I Don't Know Why...

I have never ever thought of making my own burgers and it's been years since I ate a burger of any kind. For various reasons if I avoid any meat I guess it would be Beef and over the years although any could be caught up in a health scare that is the one I avoid. Though it is no guarantee that products containing bovine orientated material has not found it's way indirectly into my system.

In my current attempt to add more variety to my diet and range of meals, I suddenly thought I could make my own Pork or Lamb burgers and make them more healthy, as cheaply and add various extra little touches. So I thought. I went to the one Butcher's that exists in my town yesterday and they could not manage to supply mince of any kind other than Beef.

Well, not strictly true...it was available from today, late afternoon. Fine, if you have all the time in the world because you are not working or can shop whenever you wish.

So today I hopefully will get my mince, of decent quality but the business will go once again to the Supermarket rather than a local retailer and once again local business already struggling will lose out.

Now, I'm sure two or three very good friends of mine will not mind if I relay their recipes for making their burgers in case you would like to try for yourself...I am amazed just how many websites and recipes are available online...

Angelicweeyin1 suggests...

"I finely chop an onion (now onto the homegrown ones), add some garlic, worcester sauce and the most important ingredient, an egg yolk (helps it stay together) and then combine everything with my hands, then make the burgers using flour to stop it sticking, then I griddle them. I sometimes add coriander, but the cherubs normally say, what's that green stuff, or whatever herb that's been used..."

Raisins though talking of Beefburgers mentions the following but it will work I'm sure with an alternative.

"1 pack of 5% lean mince. Fresh thyme, leaves only salt & pepper. Scrunch the whole lot up, make into patties or mould into burgers and griddle I do a tomato salad with just the aforesaid, some shallots and a sharp dressing made with sunflower oil, wine vinegar and a dash of soy sauce.I have made made my own coleslaw, and will have one with a normal bap (healthy living one) and loads of salad.

I only ever use fresh thyme or sometimes some oregano, but go easy as they are quite strong."
Well, if I succeed it's opened another variant for a meal either by putting them in a bun or with a salad(Another friend)Curmy says that salad is always a good accompaniment with a burger, I think that is right having some fresh vegetables with them. But you can do a mixed grill that's reasonably healthy with them such as baked beans, tinned tomatoes and whatever else your imagination can stretch to.

If you feel like having a go...enjoy...

What a job to get the ingredients, I managed to get some some Pork, Lamb and Turkey mince but trying to sort out the herbs, puree and garlic was another matter. The best I could do was fresh Corriander and Parsley(but Garlic?)I ended up asking for help and the assistants spent 20 minutes trying to find some...in the end the closest we came up with was a small jar of a garlic liquid type stuff that says garlic in sunflower oil.

So I think I can make something in the end as I imagine. The Mince is fresh, it cost no more than a prepacked meal. And I doubt it will take more than a few extra minutes to prepare.

Angelicweeyin1 also suggests that I could make the burgers up and actually freeze them so I can just pop to the freezer and not have to keep making them. We have one other food outlet(smaller than Tesco's)and a little further away(but run by Sainsbury's)just maybe one of these days I'll make the effort and see if they have any Garlic Puree on the shelves.

It better be worth all the trouble...I'm sure that it will. Maybe, I'll think of something else I can make other than a burger.

Update:Well, I did and again Angelicweeyin1 came to the rescue to help my basic knowledge...which resulted in another quick meal but I have to say it was so very tasty...

Brown off some diced onion and Lamb Mince in a frying pan...in my case I transferred it to a saucepan in which I added half a pint of water with Bisto Gravy Granules and I simmered that for approx 25 minutes. In the meantime I boiled some new potatoes and at the end some Broccoli and served it up. I really found it mouth watering. It took next to no preperation and really was so simple.

I will be doing it again sometime.