Food

How to make the perfect beef and cheese burger

15:10 pm on 10 May 2019

To make the best beef and cheese burger you've ever had, use a 100 percent beef patty and aged cheddar, says chef Adrian Chilton from the restaurant chai Burger Burger.

He shares his recipe for a classic beef and cheese burger.

Photo: Supplied/Burger Burger

Adrian grew up in Auckland and first had a go at cooking when he was still at primary school - a disastrous chocolate sauce attempt while his mum was at work.

At 14, he started working as a kitchenhand and later cooked for reality TV productions in Fiji and Hollywood.

Back in 2014, Adrian co-founded Burger Burger with his business partner Mimi Gilmour-Buckley.

They currently have restaurants in Ponsonby, Newmarket and Takapuna with new branches opening soon in Christchurch and Mount Maunganui

Listen to the interview

Recipe: Classic beef and cheese burger

Adrian's tips:

  • Good buns are important – Burger Burger took six months perfecting their sourdough-brioche hybrid:  "Find something that's got a bit of fat in it"
  • Use a patty made from 100 percent beef is the only way to go (no egg or breadcrumbs)
  • Cook the burger patty until it's rare, medium or well-done, as you would a steak
  • Only flip it once, add salt and pepper to the other side, then add the cheese so it melts slightly
  • Once the patty is cooked, rest it for 1-2 minutes before adding it to the bun
  • Use aged cheddar cheese, between 12 and 24 months old: "The older the better, a more nutty flavour, it's gonna be more crumbly and it's just gonna be nicer'
  • Butter your bun right to the edges (this will form a protective layer so the other ingredients don't soak it)
  • You can use tomato relish instead of tomato jam, just don't use tomato sauce
  • Make sure your mayo is rich (made with whole eggs)