Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea...

It's burger time! An all American vintage treat that pleases all demographics. Unfortunately this sandwich has gained an unpleasant reputation due to the popularity of fast food chains. It is commonly credited with being a chief contributor to the countries obesity problem. While as this is not a diet food, I am here to speak on behave of this classic delight. As with many goods I recommend indulging in a juicy burger at home. This allows me to control the beef, and what is placed on top. I attempt to solely consume local or organic meats, this grants me the knowledge of what the animals are fed, how they are treated and slaughtered. This is the first considerable step to a quality burger, next a homemade bun. Continuing on the path of no mass produced bread, I have written a bun recipe I am confident you will enjoy. Another important element to the perfect burger is a grill, I am a firm believer that all burgers should be grilled. Now, the fun commences, you have free range of toppings. My delicious burger consisted of caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and jalapeno, cheddar and blue cheese (I realize I gilded the lily here) and of course Tabasco. I also had sliced tomatoes on the side (I am not sure if I was attempting to make myself feel better about eating this giant burger, nonetheless they were a pleasant addition). Once you have the necessities, beef patty and bun, the selection is in your hands as to what flavor approach you desire.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

1 1/2 Cups  milk

8 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 packet instant yeast

4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 Tbs sugar

1 Tbs kosher salt

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water

sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and butter and heat until the butter is melted, about 7 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the 4 cups of flour, yeast, the sugar and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the milk mixture and knead until the dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, oil the inside of the bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into 12 equal balls. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing the buns evenly apart, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 400'F

Remove the plastic wrap from the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg mixture (I brushed the tops with milk) and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Bake until the buns and golden , 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer the buns to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut in half and use as hamburger buns. Makes 12 hamburger buns.

My Pumped Up Burger (in the pic)

1/4 medium onion, sauteed

1 jalapeno sauteed

handful of baby bella mushrooms sauteed

sharp cheddar

dollop of blue cheese

sliced tomatoes on the side

Tabasco sauce

Until tomorrow...Peace.