Recipe – Wagyu Hamburger

A recent discovery of wagyu beef patties at Vic’s Meat Market inspired me to make my own hamburgers – bringing back wonderful childhood memories of family road trips down the south coast of NSW. Stopping at a milk bar along the way for a hamburger was a rare holiday treat that ended up with the combined juices of beef patty, scorched onions, melted cheese and barbecue sauce dripping over my hands and down my chin! My tribute to the innocent pleasures of summer vacations is a perfect Australia Day snack. For me, the secret to a great Australian hamburger is a long slow caramelisation of the onions, and plenty of them, plus a good barbecue sauce or chutney – even as a kid I preferred the spicier barbecue to the sweeter tomato sauce. And to drink? Well, it used to be a double-malted chocolate milkshake … but today I prefer a dark beer such as Young Henry’s Motorcycle Oil porter.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 wagyu beef patties
  
• Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
  
• Salt flakes, to taste
  
• 2 brioche burger buns, halved (see below)
  
• Barbecue sauce, to taste (see below)
  
• 2 slices cheddar cheese
  
• 6 slices pickled cucumbers
  
• 2 ripe Roma tomatoes
  
• 1 cup finely shredded iceberg lettuce 

Caramelised Onion

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  
• 4 red onions (about 600g), thinly sliced
  
• Salt flakes, to taste 

Brasserie Bread makes great brioche buns that are just the right size and texture.
I use Beerenberg barbecue sauce from the Adelaide Hills, but add any sauce or chutney you prefer.

Method

1. Make Caramelised Onion: put oil in a large high-sided frying pan, add onion, salt well and stir to coat. Cover and cook over a low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove lid, increase heat to medium and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Increase heat to high and cook for a further 10 minutes or so, stirring often, until dark golden.
   
2. Brush patties with a little oil and place on a char-grill or in a frying pan, sprinkle with salt and cook for 2 minutes or so each side, until well-coloured.
   
3. Meanwhile, toast the cut side of the buns under an overhead grill.
   
4. Spread both toasted sides of the buns with barbecue sauce.
   
5. Place patties on bottom halves, top with cheese and put back under the overhead grill until cheese has melted.
   
6. Remove from grill and add pickled cucumber, tomato, lettuce and caramelised onion.
   
7. Replace top halves of buns and dig in. 

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