Friday, June 13, 2008

The Burger






The hamburger has to be one of the most popular and enjoyable sandwiches on the planet. Throw away your fast food chain coupons, don't tempt getting sick after eating a Big Mac and you don't have to buy those frozen shit-patties they sell at the market as hamburgers.

Make your own burger. It's easy, you tailor the flavour to your liking and the superior taste comes through.

Alot of you will invite friends and family over for a BBQ. Quite often the kids are tagging along so it's probably easier to just serve burgers & dogs.

However, do you have to serve hot dogs and frozen shit-patties? If you're going to invite friends and family over, have the decency to offer up home-made burgers and grill some quality sausages. Leave the hot dog for the baseball park.

I've got nothing fancy here. Upon closer inspection of my hamburger I have a homemade bun topped with sesame seeds, ripe Canadian (Salmonella-free) red tomatoes, Vlasic pickles, Bick's relish, slices of red onions, grilled bacon and old cheddar cheese.

Let's not forget the beef...a wonderful hamburger made with Pete's own hands and my perverted food imagination.

Please note: I use regular ground beef for burgers. The lean stuff leaves me with a dry burger. Not cool.

The Kalofagas Homeburger
(make 4 good burgers)

1 lb. of regular ground beef
1 medium onion, grated
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 stale hamburger bun, moistened in water, squeezed the crumbled
1 Tbs. of dried oregano
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. of liquid beef boullion concentrate
1 egg
1 tsp. salt and pepper to taste

  1. Mix all of the above ingredients with your hands until incorporated. Fry off a small meatball to taste test seasoning. Adjust accordingly.
  2. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours to allows the flavours to marry.
  3. Form into burgers and return to room temperature before grilling.
  4. Pre-heat your grill to hot. Brush off any residue from prior grilling and then wipe the grill with a towel that's been doused in vegetable oil.
  5. Grill your burgers for about 3-4 minutes a side.
  6. Toast your buns and serve immediately with fries and your preferred burger condiments.

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49 comments:

Marie Rayner said...

Now THATS a burger!!! I am salivating just thinking about it here!

Leslie said...

Thats my kind of burger!
Well thanks for finding me! I will try to get more "southern food" up for you!!

Heather said...

I haven't had a burger in awhile, but you're definitely right about not using lean stuff. I mean, if you're gonna have burger, have a burger!

Anonymous said...

god i'm so fucking hungry for this right now.

A Scientist in the Kitchen said...

Wow! This is one of the best looking burger I've seen...

Mary said...

A burger sounds great right now. My husband likes those nasty frozen patties. That's why I do the grocery shopping!

Marjie said...

Nothing like a good burger. One of my sons ate shit-burgers for a month in college because he was too lazy to form patties. The kid must be stooopid!

Sausages on buns made from homemade Italian bread dough with just a touch of oil for softness can't be beat!

Finla said...

Delicious looking. I do agree the home made ones are the best. And the super market ones indeed are not good at all.
I never buy them from there.
Will try you burger mix next time.
Never added concentrate broth.

Catherine Wilkinson said...

I love burgers for breakfast!
I'm really kinda of a truck driver, that way.
These photos are perfect, Peter!

Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul said...

Now thats a burger!...I have never understood the whole "hot dog" thing at bbq's...Quality sausages yes, but I totally agree with you about that. It looks so good Peter!...

Judy@nofearentertaining said...

I love burgers! To me they are like pizza. Something you can eat everyday and never get tired of it because you can top them with such a variety of things!!!

Lisa said...

ooh la la - now that's some good food porn! I use lean beef but add fat back in with a few tablespoons of sour cream - keeps them moist and delicious!

Maria Verivaki said...

great burger lunch - wish i could be there to enjoy it

Jan said...

Now that's a burger!

Erin said...

tell me Peter, do you feel strongly about this? I can't quite tell ;)

My darling husband whips up an amazing homemade hamburger, with some mysterious seasonings thrown in, and they are always amazing. its been a long time since I've had one of those cardboard prepressed jobs from the freezer.

Real Live Lesbian said...

Wow, those look fabulous!

After watching Fast Food Nation, I'll never eat another fast food ANYTHING. Period.

Peter M said...

Marie, napkins are just over there--->

Leslie, my pleasure an welcome!

Heather, when ya breaking out your grill? C'mon!

Never Full...burgers are F-ing A!

Gay, it was delish!

Mary, do not let hubby shop ever again!

Marjie, teens want quick & easy...he'll come around.

Happy, the beef concentrate gives it a beefier flavour.

Catherine, you freak...burgers for brekkie? Must be the all-nite partying!

Pete, nothing wrong with a BBQ of burgers and sausage...serve your guests quality.

Judy, great analogy...they both are always "go-to" foods.

Lisa, I'll try the sour cream for moistness...sounds interesting.

Kiwi, the "Hambourkaki" was telia!

Jan, not Burgerlicious?

Erin...kinda! lol You must share your hubby's burger secret...c'mon!

Real Live Lesbian...I've caught a live one! lol

Welcome and yes, it was an eye opener on fastfood.

Nina Timm said...

I'm dying here, Peter. It is 11.00 at night, supper is but a distant memory and you show me this....I can actually taste the char marks on that beef......

carmen said...

wow hamburger time!!!!!!
Hi Peter!
thanks for your comment in my blog.
do you like zucchini flowers?
I have another recipe whit zucchini flowers, but there is not in my blog now, I will put an other time
kisses

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

My boys and DH loves burgers and homemade fries. They would have devore the plate in no time.

Sam Sotiropoulos said...

Ah yes, a perennial classic summer bbq meal... Way to go maestro! throw a couple extra on the barbie for me next time. :)

glamah16 said...

What a burger!Now thats the way I like them

kat said...

I agree homemade burgers are the way to go! We've even gotten to the point where we make ou rown buns

eatingclubvancouver_js said...

I'm salivating here. I can taste the char on that meat. Nothing like the smell of meat on fire!

Delicious.

Nikki @ NikSnacks said...

Your burgers look great. I can taste that char through the screen.

I feel the same way about lean ground beef, but I've been adding whole butter to the lean to give it flavor and juiciness. You get to control the fat better that way. And who doesn't like butter?

amycaseycooks said...

great looking burger, but I'm really in the mood for those fries!

Jan said...

Great looking burger. I always make my own, as you say, at least you know what you're getting that way.

I wouldn't be caught dead in a McShite establishment, and I absolutely refuse to call them a restaurant.

I'm a Brit, so I like my fries a bit chunkier. BTW, are they called fries in Canada, or chips, as they are in England? Just curious.

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Mouthwatering photos! I can almost smell the aroma of those burgers...

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

You make me want to run out and cook up a BBQ'd burger..it is 10:15 and you don't know how tempted I am with such droolworthy photos. If I were in Greece I would be eating at this time but I'm ready for bed...such a WHOOS.

Unknown said...

Burger is one of my favorite dishes. The other one is souvlaki pita...Καλή όρεξη...

Janulka said...

Peter, this is what I call hamburger! We are bbq-ing every month - just souvlaki - but also only the best ones! And pita preparation for me - is just nothing! I totally agree- if you invite friends/family for BBQ - prepare your own food - it is easy - it is clean! and most important - you know exactly what you EAT!

Lore said...

Your burgers got me drooling Peter and that's pretty odd since I don't consider myself a burger fan but that must have been because of those "frozen shit-patties" :D

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

The Kalofagas Homeburger - I love it!

Fitness Foodie said...

One of my favorite summer dishes. Nothing like a homemade burger on the Q. Looks great.

Nicole said...

I have always thought the burger is one of the most perfect foods ever! Contains all the food groups!

Peter M said...

Nina, if one has patience in heating up the grill, it's easy to get those char marks. Sorry to get you hungry.

Carmen, I do love zucchini flowers!

Helene, this is one meal I do eat fast, it's so good.

Sam, anytime...we'll fired up the grill, the cigars, the libations.

Courtney, big bite burgers are best.

Kat, us too...homemade buns all the way.

Eat club, I'd have it no other way.

Nikki, thanks for the idea, I'll try adding fat back into the mince.

Eat, fried were cut using a mandoline.

Jan, the fries here are fries, as opposed to your chips. I cut them to be like McD's sized fries, which are still good.

Lydia, allow me to fan the smoke over to you!

Val, there's always the next day...you're grilling Queen.

Geia sou Lily, when in Greece I eat some many gyros sth pita!


Janulka, try this recipe out...Greeks love this kind of burger mix.

Lore, make a decent homeburger and you'll fall in love with them, again!

Forkful, you're invited for burgers...get over here.

Parker...I love when the burger drips down my chin...OINK!

Nicole, Burgers are THE American classic!

test it comm said...

Now, that is what I call a burger!

RecipeGirl said...

I agree completely... no lean stuff for burgers allowed! Looks great Peter. Can you have us all over for a bbq? Something tells me that would be rather fun.

Lori Lynn said...

Mix with your hands. Yes. When I was a kid I used to like to mix the ground beef, squish through my fingers.

Now, recent magazine covers have a burger featured, yours equally as good. Nice nomenclature too.

pam said...

Oh my gosh! I would drive up to Canada for a burger like that! Complete with bacon!

Pam said...

Wow. I love a good burger and yours looks tasty. I like how thick your cheese is and your bacon looks crispy and perfect. YUM.

Anonymous said...

Hehe.. My butcher loves me because i always ask for the fatty stuff. Fatty ground beef, fatty veal chops..etc. I mean, otherwise what's the point right?
A burger is a beautiful thing. Nicely done!

Proud Italian Cook said...

Perfect specimen of a burger, grill marks and all!! Did you make the fries too?

Jeanne said...

Oh thanks - now you have me drooling at my desk!! Not attractive :o)

I also like making my own patties - made some pork and cilantro ones with chipotle ketchup the other night that ROCKED. Can't believe people still buy the frozen stuff.

Núria said...

It looks wonderful Peter! That's a great spread... Will you do this one for your boss? With hamburguers there's always the problem of pieces of ingredients falling from the burguer when biting it... right? Makes me feel so embarrased when it happens.

Kara said...

I have to agree with you on not using the lean ground beef... while unfortunate for my waist, it's so true that the lean beef renders a dry burger... which is unfortunate in itself, of course! I have a big hunk of sharp cheddar and a beautiful grill calling my name... I think old-fashioned burgers are in order!

Elly said...

The only thing better than a big juicy burger is a big juicy burger topped with cheese and bacon!

Ruth Strong said...

It really is so much tastier, cheaper and more fun to make your own burgers, also healthier! Plus you get that sense of achievement when you DIY.

Anonymous said...

I love when they put cheese on burgers the way it looks in the picture...its like a fresher appeal or something...tasty!