Burgers

[Paul Kribs]

As well as making sausages I thought I would have a go at burgers. On the face of it a burger is just a flat, round skinless sausage. Having fried small sausage meat patties, the bits left in the stuffer, I notice the edges tend to break away. I was intending to make some for the BBQ, but with the tendency to break, they wouldn't allow much turning or handling.
I have seen egg incorporated as a binder, would this work? Also, I formed the patties by hand, is there some sort of shallow ring that I could obtain for the purpose of keeping the burger a uniform thickness? Also, I have noted that some people put raw onion into the mix and others cook them off until soft... What are the advantages/disadvantages of either method? I will say that my patties were not over-mixed, heard that it makes a rubbery texture. Is it wise to incorporate rusk into the mix?
Seems a lot of questions just for some burgers.. Any advice will be gratefully received..

[aris]

Do a google search or ebay search for a "burger press". They basically take the meat and compress it into a patty which (in theory) should not fall apart.

[Oddley]

They always stay together for me.

[Wilf]

We've just BBQ'd the remainder of some mixes, without doing anything extra to them, just chill them well, make a good shaped one and put onto a hot rack on BBQ, don't turn over until they come away themselves, didnt have any problems, but saying that I didnt have any large chunks like onion or something to help them break up, just a fairly coarse sausage mix

[Paul Kribs]

Oddley, Thanks for the recipe, I will print and keep it. Do you use a burger press or some kind of ring mould? Do you put the onions in the mix raw or do you sweat them off a bit?
I have looked at burger presses but the expense could not be warranted, although I did see a cheap Tupperware one on Ebay but it was used. I will have to think about making one somehow... think I have some new offcuts of plastic piping somewhere..

[Spuddy]

Paul try one of these:

http://www.lakelandlimited.com/is-bin/I ... DlT3tleMKl

I use one at home, you get perfectly rounded edges and they won't fall apart.

[Oddley]

Hi paul, No I don't use a ring press. I form them by hand. I like to use the onion finely chopped and raw, they cook in the burger and then taste nice in the overall mix.

[sausagemaker]

Hi Paul

Please see link below for a burger press from Lakeland plastics, I can vouch for them as I use one myself & it is very good.

http://www.lakelandlimited.com/is-bin/I ... DlT3tleMKl

Regards
sausagemaker

[Spuddy]

@ sausagemaker.

??? That's the same one I just posted.

You having a funny five minutes?

[Paul Kribs]

Thanks for the info Oddley, and also thanks Spuddy.. I have ordered one and god knows what I will do with the 500 extra wax disks the word 'burgermeister' springs to mind.

regards Paul Kribs

Thanks also sausagemaker, you must have posted that while I was typing the reply.. that's what I like.. efficiency.

[sausagemaker]

Hi Spuddy

I having a funny year I think (Just put it down to my age), I'll grow up soon I promise

regards
sausagemaker

[Spuddy]

@ Sausagemaker
Don't worry mate I know exactly what you mean.

@ Paul Kribs
With summer and barbeques coming up you'll soon work through those disks.

[Fatman]

You could use a stainless egg ring !

Regards

Fatman

[Oddley]

Here is a little tip for buying beef. You know when you are in the buchers and in the beef tray there is that crusty dry bit of black beef which everybody avoids buying. Well thats the bit to buy, it is normally very tender and tasty when cooked.

Don't tell everyone this is a well kept secret.

[sausagemaker]

Hi Fatman

Yes it's true you could use an egg ring but you would not get the same result, as the burger press gives an even pressure when forming the burger.
Although I have used the method you mention before with good results.
If you do use this method push the meat into the mould & press firmly in place with a paint scraper, remove excess & press out onto greaseproof paper.

Regards
Sausagemaker