Have you ever considered what it takes to make the perfect burger? It seems, according to latest food news reports, that a chef in the UK has studied evey component of this common fast food favourite, and from his point of view, the perfect burger ain’t so fast or common!

In a  news story in the Telegraph newspaper, Charles Michel, a  food scientist and resident chef at Oxford University, describes his vision of the perfect burger. This leading expert ‘gastrophyisist’, (it’s the new physics of food…) says there are nine layers to the perfect burger, making it a ‘multisensory’ experience. His burger includes Japanese Wagyu Beef, crispy Spanish Serrano ham, crunchy lettuce and chipotle sauce among other ingredients. According to the article, this young man has measured the exact dimensions of the perfect burger as 7cm tall and 5cm wide, to be served without a plate or cutlery,  and eaten to your favourite musical sounds. Very specific and obviously, to his own personal taste.  It got us thinking about what we would say was the ‘perfect burger’

A round up of  opinion begain with ‘cheese, cheese and more cheese!’  One leading member of our team requested a gluten free bun. Another afficionado known for burger expertise said ‘Simplicity. Should be cooked in a dry pan with its own juice and no fat. Needs a proper baker’s bun, like a Waterford Blaa, which should be warmed on the skillet, not toasted. And if you want a twist , add a few slices of beetroot.’ For the most part, this writer reckons burgers aren’t all that as a regular food  – but every now and again it’s nice to have one that should be served classic, with melted cheese and gherkins.

One thing everyone agreed on though, is that the perfect burger should be made with minced Irish beef from a respected butcher. Of which we have many skilled and dedicated Master Butchers in the Good Food Ireland network.  All our butchers stock beef from local farms. Some have their own small abattoirs where animals are not herded through the process in large numbers, but dealt with in singular figures,  and kept calm and peaceful prior to slaughter. This makes for a respectful end to the life of a well reared animal bred for food. And tender meat which has not become infused with stress hormones. Our butchers love heritage breeds like Hereford and Angus.

When it comes to the mince itself, our butchers make their own. They traditionally dry age all their  beef as a matter of course, and use offcuts and trimmings  from some of the most tender beef joints for their mince. This is balanced with a proportionof fat, necessary for moisture and flavour. The basic burger mix could include herbs and spices and other flavourngs, and is either hand pressed or formed  using a hand operated burger press.  Our good friends at Irish Piedmontese Beef make and sell their own burgers online, from prime beef raised on farms in Tipperary and Laois. Choose from Gluten Free Burgers or Traditional Burgers with Onion Seasoning

BUILD YOUR BURGER

If you want to make a burger at home, here are some things we like to add to the mix – not all at once!  Allow 500g best butcher’s mince for four quarter pounders. Choose from the following ingredients to give your burgers individual designer style every time you make them.

• Grated onion
• Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme or even basil, depending on the season
• Garlic
• Tiny pieces of chopped smokey bacon
• Chopped fresh chilli
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (always and to taste!) 

And finally, a little video of a  favourite burger  recipe here from Ballymaloe Relish – to get you started if you need some more inspiration.