Hubby & I have been making hamburgers together for years, so we’ve got it down to a science at this point!
Ingredients:
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- 1 slice sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into quarters
- 2 tablespoons milk, or more as needed
- ground black pepper
- finely chopped onion and garlic (optional)
- cheese (cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack; whatever you like)
- Dijon mustard
- sprouts
- thinly sliced onion
- Hamburger buns (our favorites are the onion flavor)
- Optional: avocado, pickles, tomatoes
Preparation:
- Place bread and milk in medium bowl
and mash with fork. Let it sit for a few minutes, and mash again, adding milk as necessary until a paste forms. Add hamburger, pepper, and onion/garlic (if using) and mix by hand until thoroughly combined
- Form hamburger mixture into two to four patties and place on Cuisinart Griddler
fitted with grill plates. (If you don’t have this awesome accessory, you can also fry the patties in a large frying pan
over medium heat, flipping halfway through cooking.)
- Add cheese just before patties finish cooking, and prop top of Griddler
- Meanwhile, spread mustard on the bottom half of each bun. When patties are finished, place one patty on each bun and top with onion slices, sprouts, and any other toppings you wish.
The Verdict:
Hubby has put up reasonably well with the mostly vegetarian diet we’ve been on recently. He does see how much cheaper it is to not buy meat, but he is not sold on the concept of vegetarianism. (For that matter, I’m not actually sold on it; I just would rather have our food budget last for an entire week than only make 2 meals with it). We’re splurging a bit this week (and last), to reward ourselves for not getting drive-through when we’ve craved it. We’re trying to adjust our lifestyle even more towards the “eat at home” model, and making sure that we’re still addressing our cravings and serving our favorite foods goes a long way towards that goal!
We love these burgers. They’re always moist (from the panade) and flavorful (from the onion & garlic inside the patties). They have a juiciness that you just don’t find with most fast-food options, and they end up being cheaper for all the ingredients than it is to go to the drive-through once. Not to mention the fact that we have some idea what goes into the burgers we make at home!