Hamburger Basics Plus an Amazing Secret Sauce!

I do believe that hamburgers are the first comfort food!  What is better than an all-American perfectly cooked burger on a toasted bun, loaded with your favorites:  crisp fresh lettuce, a thick slice of tomato just picked from the garden, purple onion, and pickle slices.  Well, it may be better with a nice slice of cheese melting on the patty and your personal favorite special sauce.... But, that is it to make the all-American burger, simple isn't it?  It doesn't have to be fancy.  It doesn't have to take all day baking the buns and grinding the meat!  Simple is good.


Burgers need love.  They need attention.  They need fresh ingredients.  They need a grill-chef who knows how to season them and can cook them to perfection!

Burgers are personal....

  1. The meat can vary from ground sirloin to ground pork, to ground turkey or your favorite combination, such as sirloin and bacon ground together.  It just needs to be fresh.
  2. Burgers can be grilled or they can be pan-seared to seal in the flavor.  Which method is best? Again, it is personal preference.
  3. How about seasoning?  Go with the basic to start, salt and pepper!
  4. Garden fresh toppings...crisp lettuce, a thick slice of tomato, purple onion and pickle slices. Here's another spot for personal preference.
  5. A nicely toasted bun is a must.  Spread a little butter on the bun and put them face down on the top rack of the grill or face up under the broiler.
  6. Build the burger and finish with your favorite sauce!


Do you have a secret sauce that you love on a hamburger?  A mixture of mayonnaise and ketchup (Thousand Island dressing) used to be my favorite but I stepped out of the box!  I tried a new sauce that I found.  It was in a cookbook that had been sitting on the shelf....not used much, just sitting there.  What a mistake!  The cookbook is The Good Stuff Cookbook by Spike Mendelsohn. Yes, it is the guy who was on Top Chef and yes, he has an eatery in Washington D. C.  

His book is full of Good Stuff like burgers, sauces, sides, and shakes!  The amazing sauce I made is his Good Stuff Sauce.  I cut the recipe in half....two people can only eat so much Good Stuff!

Amazing Good Stuff Sauce
The Good Stuff Cookbook by Spike Mendelsohn

2 cups Homemade Basic Mayonnaise or Hellman's
2 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp salt

Add the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or a blender.  Puree until smooth.  The sauce can be kept for up to a week if refrigerated in an airtight container.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

That is it....pretty basic and I must admit that this amazing sauce is darn good stuff!



Comments

  1. That's a great looking burger Kathy and good tips.

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  2. Wow, love the addition of molasses:@)

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  3. A hamburger is my favorite meal. I love your sauce! It is always good to tweek a good thing. Thanks Kathy, may mix up this sauce for the 4th.

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  4. I just made Jacques fave relish today for his burgers..
    I like this Kate..Thanks!

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  5. Sounds like a great sauce, I love a new twist on a old favorite.

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  6. Good looking burger Kathy and great tips too. We don't have a special sauce that we use. I like Dijon mustard and my husband prefers ketchup. Your secret sauce sounds intriguing with the touch of rice vinegar.
    Sam

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  7. It sounds very good and I will have to give it a try!

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  8. I' m always open to any kind of new sauce on a burger. This one sounds great, especially the molasses and rice vinegar. BTW, try making your own burger buns. They take less than an hour and boy do they take burgers up to the next level! I know you can do it!

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  9. Hamburgers are comfort food! I'll have to try your sauce!

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  10. I love hamburgers! And now I'll have a good new sauce to try.

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  11. Sounds like a yummy good stuff sauce. Love sauces on things, which is not always good for me.

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