The Burgers on Burgers and Buns

No Cheeseburgers in this Paradise

I was in Florida a couple of months ago, and after eating just-off-the-boat fish for three days I was ready for a change of pace. Sipping a St. Germain margarita at a Tiki Hut, I turned to my bartender for a recommendation for a good burger. Get to know your bartender and you will eat well, my friends.  So I should have listened to him when he said what I had in mind was not to be found. Still, I really wanted a burger. 

I settled for a local place that looked promising.  Opening the menu I found: Our Beef Burger stands alone. Alas, it did not.  Continuing on: Smothered with creamy boursin, caramelized onions, portabella mushrooms, topped with truffled Asian slaw, on a Brioche bun. I could also try: Hand-pattied beef stuffed with bleu cheese, topped with fried egg, onion rings, and smoked bacon, all drenched in jalapeno queso.

Roundly rejecting a recommendation from my effervescent server for a burger involving mango-pineapple topping and hoisin lychee BBQ sauce, I plead for something not stuffed, smothered, and drenched beyond recognition. Just beef seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled medium-rare, with tomato and a little arugula on the side. 

Sadly, without the culinary train wreck of toppings to hide under, the dense, greasy (rather than juicy) meat puck tasted of nothing, really, and was dwarfed by a spongy, over-sized bun. 

We can do better. Collectively, let's all do better. Walk with me.

If you've been reading my posts the past couple of months you know that I believe in quality over quantity, that paying the lowest price for food does not equate to the greatest value, and that delicious meals come from fresh, local ingredients, simply but thoughtfully prepared. The humble burger and bun are no exception.

Part 1:  The Burger
If you buy pre-ground beef, seek out local, grass-fed beef from a farmer or full-service butcher that sources whole animals and grinds their own beef. They should be able to tell you the cut of meat and the percentage of fat.  Fat = flavor and you want about 20% of it in your burger. Buy fresh ground, not frozen.  And if you want the very best -- which of course you do -- grind your own just before grilling. If you have a stand mixer, a grinder attachment is a worthwhile investment, and easy to use.  

Start with well-marbled chuck roast

4.5 pound chuck roast from Rainshadow Meats

Slice in 2-inch strips or chunks, place in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sea salt per pound, toss to evenly coat, cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Chill grinder, blade, and large-hole plate in freezer for at least 10 minutes before using. You want everything cold for the best grind.

Run the strips of beef through the grinder

Grind a second time for this meaty marvel

Notice the large grind, and bright red color, flecked with creamy white fat 

Gently form burgers, pressing only until they are cohesive. The objective is to make a burger compact enough to hold together on the grill without creating a dense mass. Phil and I like a 6-ounce burger that is about 1-1/2 inches thick, grilled medium-rare.

Part 2:  The Bun

Buns can be dense, dry, eggy, squishy, crumbly, tasteless, way too large, fake tasting from dough stabilizers and preservatives, or just all-around wrong. Save foccacia for another day. Brioche and meat should never meet. Panini buns are too large and have too little flavor. Consistently disappointed I took matters into my own hands.  Borrowing piecemeal, I came up with my own recipe.  A combination of unbleached white flour and whole wheat flour give structure and just enough wheaty flavor to prevent boredom. Potato flour provides a soft, yielding quality. Buttermilk adds a bit of tang. Butter contributes richness. Because I like the marriage of beef and fresh rosemary, I minced a little and kneaded it in, but you don't have to. Because I like a little crunch and contrast, I sprinkled on black sesame seeds, but you don't have to do that either.   

Size matters

A 3.4 ounce roll is the mate to a 6 ounce burger

Flatten dough balls with the palms of your hands

Brush risen rolls with beaten egg, 
sprinkle with coarse sea salt and sesame seeds, if you like.

The aroma of bread baking is one of life's great pleasures. 

Nice buns, eh?

Part 3: Burger Meets Bun

While the burgers are grilling, split the rolls and drizzle on a tiny bit of olive oil. If you like cheese on your burger, add it during the last minute of grilling. I implore you to not jump the shark when it comes to cheese. Choose one that compliments rather than covers up the taste of your burger, like a nice sharp cheddar, pepper jack, or manchego. Stilton, Gorgonzola, goat cheese, truffled yak's milk cheese are beautiful and delicious, but they're overkill.   

While the burgers REST FOR 7 MINUTES (yes, I'm shouting again because you have to do this) lightly toast the cut sides of the buns on the grill. 

Toppings? Again, less is more.  I prefer to eat greens and tomatoes on the side rather than on top of my burger where they get warm and limp. I will concede that a couple of small strips of good bacon can be a beautiful thing. Dijon mustard or good mayo have their place on the bun. I don't care for ketchup, but if you do, please make your own. I top my burger with homemade Worcestershire Sauce, which is so easy to make and so delicious I've had guests ask if they could slurp some from a spoon.  

If you read the post above, you'll have some homemade potato chips handy to go with your burger.  

A Bainbridge Burger's Burger

Heather's Buttermilk Potato Burger Buns

1.5 tablespoons active dry yeast

2 tablespoons honey

1.5 cups warm water

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 cup Shepherd's Grain whole wheat flour

1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill potato flour

4 cups Shepherd's Grain unbleached all-purpose flour

1, 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary, leaves minced

1 egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water

Sesame seeds and/or flaky sea salt (optional)

Whisk water, yeast, and honey in small bowl until combined.  Let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Whisk buttermilk, melted butter, and salt in bowl of stand mixer to combine. Add wheat flour and whisk again. Add yeast mixture, minced rosemary, potato flour and 2 cups of all-purpose flour to mixing bowl. Attach dough hook and mix on low speed until dough starts to come together, about 4 minutes. Add remaining all-purpose flour by 1/2-cups.  You may not need all of the flour. Stop adding flour when dough clears the side of the bowl, and is smooth, soft, and no longer sticky. While dough is mixing, use butter or olive oil and coat the inside of a large bowl. Transfer dough to bowl, turn once to fully coat, cover with plastic wrap or a damp, clean kitchen towel. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.

Gently deflate dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 14 equal pieces. (Optional: For perfectly equal sized buns, lightly flour digital scale. Weigh dough.  Divide weight of dough by 14.  Portion each dough piece to that weight.)

Form each portion of dough into a tight ball and transfer to baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each ball. Let stand 5 minutes. Lightly flour the palm of your hand, and using gentle but firm pressure, press down on the dough balls to form rounds that are approximately 3/4-inch thick and 4 inches diameter. Cover buns with plastic wrap, but do not press down or seal edges.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, approximately 35 minutes.

While buns rise, preheat oven to 375°. Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon water to fully combine.

When buns have risen, gently remove plastic wrap. Using a pastry brush, gently brush each bun with egg mixture to fully cover tops and sides. Sprinkle on coarse sea salt and/or sesame seeds, if using. 

Bake buns in preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.

Buns are best eaten the day they are baked, but will keep 1 - 2 days in a paper bag, placed in a plastic bag.