In search of the perfect cheeseburger

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What makes the perfect cheeseburger? Jackson Boxer recently introduced one at his Notting Hill restaurant Dove that has Nigella Lawson and others raving. He says it’s all about the patty – the rest, cheese included, is just the delivery system: “You need the perfect synthesis of aged beefy funk, bold assertive savour, a firm meaty density, but a forgiving and indulgent yield on the bite.”

Boxer’s gorgonzola burger is made with a double-minced mix composed predominantly of 50-day aged rib cap with gorgonzola dolce and caramelised onions, finished with champagne and a potato-fortified roll. It was inspired by April Bloomfield’s Roquefort burger which he ate at The Spotted Pig in New York more than 20 years ago: “It changed my appreciation of what a burger could be,” he says. “The meat was of insane quality – deep, rich, resonant, bold, but also soothing, luxuriant, sensual.” 

“It’s important to start with meat ideally minced on the day of cooking,” advises meat consultant and Bodean’s chef director Richard Turner. Fat content is key as fat represents flavour: “Most burger aficionados incorporate around 20 per cent fat in their blend. I know one purveyor that prefers 30 per cent and theirs are damn fine burgers too.” Turner favours 90 per cent chuck with 10 per cent bone marrow, as chuck naturally contains 10 per cent fat and bone marrow tops that up to 20 per cent. Another blend worth requesting from your butcher is 80 per cent prime steak offcuts with 20 per cent aged cod fat (“the soft beef taken from the hind quarter, not from a fish”). “This blend has the benefit of aged steak flavour,” says Turner.

Harley’s is a new butcher in Hampstead, opening in June, co-run by meat distributor Txuleta. A specialist in Spanish and retired UK cows, Txuleta supplies steak to some of London’s leading restaurants as well as patties to award-winning burger makers such as Black Cactus and Whole Beast. At Harley’s these are on sale to the public for the first time. 

“You should be able to take a patty out of a bun and eat it like a fantastic piece of meat,” says Txuleta founder Nemanja Borjanovic of their premium blends. Among the selection are patties made from 80 per cent UK Wagyu with 20 percent dry aged rib cap from ex-dairy cow, and 50 per cent Galician Blond with 50 per cent UK Wagyu. “Wagyu is renowned for its fat while aged rib cap adds umami,” says Borjanovic. “In addition, some of the richest beef comes from Galician Blonds. Ours are up to 18 years old from Spain. That mix of old cow and fatty Wagyu delivers a rich, succulent burger.”

As for the thickness of your patty, the advantage of slim or “fast-food” patties like those found at Bleecker Burger or The Plimsoll in north London is the amount of caramelisation possible with the high surface area to volume ratio. But I prefer a steakhouse burger, which is thicker (at least 2cm), denser and juicier. Experts say season the patty on the grill – never before. Salt draws moisture out and you want the patty to remain juicy. Cook at a high heat to create a sear and for the meat to tighten up before reducing the heat so the patty cooks more slowly and relaxes.

Beef is a mild-tasting product so American sliced cheese is a favourite for good reason. It’s not strongly flavoured, melts well and brings a sticky, silky-smooth texture to the roof of your mouth. Boxer uses gorgonzola dolce instead of a punchier variety for “the interplay between its high ripe sweetness and the deep, salty savour of the beef”.

Ahead of final assembly, the obvious (though oft broken) rule is your burger should never be bigger than your mouth. This may inform your choice of bun and fillings. Most people favour demi-brioche or potato buns – perhaps like those at Buster’s in Brixton with sesame seeds on the top and bottom buns for extra texture. These are neither too chewy nor bready and won’t take away from the beef. The superlative cheeseburger at Burger & Beyond contains a patty, American cheese, pickled onions, mayo-based sauce and bun. It’s a slightly jaw-testing 9cm high and 11cm wide. Made with a soft demi-brioche bun, however, it can easily be squished to fit inside your mouth. Toasting your buttered buns on a hot pan freshens them up and sears the bread which helps prevent them from getting soggy.

On the matter of fillings, I’m a purist. I don’t want lettuce, tomato or pickles. I don’t even want sauce. But I’m intrigued to try some of Turner’s more show-offy additions such as ketchup leather (dehydrated ketchup strips), pickled walnuts (“a natural bedfellow for beef”) and beef jus for dunking (“it makes a brilliant thing even more brilliant”).

If we accept a good burger is a multisensory experience, you need to pick yours up to eat it: feel that soft, warm bun in your hand and juices running down it. At Dove cutlery is provided. For the sake of that gorgonzola burger, resist using it.