Homemade Burgers - Take 2

As fun as it is to visit different restaurants in search of the best burger that our city has to offer, there's nothing quite like the satisfaction gained from the challenge of perfecting the homemade burger. In a second attempt, Burger Boy and I got to work utilizing a different (and top secret for now) blend of meat, creating a homemade spicy blackberry ancho sauce and selecting a trio of cheeses (because sometimes just one isn't enough).

Because everyone has their own definition of a perfect burger, maybe it helps if I start off this post with an explanation of what sorts of things we're looking for in these home trials. To me, the perfect burger is medium-rare, seasoned well and simply with salt and pepper. I like a nice crusted exterior and juices flowing all the way through. Ideally, the toppings are uncomplicated, yet still creative enough to keep things interesting and in my ideal burger world, I can distinctly taste each individual component of the burger, but the flavor of the meat is still the star. When it comes to the bun, I want a soft, lightly toasted bun that is big enough to support my burger and toppings without being too bulky and stealing the spotlight. I think a nice classic bun works best (brioche need not apply) and I prefer seeded rolls to non-seeded because I love that textural "pop".

Getting back to this particular batch of homemade burgers, we utilized a blend of meats and seasoned only with salt and pepper. As always, the meat was ground by us and loosely packed before hitting a hot skillet. Once they were cooked to their desired level of doneness and the cheese had turned into a deliciously melty, gooey mess, they were gently laid on top of sesame studded buns and drizzled with the homemade spicy blackberry ancho sauce, a crisped round of pancetta and served alongside, in a last ditch effort to enjoy the flavors of summer before they're gone, a cooling and summery watermelon, fennel and cucumber salad. While burgers are a classically summer time favorite and while the warmer days might be winding down, the homemade burgers will be going all year long.