LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2018

Hamburgers are the ideal barbecue treat. There is technique in making and building a profoundly good burger and you’ll find it below and on page 115. But be warned: we are making a purist’s burger, keeping the seasoning simple and the sides complex. BY LUCY WAVERMAN  •  PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB FIOCCA KITCHEN ESSENTIALS

MAKING PATTIES Keep the meat refrigerated until ready to cook. Gently form the patties with your hands then liberally season with salt and pepper. If you season ahead of time it dissolves the proteins making a tighter texture and drier taste.

TIMING Burgers should be cooked to medium-well

to prevent any issues with microbes but when buying freshly ground burger meat from my butcher or grinding it myself, I will serve burgers medium-rare for those who prefer it.

Best Buns Brioche buns or milk buns absorb the juices and become part of the eating experience. Grill lightly for a minute or two.

Lettuce I like a soft lettuce like Boston but for the crunchy crowd, iceberg is the winner. Onion Caramelized onions have a sweetness to them that matches perfectly with a hamburger (recipe on page 115). Raw onions are too strong, unless you use vidalia. standard. See page 115 for easy flavour hacks. Tomatoes Never on the burger for me as they become soggy and soft but a tomato salad on the side is a winner. Mustard Dijon is the gold

Mayo For the creamy crowd,

flavoured mayo works well. See page 115 for easy mayo hacks.

Cheese Cheddar is the Number One cheese but try some others like Comte, which is nutty, or bleu, which is a perfect foil for juicy meat.

Ketchup Make it yourself (recipe at foodanddrink.ca) or buy an artisanal brand. Regular bottled ketchup is too sweet and thick.

BEST MEAT

To keep a hamburger juicy the meat needs to have 18 to 20 percent fat. My favourite meat is grass-fed because it makes the tastiest and healthiest burger. Also try well-aged meat with its pungent umami flavour. Most important is to have freshly ground meat from your butcher or do it yourself in the food processor, not supermarket packaged.

132  FOOD & DRI NK EARLY SUMMER 2018