered garlic and paprika, chopped parsley, egg, and bread crumbs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Mix the ingredients gently to combine, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
10. Shape the mixture into patties, pressing them slightly thinner in the center to ensure even cooking.
11. Preheat a grill or skillet over high heat. Cook the patties for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until they reach your desired doneness.
12. While the patties cook, make the two sauces. For the avocado sauce, mash the avocado with the tomato, then stir in the cottage cheese, sour cream, chopped garlic clove, thyme, salt, and pepper. For the classic burger sauce, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, paprika, and powdered garlic.
13. Slice the buns in half and toast them with a little butter on a skillet until golden brown.
14. Assemble the burgers: spread your choice of sauce on the toasted buns, then top the patty with pickles, lettuce, and tomato.

Notes

• For softer buns, bake with steam by placing a pot of hot water in the oven.
• Toasting the buns before assembling helps them stay crisp and prevents them from soaking up too much sauce.
• Use meat with a higher fat percentage for juicier patties, but avoid too much fat to prevent shrinking.

• Prep Time: 90 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 burger
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 600
• Fat: 20
• Carbohydrates: 50
• Fiber: 3
• Protein: 25
• Cholesterol: 80

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