The Ultimate Cheeseburger Food

THE BEST BACON CHEESEBURGER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish and vinegar in a small bowl; set aside.
• Working in batches if necessary, add the bacon to a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook, flipping halfway through, until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a nonstick baking sheet. Discard the bacon fat (or save for another use) and wipe the skillet clean but do not wash. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes.
• Add the buns split-side up to the baking sheet with the bacon and bake until the buns are toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Loosely form the beef into 4 balls. Add one ball of beef to the skillet and press firmly to flatten with a large flat metal spatula for 10 seconds, then gently remove the spatula. Sprinkle the patty generously with salt; repeat with the remaining beef balls, cooking in batches if necessary. Let cook, undisturbed, until well browned on the bottoms, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the patties, sprinkle with more salt and top each with a slice of Cheddar. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted around the edges and the bottoms are browned, about 2 more minutes.
• Spread the mayonnaise mixture on the bun tops. Serve the patties on the bottom buns topped with the bacon, onion, tomato and lettuce.

THE ULTIMATE BACON CHEESEBURGER

Steps:

• Put the bacon in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Cook just until the fat is rendered out, 5 to 7 minutes. (The bacon should not brown at all.) Remove the bacon from the pan and place in the bowl of a small food processor. There should be about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat that has collected in the pan.
• Place the buns into the warm bacon fat, cut-side down. Toast the buns they are until golden brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Set aside for burger assembly.
• Pulse the par-cooked bacon in the food processor until it is coarsely ground, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the bacon to a large mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Use your hand to gently work the bacon and seasonings into the ground beef. Divide the meat into 4 portions (6 to 7 ounces each). Loosely pack the meat into 4 thick patties, using your thumb to create a shallow dimple in the center of each. Sprinkle the outside of each patty with salt and pepper as desired.
• Preheat the grill and generously oil the grill grates. Place the patties on the grill and cook to the desired degree of doneness, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Top each patty with a slice of American cheese and cover the grill to allow the cheese to melt, 30 seconds.
• Assemble the burgers and top with ranch, lettuce, tomato slices and red onion. Serve immediately.

MY ULTIMATE CHEESEBURGER

Steps:

• Heat outdoor grill to med-high heat. You can also use a George Foreman grill or cook the burgers as you normally do.
• Lightly oil grate, if using.
• In a large bowl, beat egg. Mix hamburger, sausage, cornflake crumbs, 2 Tblsp. BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper until just combined. Divide into 4 portions and shape into patties. Set aside.
• Mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, and 1/2 teaspoons dried basil in a small bowl and set aside.
• Cook burgers 3-4 minutes on each side (or until done to your liking). Put cheese on burgers and melt, if desired.
• Lightly toast buns on grill or under broiler. Spread an even layer of sauce on both sides of buns, top with burger patty, sliced onion, sliced tomato, and 2 leaves of baby arugula. Cover with top bun. Serve with a slice of dill pickle and fries or potato chips, and enjoy!

THE BIG DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER & SECRET SAUCE

Steps:

• Tip the onions into a small bowl and pour over boiling water from the kettle until just covered. Leave to cool. Put all the sauce ingredients in another small bowl, then add 1 tbsp of the cooled onion water and mix until everything is evenly combined. Set aside.
• Halve two of the burger buns, then cut a thick slice from the middles of the other two buns. Toast or grill the middle slices on both sides and the other buns only on the cut sides, then set aside. Heat the oven to 100C/80C fan/gas 2.
• Divide the mince into four loose piles and season. Heat ¼ tbsp of the oil in a heavy frying pan or skillet over a high heat and put one of the piles of beef in the pan. Working quickly, cover with a square of baking parchment and carefully use a second pan to press the beef patties down - be careful of the heat and rising steam as you do this. Keep the patties pressed down for about 10 seconds, then remove the weight and the paper, and leave the burger to cook for 2 mins more. Turn the patties and press down using a spatula, cooking for another 1 min. Transfer to a tray and keep warm in the oven while you cook the other burgers in the same way.
• When all the patties are cooked, it's time to assemble the burgers. Spread some sauce over the bun bases, scatter with onions, then add lettuce, followed by a cheese slice, then a patty, a few gherkin slices and a middle slice of toasted bun. Spread over more sauce, then add more onions, lettuce, another patty and the bun tops. Serve with the oven fries and extra sauce on the side, if you like.

BEST CHEESEBURGERS

Steps:

• Put the meat and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and season with black pepper and 1 generous tsp salt. Mix together well, then shape the meat into 4 thin, flat burgers. Chill until needed. Can be made a day ahead. Combine the chipotle paste, ketchup and mayonnaise in a bowl to make a sauce.
• Heat a gas or charcoal barbecue to high (or you can use a griddle pan on the hob). Cook the burgers over direct heat for 2 mins each side or until grill marks appear. Top each with 2 slices of cheese and cook for another 30 secs or until melted, then remove from the heat. Toast the buns for a few seconds on the cut-side.
• Spread a little of the spicy sauce on the base of each bun and top with lettuce, tomato, a burger patty, onion and pickles. Top with the bun lid and devour immediately.