There are a few significant things in my life I am extremely proud of. The first of which is that I am blessed with three of the most exceptional, considerate, respectful and overall beautiful humans aka my kids. We got that right for sure. All three times. The other thing is that I have been married to my sole mate for almost 30 years, although we have actually been together almost 35 years. In today’s world, that is a HUGE accomplishment.
Having been with my husband that long, knowing and hearing how much he likes my cooking is an ego booster for me. Cooking is therapy for me. Every Saturday with coffee, you will find me planning my week ahead, searching for new recipes and ideas, looking for an old recipe, making my grocery list, grocery shopping (another thing I LOVE to do), followed by a Sunday full or prep and cooking. Especially in the fall. This hasn’t been so easy since the kids have now all moved out and we have become empty nesters. That has changed my focus slightly to now planning the next family dinner or cooking in abundance so I can send some home with them when I am fortunate enough to have them home for dinner when time permits. Its been even harder lately as my husband is deployed and away for 6 months this year. That is what inspired this website. Being an empty nester and him being away an extended period of time.
So what does all this have to do with BBQ buns and burgers you ask? One of my husband’s favorite things are my BBQ burgers. He asks for them on a regular basis. I have not really been much of a burger girl, and for me, a gourmet chicken burger would be what I would order any day of the week over a beef burger. So when I crave that chicken bistro burger from Bin 4 Burger Lounge, topped with local smoked bacon, double brie cheese and balsamic onion jam, he is always kind enough to indulge me (the ultimate sign of true love in my eyes…although it could just be the pint of local craft beer calling his name!). Will pretty much always orders the basic burger (never even adds cheese… what is with that?), and finishes his meal off with “and I would still pay a hundred bucks for your burger over this one”. I guess that is the truest compliment I could ever ask for.
So I have pretty much mastered his favorite burger with this recipe, although honestly, no batch ever quite comes out the same. Probably because I don’t actually measure any of the ingredients other than the egg and onion soup mix. I have found myself making these burgers more and more while he is away — maybe its just my way to be connected to him when he gone. Its been the staple mid week dinner when the kids come over and was the main course at a work BBQ I hosted for my team this summer.
So that’s the burger. Now the bun.
I think the older I get, the more I am becoming a food snob. And what I have noticed is that not just any bun will do with any burger. In my mind, there is now a bun that needs to be paired with every type of burger. Like a good wine with a meal. There is the sesame topped bun, the calabrese bun, the multigrain bun, the brioche bun, the potato bun, the pretzel bun … must I say more? The options are endless for the bun, but for me, for my burgers, its the brioche bun. That French inspired, light, buttery, puffy textured bun that is converting me into a home made burger lover.
This is my recipe. Try it with a different bun and let me know what you think. Oh, and don’t forget to snob up your condiments too!
Best Burger Ever
Ingredients
- 1.5 – 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1/2 c onion, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c breadcrumbs
- 1 pkg dry onion soup mix
- 2 – 3 tbsp BBQ Sauce
- 2 tbsp steak sauce
- 1 tbsp Worchester Sauce
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Chop onion and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add onion, bread crumbs, dry soup mix and all of the sauces. Mix well.
- Add ground beef and salt and pepper. Mix well. I usually get in with my hands to mix well.
- Separate mixture into firm balls approximately 5 ounces each. Press into burgers.
- BBQ until cooked well, approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side.