August 25, 2011 – Last evening, I was served a gripping, heart-rending, flavour-bursting and orgasmic Greek-styled Lamb Burger at WWW Shop and Bar Ltd. The experience has truly revived my passion for a good succulent burger and prompted me to write this post dedicated to finding the perfect burger.

The gourmet burger trend started in the last decade or so, and almost every serious chef  has taken a shot at reinventing the classic American burger.  Some will say it’s in the precise texture of the meat and others will argue it’s all in the bun.

 

So what really makes a perfect burger?

We all have different palettes and preferences, so I can’t speak for everyone.  But, I think the few points below will suffice as general burger-benchmarks.

Juicy…reaaaaaal juicy!

You have to be willing to cook over high heat.  The only way to get the perfect seared crust on the meat patty is to ensure that your grill or pan is HOT!  Like a steak, allow the burger to rest and reabsorb its juices.

 

Texture of the patty needs to be light but still meaty

Convenient preshaped packaged patties have been compacted into plastic packaging, which unfortunately compresses the meat and as a result, a light texture is virtually impossible.  Try not to handle your patties too much as you don’t want to over compress the patty.

 

Use the right meat

Unfortunately, a burger with 100% lean meat will never give you that amazing savoury taste, or the juices.  Most chefs recommend a ratio of 70% lean meat to 30% fattier meat.

 

The perfect round patty

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay has often shared with his television viewers, “The first thing you do is take your thumb and make a well in the burger,” which reduces the chances your burger will puff up during cooking.  Another alternative would be to pierce the patty a few times with a fork.  In the event that your patty does puff up, do not, I repeat, do not go smashing and squishing all the delicious juices out!

 

The perfect bun

It’s quite simple.  You don’t want a bun that’s too soft and will melt away from the oozing juices of a delicious burger.  Secondly, warm and crisp your buns!  No one wants to bite into a cold and hard bun!

 

If you follow these five suggestions, your quest in making and finding the perfect burger will result in something absolutely gorgeous.  Happy orgasmic-burger hunting!