Classic burgers

THERE’S no way we could leave burgers out. We’ve cooked ’em all — buffalo, zebra even veggie — but this recipe can’t be beat. The secret is to use chuck steak, not mince, and chill it well so you can chop it perfectly. The result is a beautifully juicy burger. We love the bone marrow which we think makes burger perfection, but we’ve added an option of using bacon fat instead if you like. SERVES 4

● 800g chuck steak, trimmed of any gristle or hard pieces of fat

● 50g bone marrow, finely diced (optional) ● 4 burger buns, split ● Sea salt and black pepper FOR ● 100g THE mayonnaise BURGER SAUCE ● 2 tbsp tomato ketchup ● Squeeze of lemon juice ● 1 large gherkin, finely chopped ● 1 tsp garlic powder ● ½ tsp chipotle paste or other hot sauce FIRST prepare the meat. Make sure it’s well chilled — in fact, you can freeze the meat, then let it thaw partially and you’ll find it much easier to cut.

Put the meat through a coarse mincer, or chop it very finely by hand. It should be fine enough to stick together when you squeeze a handful. Add the bone marrow, if using or alternatively fry rashers of streaky bacon in a pan to render as much fat as possible. Cool, then add to your burger mixture.

Season the mixture with salt and a little black pepper, then divide the mixture into and shape into round patties 2–2.5cm thick.

The mincing and chopping will help bring the meat to room temperature, but if not, leave the burgers to stand for a while.

Heat a non-stick frying pan. When the pan or grill is too hot to hold your hand over, add the burgers — there’s no need for oil, as some fat will render out of the meat.

Leave for minutes, by which time the burgers should be very well seared and have a thick crust. Flip them and cook for another 3 minutes for rare meat, minutes for medium-rare, 5 for medium and up to 6 for well done.

If you want a cheesy topping, add some once you have flipped the burgers.

Once the burgers are cooked to your liking, leave them to rest for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, put the burger buns cut-side down on the pan or barbecue to toast very slightly and take up some of the meat flavours. Serve with your choice of toppings.

To make the burger sauce, mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and black pepper.