The No Nonsense Hamburger
The hamburger: The ultimate American staple. I’ve had countless renditions of this classic, topped with everything from onion rings and blue cheese to fried eggs and peanut butter. While tasty in their own right, none of these interpretations really did it for me.
Before dining out and enjoying gourmet burgers, I’d attempt to make my own. I’d mash dried onion dip and Worcestershire into the ground beef before, alas, using way too much lighter fluid to grill them. I’d add chopped mushrooms and onions and raw egg. The whole nine. But no matter how much I put into the meat, it always turned out just…okay.
It wasn’t until we visited LeGrand Kitchen, a tiny yet impressive restaurant in Norfolk, Virginia, that I realized hamburgers never really needed all that extra junk to begin with. A good hamburger is simple, no nonsense.
Let’s go!
Patties ‘n’ Buns
1 lb organic ground beef (ideally 80/20)
salt and pepper
sharp cheddar cheese
toasted hamburger buns*
*Next to beef, the buns are the most important ingredient. If you want to do this right, I highly recommend making your own buns. This Hokkaido milk bread brioche bun recipe by the at home cooking prodigy Joshua Weissman is our favorite. It takes a few hours though so plan accordingly. Also, toasting your buns — haha! — is a must. You’ll thank me later.
Patty Directions:
Split ground beef into four equal parts and mash between your hands, rotating and pushing the edges in as you do to create four large, thin patties. (They should be no more than 1/2” thick).
Season each side of the patties generously with salt and pepper.
Grill over indirect heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip and repeat.
After patties have cooked on each side, move them to a cooler part of the grill and add cheddar cheese. Cover the grill and allow to melt over indirect heat (about 30 seconds).
Remove patties from the grill and allow the burger building to commence!
Toppings:
shallot mayonnaise (see recipe below)
lettuce leaves, cut into thin strips**
onion, sliced thin
pickles, sliced
pickled jalapeños, diced
tomato (be sure to add salt to this guy during assembly)
**You can buy shredded lettuce but it tends to wilt quickly. Maintain that crunch by shredding your own.
Shallot Mayonnaise
Ingredients:
1 heaping tbsp of mayonnaise (you can make your own to be extra extra which I fully support, otherwise just use what you have on hand)
1/4 shallot, finely diced
1 tbsp butter
Directions:
Heat a small pan over medium low heat.
Once pan comes to temperature, add the butter, lifting the pan and rotating it so that the butter spreads evenly across the bottom. Place pan back on burner.
Allow butter to bubble and brown just slightly (about a minute).
Add shallot and stir to evenly coat with butter. Cook until edges brown (1-2 minutes).
Remove from heat and combine shallots and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
Try the recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!
