- Blackstone – the official griddle of the 28th National BBQ Week – share the secret of creating the perfect burger
- Create your own meaty-masterpieces and dazzle family & friends this summer
- Feeling adventurous? Enhance your burger with a superb burger with pancetta, avocado and blue cheese butter recipe from National BBQ Week
With the summer in full swing and BBQs going into overdrive Blackstone and National BBQ Week are sharing the secrets of how to create the perfect homemade burgers.
Forget the bland mass produced burgers and add some ‘bite’ with your own delicious creations that will be the envy of family and friends.
No BBQ is complete with the iconic burger so here are five easy steps to BBQ food heaven!
Carefully hand-shaped patties
The biggest mistake people make when shaping hamburger patties is making them too thick, especially in the centre. As a burger cooks, it will shrink and pull towards the centre. To solve this problem, ensure that you are patting the burger out thin enough, and even put a slight impression in the centre of the patty to ensure it stays even.
Season purposefully
If you’re using good beef, any seasoning you add is meant to compliment the burger, not be the star of the show. To ensure that you’re seasoning properly bonds with the burger without overpowering it, cook the burger on one side, flip it, and add the seasoning to the cooked side. As the burger continues to cook, the fat and juices rendering up will interact with the seasonings on top, pulling the flavour into the burger without burning the spices.
Break out the dome
A basting dome is a great way to keep all the moisture and juices in the burger while providing a more thorough cooking experience. It’s also great for melting cheese!
Buns are half the battle
The bun serves as the foundation for your burger, so choose one that complements it well and suits your taste. Options include sesame seed, brioche, potato, white, or wheat. Toasting the bun is a must. It enhances the flavour and adds a delightful textural element. Plus, it helps the bun withstand the moisture from a juicy burger patty more effectively.
Don’t undercut the entourage
While the beef should be the main consideration for a good burger, it isn’t the only ingredient you should pay attention to. The best burgers also include fresh onion, your favourite greens, and a thick, juicy tomato slice; ingredients that are simply fresh, simply delicious, and pack in that unmistakable taste of summer.
If you’re ready to light up the BBQ and try your hand at creating your very own burgers – why not try this exquisite burger with pancetta, avocado and blue cheese butter recipe from National BBQ Week.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 500g best fillet steak, minced (other mince beef can be used)
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped/deseeded
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tsp’s rainbow peppercorn, crushed
- 8 rashers pancetta
- 1 Avocado, peeled, de-stoned and sliced
- 125g unsalted butter
- 75g blue cheese
- 4 sesame seed buns
Method
- Soften butter and mix with blue cheese, form into roll and chill
- Mix steak mince, onion, chilli, salt & peppercorn and form into four patties
- Sear patties on both sides on high then grill for three to five minutes per side on medium heat
- Grill pancetta rashers on foil tray on high heat
- Halve buns and light brush cut half with olive oil then warm through on medium heat.
- Place slices of avocado on the pancetta rashers and allow to warm through
- Slice butter roll and place one slice on each bun base, then build with patty, another slice of butter, pancetta and avocado – serve immediately!
For more great BBQ recipes, including Barbi on a budget recipes, plus all the latest news, offers and tips visit www.nationalbbqweek.co.uk. You can also keep up to date with events on X, Facebook and Instagram.
The 28th National BBQ Week, which is incorporated into the Gastro Alfresco summer outdoor living campaign, is sponsored by Birds Eye Green Cuisine, Birds Eye Steamfresh, Blackstone, Jacob’s, La Vieille Ferme and Sarson’s.