Gourmet Hamburgers

I know I am a little bit late getting some of these posts out - but they do get out eventually!!  This Sunday I decided to give our regular pizza night a miss, and make some burgers.  You really can't go past a good burger can you?

I have also recently discovered a little secret - when you are making a dish with mince and it calls for breadcrumbs (especially burgers) if you replace the breadcrumbs with stuffing mix you get a really good flavour.  I made some burgers not too long ago that had pork mince and stuffing - really good (will share the actual ingredients with you another post!!).  Anyway, saw this recipe for a burger mix, and there was a little added bonus - there were grated carrots in the meat patties (what "The Darlings don't know won't hurt them I say!!).

Gourmet Hamburgers


Makes 6 (big decent man size burgers!!)


1 kg lean beef mince
3tbs vegemite
1 carrot, finely grated
1 red onion, finely diced
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 cup stuffing mix
1 egg, lightly beaten


6 hamburger rolls
your choice of additions such as:
cheese, lettuce, beetroot, tomatoes, pickles


Mix the mince, vegemite, carrot, onion, garlic stuffing mix and egg together.


Shape into 6 patties.


Grill, or cook in the frypan until/ cooked through


Assemble as desired.


Now an addition that I like to make to burgers is caramelised onions.  For those of you that don't know how to make caramelised onions here is my version.


Caramelised Onions


2 onions (I use brown) sliced very finely
2 tbs Special Balsamic Sauce *


Slice your onions on a mandoline preferably.  The thicker the onion slices are the longer it will take to cook.  You also get more yield if they are very thinly sliced.  If you don't have a mandoline, use 3 onions, and increase cooking time.

Place the onions in a frypan with a small amount of olive oil.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring all the time, until they start to soften, add a small amount of water (approximately 2 tbs) - cook, stirring constantly until all the water has gone, repeat this 4-5 times, or until the onions are lovely and golden.  Now add the balsamic sauce mixture and cook, stirring until the onions are the lovely and brown and caramelised.

* The Special Balsamic Sauce I refer to is a mix that I make up - 50/50 maple syrup and balsamic vinegar.  It is a wonderful sauce/dressing that comes in very handy.  I use it as a salad dressing, like for   roasted pumpkin and spinach salad, you will see it referenced in other recipes that I have made such as Crumbed Parmesan Chicken back in May.  Also great when roasting cherry tomatoes.  Look in "condiments" as the chicken recipe doesn't want to come up when you sort "chicken" for some reason. Or look in the post for May if you are looking for the Crumbed Parmesan Chicken recipe.  Sorry guys, I don't know why some things work and others don't - hopefully I will work out all the kinks to the site very soon!!!

Now I realize that these patties are quite large - but I tend to go on the assumption that if they are going to have 2 burgers I would rather "The Darlings" have one big patty, than have the same amount of meat, but in 2 burger buns!!    If you want - you can decrease the amount of mince down to 500g, and the amount of stuffing down to 1/4 cup, and maybe reduce the amount of vegemite down to 1 1/2 tbs (they actually quoted 3 tbs for 500g of meat!! you decide!).

And the verdict .......

"The Darlings" were happy (but not with having their picture taken while they were bogging in!!!)
PS - We were all so into eating our burgers we forgot to take an actual photo - that is why there is the "crap looking" American burger at the top (according to one of "The Darlings!!).  Anyway - you make the burgers, you decide - you will see they look good!!