Tinman Burger

 

I like to cook. Not quite as fond of eating but I do like the cooking and playing with food preparation. Hence this document.

A while back in Seppo-land a group of immigrants from European cities most recently occupied by France, started serving meals in USA cities. The main meat available in reasonable quantities that was suitable was beef.

Unfortunately for these people ( both restaurateurs and customers) dentistry was still the domain of barbers and blacksmiths. Eating a steak was not always comfortable.

The solution was to grind the beef up then fry it.

Ground Beef has the wonderful quality that, if fried quickly starting with a ball it sticks together, becoming, once again, a steak.

Ground Beef was not just cheaper but more “ user friendly”.

The restaurateurs were probably from all over but Hamburgers was the name they were called (Germany came later), hamburger their most well known meat.

They weren’t silly.

To the present and I’d been having trouble finding a steak that did not become boiled beef after hitting the frypan. Added to my troubles was the fact that the added water makes the steak either tough or tasteless.

So I’ve joined those Seppos and started using hamburger ( minced beef in English). Find a good butcher who doesn’t add water to cheat you. He’ll be worth it.

Now I enjoy great steaks.

One very serious rule though: The steak MUST be only beef, NO additives in the meat - although sprinkling with pepper, fresh chilli or salt while cooking works DON’T COMBINE THEM IN THE MEAT.

Cold mince combines better than room temperature and, personally, I roll the beef into a ball then refrigerate for half an hour or so.

Then Simply throw in the frying pan (bang on the BBQ etc.) and fry to your preferred done-ness.

For a steak sandwich ( Tinman Burger ) use the crusts of a loaf of bread.

NOTE: I like soy and linseed bread and use these crusts but buns, sliced toast etc. does the job.

Butter the bread.

Cook the beef, add an egg, thick slices of tomato and the bread to the pan when you turn the “steak”.

The bread cooks first. Remove it, spread red sauce liberally on one slice and cover with cheese thinly sliced or grated.

Add the now cooked beef, tomato and egg to the bun with the cheese ( the heat will melt the cheese ).

I like to put fresh, sliced chilli on the tomato while it cooks but you can add jalapeno slices at this point or have used hot red sauce.

Put the other half of the bread on top, cut in half if preferred and enjoy.

Beer or a cold rose` works well.

Oh, and play with the recipe. I'm going to try a thick (home-made) satay sauce with my next one, replacing the egg. Here's hoping!