Dress up your burger with homemade condiments

Best juicy beef burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup finely diced sweet white onion
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 lb coarsely ground beef, preferably chuck
• 1 tsp Maldon sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and rosemary and sauté for 2 minutes until the onion is just beginning to soften. Allow to cool slightly and then gently add the mixture into a large bowl along with the water, ground beef, salt and pepper.

Divide the mixture into four parts and flatten gently with your palm to form patties that are each about ¾" thick. Refrig­erate for 30 minutes before grilling.

Heat the barbecue to medium heat. When hot, lightly brush the patties with a little olive oil and place on the grill. Cook for 4 minutes per side, until the bottoms are beginning to caramelize and gently char. Flip once. Resist the urge to move them around too much or to press down with a spatula as you will lose all the burgers’ juicy succulence. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes for a medium burger. Serve immediately with toppings.

Tip: The best, juiciest burgers are made with meat that’s not too lean, which results in a dry burger, and not too finely ground, which will render a burger that lacks texture and flavour. Likewise, overworking the meat when mixing in the seasonings will toughen the burger. Have your butcher grind a mixture with a 20 percent fat ratio using a coarse grind. Gently press the meat into patties leaving a little air inside instead of rolling and squeezing them into perfect circles. You’ll definitely notice a difference.

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