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GIANT BURGERS….

GIANT BURGERS….ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES!

It’s often the case that once the holidays are over and Australia Day has passed that the last thing on anyone’s mind is entertaining. Truth be told, all you’re probably longing for is a nice quiet couple of weeks to recuperate. Well don’t fret! From down right indulgent to refreshing, the burger and super-sandwich recipes in this edition are as simple as pie and there is absolutely no need to invite anyone over!

Use only the freshest ingredients for your hamburger. A lost art is going to the butcher!

A hamburger press ensures that all your patties are the same size. Click on the picture for our 100% beef cheddar melt with bacon, mushrooms and caramelised onion recipe.

The origin of the hamburger has been traced back to Hamburg, Germany by many aficionados with its inventor being named as Otto Kuase though there are many other people heralded as the inventor by different researchers depending on where the information is sourced from. It has also been traced back to 13th century Russia where it would have been eaten raw and gained international recognition at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair in the U.S.. Similarly, food historians generally attribute the creation of the sandwich, as we know it today, to John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich in 1762.

Seasoned Italian sausage patties on the grill!

Seasoning ground meat before cooking it ensures a huge blast of flavour with every bite! Click on the image to see our Italian sausage burger with grilled and marinated antipasto recipe.

There has been some controversy in the past few years with recent health scares about tainted meats but I believe these are things of the past so I don’t let that deter me. One thing I do mind you, when I go to my butcher I select my own cut of meat and ask him to grind it for me. That gives me the added benefit of having him grind it to the consistency I like as well as choosing how lean or fatty I’d like it, depending on what I’m making. Going to the same shop each time gives you the opportunity to develop a relationship with your butcher as a regular customer which is probably the best way to ensure you’re getting the freshest and highest quality of meats.

Cumin and lemon seasoned chicken breasts on the grill. Make sure that you cook your chicken all the way through to an internal temperature of 75℃ (165℉).

Remember to always keep raw chicken away from other foods. If using ground chicken for a burger proceed as you normally would for any hamburger patty. If using whole breasts, cut in half and pound with a kitchen mallet in order to tenderise before marinating. Click here for our healthy Cumin and crème fraîche chicken sandwich with goat cheese and avocado.

Burgers generally conjure up some form of grilled meat on a bun. Sandwiches on the other hand is a category know by many names. The ones I’ve managed to think of include submarines, clubs, grilled, wraps, gyros, heroes, hogies, open-faced, panini’s, pinwheels, po’boys, sloppy Joes, melts and westerns. The list surely goes on from there. Burgers and sandwiches have been done over and over again and we come across so many pictures of what I like to call “staged” food that it drives me crazy. So, what do I mean by staged? I’m not talking about the photography, the props or whatever else is done in order to make the food look tantalising. I’m specifically talking about giant burger and sandwich conglomerates that produce great looking pictures but not necessarily great looking food. If you’ve been fortunate enough to unwrap your food and discover that it looks and tastes as good as their advertising photograph would lead you to believe, count yourself lucky. That’s a place I’d go back to if  I don’t feel like making a burger or sandwich at home. For this post, I’ve challenged myself to create three easy burger and sandwich recipes, easy enough that is, that look as great in the photos you see here, as they will on your plate. Not only that, they’ll taste as good as they look.

Having said that, my recipes deliver giant sized sandwiches that I have dubbed “K & F’s”. These are full-on meals, not just something to tide you over, that require a knife and fork (hence the K and F) despite the fact that they’re sandwiched between bread. Preparing them as per the recipe will deliver a mouth-watering treat or you can add your favourite toppings to personalise your meal, like an egg and beets. If you don’t alter the recipe, just add your favourite sides. Either way, I’m certain burgers and sandwiches will remain the ever popular meal on a bun and being creative with them just adds to the fun!

BBQXL’s Double Patty Burger Press is ideal for making identical patties and with it’s grid lines your patty doesn’t stay stuck inside the housing. Click on the picture to view it on our site.

Not too sure if your burgers or chicken is done? Our BBQXL Remote Grill Thermometer is an excellent tool with multiple settings for various types of meat. It even comes with a built-in flashlight. A great addition to any outdoor kitchen!

Our BBQXL Nylon and Silicone 3 Piece Tool Set. This set is ideal for any of your barbecue needs. With Nylon heads on both the spatula, the basting brush is made of 100% silicone and is heat resistant to 300°C or 572°F.
The tongs open extra-wide for secure gripping of thick steaks, burgers and chops.

Enjoy and Happy Grilling!

Posted on January 28th, 2014 by Matthew C. exclusively for BBQXL