Best Hamburger Ever with Chef’s Secret Sauce
Best Hamburger Ever with Chef’s Secret Sauce
Secret Sauce:
¼ cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of relish (or make your own with cucumbers, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar)
3 tablespoons of ketchup
1 teaspoon of grainy mustard
½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
½ teaspoon of onion powder
(Ingredients amount is subject to number of burgers)
80/20 ground beef (the fattier the better)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
White enriched hamburger buns (the simpler the better, no sesame seeds)
Unsalted butter
Iceberg lettuce
Beefsteak tomato, sliced thinly
American cheese slices (the processed kind)
Instructions:
Make the secret sauce by whisking all the sauce ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
Preheat the oven on the lowest temperature possible.
Using about 1/8 pound of ground beef for each patty, gently roll them into balls and flatten them into 6-7 inches on a piece of parchment paper so you can easily peek them off into the skillet. Season each patty with 3-finger pinches of salt and pepper on each side. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter (enough for two buns) until bubbly. Place each bun half cut side down and brown for 30-45 seconds, until the edges have blackened just a little. Transfer to the oven to keep warm.
Using the same skillet, increase the heat to medium-high and add about ½ tablespoon of butter for each patty you plan on cooking. Making sure to not crowd the pan, add them to the skillet. Cook each side for about 1-2 minutes, until deeply caramelized on each side. Use an oiled metal spatula to press the patty into the skillet to brown as much surface area as possible. Add the cheese and let melt right before assembling the burgers.
When the patties are cooked, assemble each burger in this order from bottom up: bottom bun, sauce, patty (or patties), lettuce, tomato slice, more sauce, and finally the top bun.
Serve with more secret sauce and enjoy!