For the barbecue: Grainne O’Keefe’s ultimate beef burger

Beef burgers with crispy onion rings and rarebit cheese sauce. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times
Beef burgers with crispy onion rings and rarebit cheese sauce. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times
Serves: 0
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 800g high quality grass fed beef mince (high fat percentage)
  • 1 large Spanish onion
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 50ml milk
  • 100g panko breadcrumbs
  • 250g Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 25ml beer
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 25g Dijon mustard
  • 4 dill pickles
  • 4 brioche buns

Pressing the patties:

1 Place greaseproof paper on a designated raw meat board.

2 Lightly spray/rub oil on the sheet.

3 Place a 100g patty of mince on one side of the sheet and fold the other

half on top of the patty.

4 Use the palm of your hand to gently flatten until even, thin and round, (approximately 12cm in diameter and 0.5cm thick).

5 Refrigerate after pressing, if not using straight away. Repeat eight times.

Cooking the patties:

1 Ensure that your barbecue is clean and very hot.

2 Season the patty with a little salt and pepper on both sides.

3 Cook the patty for four minutes each side (until the juices run clear).

4 If you are using a food probe, make sure the centre of the patty reaches 75 degrees Celsius for at least two minutes.

5 Make sure you wash your hands after handling raw meat.

Onions and sauce: 1 For the onion rings, cut the onion into large rings and separate the layers. Coat the onions in flour, then in a mix of egg and milk (1 egg mixed with 10ml milk) and then coat in panko breadcrumbs. Fry at 180 degrees for three minutes until golden and crispy.

2 For the cheese sauce, on a low heat, melt the cheese with the remaining milk and add the beer and Worcestershire sauce and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir until melted and creamy.

To assemble:

1 Lightly toast the buns, under a grill, or on your barbecue, and keep them warm.

2 Place Dijon mustard and sliced pickles on the base bun.

3 Stack two patties with onion rings and cheese sauce on top. Add the top bun