There's nothing better than a homemade burger. Everyone loves them, they're easy to make and, if made with quality, fresh ingredients, they certainly don't have to be unhealthy – especially if served with a salad. Once you've mastered this tasty basic recipe, you can make it your own with different herbs, spices and toppings. The sky's the limit! Jamie's top tips - Jamie’s top tips - Minced meat is a really flexible ingredient and the basis of so many family favourites. Instead
of burgers, why not shape your minced meat
into meatballs and serve with pasta and a
tomato sauce? You could also use pork, lamb
or turkey mince in this recipe, too.
Prep
15 min
Cook
10 min
Serves
1
Difficulty
Easy
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Ingredients
fresh parsley 1 sprig
lean minced beef 85 g
breadcrumbs 10 g
English mustard ¼ tsp
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste
olive oil to taste
tomatoes 1 slice (sliced)
red onion 1 slice (sliced)
Romaine lettuce 5 g
gherkins 10 g (sliced)
burger buns 1 (halved)
Method
Make the burger
Pick the fresh parsley leaves and finely chop them.
Put the lean minced beef (or meat-free sausage meat for vegans), breadcrumbs, finely chopped fresh parsleyleaves and English mustard into a large bowl. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. (add 1 teaspoon of water** if you're making the vegan version).
Scrunch everything together with clean hands until well combined, then, with clean damp hands, shape the mixture into 1 roundish patty about 2cm thick.
Drizzle the burger with a little olive oil, place on a plate, cover and chill in the fridge until needed – this helps it firm up.
Cook the burger
Preheat a large griddle pan or non-stick frying pan over a high heat for about 4 minutes (add a little oil to the pan if you're cooking a vegan burger). Turn the heat down to medium.
Place the burger on the hot griddle or in the pan and press down lightly with a spatula so it makes full contact with the surface. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until done to your liking.
Prep the toppings & serve
While the burger cooks, wash and dry the romaine lettuce. Slice the tomato,red onion and gherkin, then put them on a platter ready to serve.
When the burger is cooked, remove it to a clean plate and place it on the table.
Carefully wipe the pan or griddle clean with kitchen paper, halve the burger bun and lightly toast the cut sides for 30 seconds.
Build the burger in the toasted bun with the salad and pickles, and serve straight away.
