BEST BURGERS

Many people like to add different flavourings to their burger meat. We ran a gamut of tests to see what we really liked. Recipes included sautéed onions and garlic, wilted spinach, Worcestershire sauce, Asian flavourings such as soy and ginger, lots of herbs. We tried stuffing them with a heart of cheese, sautéed mushrooms, even braised short ribs. Ultimately, while these all make very different burgers, more like meatloaf, they do mask the flavour of good-quality meat. We would rather serve these on the side than make them an integral part of the experience.

1½ lbs (750 g) grass-fed hamburger meat, preferably freshly ground, cold

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 4 brioche or soft buns

1 Form four 1-inch-thick (2.5-cm) patties handling the meat as lightly as possible. Brush with olive oil then season liberally with salt and pepper. Push your thumb into the centre to make a “dimple.” This helps the burger not shrink.

2 Heat grill to high. Place meat on the grill. Grill 4 to 6 minutes a side for medium to well done, 3 minutes a side for medium-rare to a minimum temperature of 160°F (71°C), flipping once. 3 Place buns on grill for last 2 minutes, flipping them after a minute.

4 Have your condiments ready and place on or beside the burger. Serve immediately.