Burgers
Cooking Skills: Beef and Steak 2
Chapter 1 · Burgers
Skill goal
Shape and cook burgers that are juicy and cooked through, and build them well.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
A burger is shaped mince, and that changes the rules from a steak. The meat is cut up and mixed, so any germs on the surface are spread all through it. A burger therefore has to be cooked right through, and it must not be served rare. In return it is cheap, quick, and forgiving, as long as you handle it lightly, keep the mince cold and choose enough fat. Cooking Skills: Beef and Steak 1, chapter 6 covers cooking mince in sauces.
The method
- Choose 15 to 20% fat. Lean mince makes dry burgers.
- Keep it cold and handle it lightly. Warm, squeezed mince goes tough and rubbery.
- Salt the outside just before cooking, not the mixture, which turns it into a sausage texture.
- Cook through: no pink, juices clear, about 71°C in the centre.
- Rest 2 minutes, then build with a toasted bun.
| Fat in the mince | Result | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 10% | Dry and firm | Sauces, pies, stuffing: not burgers |
| 15% | Juicy, a little less rich | Everyday burgers |
| 20% | Very juicy, shrinks more | Burgers and smash burgers |
| 25% or more | Greasy, shrinks a lot | Better in a sauce, with fat drained |
Cooked-through burgers, hot pans and allergens
Burgers must be cooked through: unlike a whole steak, a burger has the outside of the meat mixed all the way through it, so any germs are in the middle too. Cook burgers until there is no pink, the juices run clear and the centre reaches about 71°C. Don't serve burgers rare, especially to children, older people, anyone pregnant or anyone with a weakened immune system.Spitting fat: mince releases fat and juices that spit in a hot pan. Use a pan big enough to give you space, a splatter guard if you have one, a long spatula, and keep your face and arms back.
Allergens: buns contain wheat (gluten) and sometimes sesame and milk. Cheese is milk, mayonnaise is egg, mustard is a listed allergen, and some pickles and sauces contain celery or sulphites. Check the labels, and offer a lettuce wrap or a gluten-free bun if needed.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
A simple pan-fried burger
Only mince, salt and pepper. The fat does the work: a burger with 15 to 20% fat stays juicy, while a lean one dries out. The less you handle the mince, the more tender the burger.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 500 g beef mince (15 to 20% fat), straight from the fridge
- ¾ tsp flaked sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 4 burger buns
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- Divide the mince into 4 portions and shape each lightly into a patty about 2 cm thick and a little wider than the bun (it shrinks as it cooks). Press a shallow dimple into the middle of each with your thumb. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Season the outsides of the patties with the salt and pepper just before cooking. Heat a heavy pan over a medium-high heat with the oil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes a side, turning once only, until there is no pink and the centre reaches about 71°C.
- Rest for 2 minutes. Toast the buns cut side down in the pan, then build the burgers with lettuce, tomato and onion.
Cooking burgers through, hot pan and allergens
Burgers must be cooked through: unlike a whole steak, a burger has the outside of the meat mixed all the way through it, so any germs are in the middle too. Cook burgers until there is no pink, the juices run clear and the centre reaches about 71°C. Don't serve burgers rare, especially to children, older people, anyone pregnant or anyone with a weakened immune system.Spitting fat: mince releases fat and juices that spit in a hot pan. Use a pan big enough to give you space, a splatter guard if you have one, a long spatula, and keep your face and arms back.
Allergens: buns contain wheat (gluten) and sometimes sesame and milk. Cheese is milk, mayonnaise is egg, mustard is a listed allergen, and some pickles and sauces contain celery or sulphites. Check the labels, and offer a lettuce wrap or a gluten-free bun if needed.
Thermometer: a digital probe thermometer is the best way to know when beef is ready. Push the tip into the middle of the thickest part, away from bone, and clean it with hot soapy water between uses. The temperatures in this course are approximate and can vary with the cut and the oven, so treat them as a guide and take a reading a little early.
Level 2 · Smash
Smash burgers
A smash burger is a ball of mince pressed flat on a very hot pan, so the edges go lacy and crisp. The patties are thin, so they cook through in minutes. It needs very high heat and 20% fat mince.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 400 g beef mince (20% fat)
- 1 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 1 pinch flaked sea salt and black pepper
- 4 soft burger buns
- 4 slices of burger cheese
- 4 slices pickles, sliced
- 4 baking parchment squares
- Roll the mince into 8 loose balls of about 50 g. Heat a heavy pan (cast iron is ideal) until it is very hot and oil it lightly. Open a window.
- Put 2 balls on the pan, cover each with a square of parchment and press down hard and flat with a stiff spatula. Remove the parchment, season and cook for 2 minutes until the edges are dark and crisp.
- Scrape under each patty, flip, lay on the cheese and cook for 1 minute more, until no pink remains. Stack two patties on a toasted bun with pickles.
Very hot pan, thin patties and allergens
Hot pan and hot fat: fat spits and the pan gets very hot. Dry the steak well first, lay it in away from you, use tongs rather than your fingers, keep the handle turned in and stay with the pan. If fat catches fire, never use water: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp cloth. Open a window or use the extractor fan, because searing makes smoke, and keep children out of the kitchen.Spitting fat: mince releases fat and juices that spit in a hot pan. Use a pan big enough to give you space, a splatter guard if you have one, a long spatula, and keep your face and arms back.
Burgers must be cooked through: unlike a whole steak, a burger has the outside of the meat mixed all the way through it, so any germs are in the middle too. Cook burgers until there is no pink, the juices run clear and the centre reaches about 71°C. Don't serve burgers rare, especially to children, older people, anyone pregnant or anyone with a weakened immune system.
Hot cheese: melted cheese is as hot as the burger under it and sticks to skin and the roof of your mouth. Let burgers stand for a couple of minutes before biting in.
Level 2 · Build it
A burger with sauce and quick onion relish
A great burger is a balance: rich meat, creamy sauce, sharp pickle, sweet onion and a soft bun. The quick pickled onions take 10 minutes and the sauce takes 2. For the buns, see Cooking Skills: Bread 1, chapter 6.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1 batch simple pan-fried burgers (above)
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp chopped gherkin
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- Stir the sliced onion with the vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and leave for 10 minutes, stirring once, until soft and pink.
- Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and gherkin for the sauce.
- Cook the burgers as above. Spread the sauce on both halves of the toasted buns, add the burger and a spoonful of the drained onions.
Raw onion, sauce and allergens
Burgers must be cooked through: unlike a whole steak, a burger has the outside of the meat mixed all the way through it, so any germs are in the middle too. Cook burgers until there is no pink, the juices run clear and the centre reaches about 71°C. Don't serve burgers rare, especially to children, older people, anyone pregnant or anyone with a weakened immune system.Allergens: buns contain wheat (gluten) and sometimes sesame and milk. Cheese is milk, mayonnaise is egg, mustard is a listed allergen, and some pickles and sauces contain celery or sulphites. Check the labels, and offer a lettuce wrap or a gluten-free bun if needed.
Mayonnaise: use shop-bought mayonnaise, which is made with pasteurised egg, and keep opened jars in the fridge.
Level 3 · Crowd
A tray of oven-baked sliders
Frying 12 burgers is a chore, but a tray of sliders bakes together and is perfect for a party. Keep them equal in size so that they cook at the same time.
Ingredients (6 portions)
- 600 g beef mince (15 to 20% fat)
- 1 pinch flaked sea salt and black pepper
- 12 slider rolls or small soft buns
- 6 slices of cheese, halved
- 12 slices pickles, sliced
- 2 tbsp burger sauce (above)
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Divide the mince into 12 equal portions (about 50 g), shape each into a patty slightly wider than the roll, season and lay on a lined tray.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, adding the cheese for the last 2 minutes, until there is no pink and the centres are about 71°C.
- Warm the rolls for 2 minutes in the oven. Spread with sauce, add a slider and a pickle and serve straight away.
Hot oven, cooking through and allergens
Hot oven and hot tins: use oven gloves, open the door away from your face, and put hot tins on a heatproof surface. A roasting tin of hot fat is heavy and hot, so never carry it across a busy kitchen, and keep children out of the way.Burgers must be cooked through: unlike a whole steak, a burger has the outside of the meat mixed all the way through it, so any germs are in the middle too. Cook burgers until there is no pink, the juices run clear and the centre reaches about 71°C. Don't serve burgers rare, especially to children, older people, anyone pregnant or anyone with a weakened immune system.
Allergens: buns contain wheat (gluten) and sometimes sesame and milk. Cheese is milk, mayonnaise is egg, mustard is a listed allergen, and some pickles and sauces contain celery or sulphites. Check the labels, and offer a lettuce wrap or a gluten-free bun if needed.
Experiments
Experiment
Fat percentage
10% and 20%.
- Make two burgers the same size, one from 10% fat mince and one from 20%, and cook them the same way.
Look for: The 20% burger is juicier, richer and shrinks more. The 10% burger is firmer and drier. Taste and note the difference.
Experiment
Salt in the mix
Inside and outside.
- Mix salt into one batch of mince and work it for a minute, and just season the outside of the other.
Look for: The salted-through burger is dense and bouncy, like a sausage. The one salted outside is looser and more tender.
Experiment
Thick and thin
1 cm and 3 cm.
- Cook a thin patty (1 cm) and a thick one (3 cm) in the same pan.
Look for: The thin one has more crust and cooks in minutes. The thick one is juicier but needs longer and a thermometer to check it is cooked through.
Experiment
Pan or oven
Two methods.
- Cook one burger in a pan and one in a 200°C oven for about 12 minutes.
Look for: The pan gives a darker crust; the oven is hands-off and even, but paler. Choose by how many you are cooking.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pan-fried burger | ||||
| Smash burger | ||||
| Burger with sauce and relish | ||||
| Oven-baked sliders | ||||
| Fat percentage | ||||
| Salt in the mix | ||||
| Thick and thin | ||||
| Pan or oven |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Dry, tough burger | Lean mince, over-mixed or overcooked | Use 15 to 20% fat, handle lightly and use a thermometer |
| Burger shrinks into a ball | High fat or warm mince | Make wider patties, dimple the centre and chill first |
| Burger falls apart | Too loose or too wet | Pack firmly but lightly and chill for 15 minutes |
| Pink in the middle | Too thick, or the pan too hot | Cook longer at a lower heat until it reaches 71°C |
| Soggy bun | Wet toppings or untoasted bun | Toast the bun and put sauce on the bun, not directly on it |
| Greasy burger | Very fatty mince | Rest on kitchen paper and use less fat next time |
Cooked-through burgers, hot pans and leftovers
Burgers must be cooked through: unlike a whole steak, a burger has the outside of the meat mixed all the way through it, so any germs are in the middle too. Cook burgers until there is no pink, the juices run clear and the centre reaches about 71°C. Don't serve burgers rare, especially to children, older people, anyone pregnant or anyone with a weakened immune system.Spitting fat: mince releases fat and juices that spit in a hot pan. Use a pan big enough to give you space, a splatter guard if you have one, a long spatula, and keep your face and arms back.
Leftovers: cool cooked beef quickly (within about 1 to 2 hours), cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to about 2 days (general guidance). Reheat until it is steaming hot all the way through, and reheat it only once. Don't leave cooked beef standing at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can shape a burger lightly and keep the mince cold.
- I know why burgers must be cooked through.
- I can cook a burger to about 71°C.
- I can make a smash burger.
- I can build a burger with a sauce and pickled onions.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Beef and Steak 2, chapter 2 is Meatballs, Meatloaf and Koftas: shaping and binding mince in other ways.