Homemade Hamburgers

Today I am showing the last piece of the homemade burgers recipe puzzle, so that you can cook not only extraordinarily tasty burgers, but also super good-looking ones - burgers like a star! I amazed myself and my family with these hamburgers. I started by saying 'Ok, it's just an experiment, maybe they won't be so good the first time'. But then, when we saw them on the table, we were all surprised at how amazing the burgers looked.

So, I can assure you that, if you read carefully the recipes and follow all the steps, you are going to have some nice eye-catching burgers, which will be worth the time and the effort.

If you don't have time to prepare the burger buns at home, you can buy them and you can replace the sauce with simple ketchup, this is a quicker version and it can be useful when you are in a hurry. Just make sure that you always cook the patties yourself, as the patty and the toppings are the ones that make the difference when it comes to quality and taste.

The first time I made hamburgers I didn't use fried bacon and caramelized onions, then I did. Honestly, I thought they were more fresh without the bacon, so don't get stuck here - I'm just giving you more options and feel free to choose your own.

Ingredients
Burger buns
10 pieces
you can find below the step-by-step recipe
Burger patties
10 pieces
you can find below the step-by-step recipe
Sliced cheese
10 pieces
Lettuce
100 g
I used a mix of salad greens from the garden - lettuce, sorrel, spinach, rocket etc.
Pickled cucumbers
3 pieces
Red onion
1 piece
skip or replace with caramelized onions, details in the steps
Bacon
100 g
optional
Tomatoes
3 pieces
Butter
50 g
Step by step
Step 1

First of all, I recommend preparing the burger buns. You can make them at home, following my step-by-step recipe or you can buy them. 

Then cut them in half and spread butter on the cut side.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 1
Step 2

Heat the grill (or a grill pan) and toast the buns, cut and buttered side down. 

I don't want to toast them both sides, I like the crust soft, you can do it, though, if you want to.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 2
Step 3

Put them aside and make sure you don't mix them up :) 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 3
Step 4

If you have bacon, you can fry it in a pan or put in the oven. 

I normally place the sliced bacon on a dried baking sheet and put it in the preheated oven for a few minutes.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 4
Step 5

Stay close and watch it, it easily gets dry and it might burn. 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 5
Step 6

Right after removing from the oven, turn the bacon onto paper towels to absorb the extra fat and let cool for a little while. 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 6
Step 7

Optionally, you can prepare caramelized onions. I do it this way:

- I julienne 5-6 big white onions, fry them in 50g butter and 2 tbsp sugar. I cook them over a medium-high heat for a short while until they start becoming golden caramel, then I let them slowly caramelize over a low heat, as you can see in the picture. Stir periodically and see how the colour and the taste change. 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 7
Step 8

I liked better the burgers with quick marinated onions, they tasted more fresh and more interesting. 

All I need to do is slice thin a red onion, spread over a pinch of salt, some sugar and 1 tsp apple cider or balsamic vinegar. I massage well with my hands and let for 15 minutes for the flavours to blend.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 8
Step 9

For the sauce, I recommend "Thousand Island" sauce, you can skip the finely chopped onions (although my girls don't even feel it) or replace it with any other sauce you like. 

It would be a good idea to start preparing the vegetables as well - wash and dry the salad leaves, thinly slice the tomatoes and the pickled cucumbers. 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 9
Step 10

Prepare the burger patties following my recipe or any other recipe. 

You can also have chicken or vegetarian burgers. 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 10
Step 11

After you cook the patties on one side and you turn them, put a slice of yellow cheese on top and let it melt a bit. 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 11
Step 12

As soon as the meat is ready, quickly assemble the burgers, these have to be served while hot and freshly cooked.

So, take the first half of the bun and spread over some sauce.  

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 12
Step 13

The hot patty comes next. 

I noticed that many recipes place the salad leaves at the base. I don't recommend that, they will lose their freshness and crispiness because of the hot meat.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 13
Step 14

Over the patty you can spread caramelized onions, if you have and if you like.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 14
Step 15

Next comes the fried bacon and some sauce again.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 15
Step 16

Then, the sliced pickled cucumbers, marinates onions (if you like) and salad leaves.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 16
Step 17

The last ones are the tomato slices.

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 17
Step 18

Cover with the other toasted half of the bun and pierce the middle with a bigger wooden toothpick (I use a long barbecue skewer, I break it in half and it fits perfectly for taller hamburgers).

This is meant to keep it all together and prevent the layers from spreading when bitten :) 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 18
Step 19

Serve the burgers right away, some crispy oven roasted potatoes would go very well together - but, honestly, it might be too much for the belly :) 

Enjoy! 

Homemade Hamburgers - Step 19
Quantity: 12 pcs (8- 12 hamburgers)
Prep time:
120 min
Difficulty: intermediate
Ready in: 120 min