RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: How to make a classic Aussie burger with the lot

January 24, 2022

Corner-shop burgers are built so impossibly tall with all the other toppings – pineapple, bacon, beetroot, egg, lettuce, tomato and onion – no actual human could ever fit them in their mouth. But we love them.Nagi Maehashi

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:1

The Aussie corner-shop burger isn't about technical perfection and certainly isn't about practicality. It's about nostalgia. Gripping the giant burger with two hands, wondering how to tackle it, beetroot and pineapple juice running down our arms. On hot summer days, I use every available surface area on my barbecue to cook up burgers for a crowd. But for the sake of simplicity, I'm providing directions to make one burger on the stove.

Ingredients

Beef patty

250g beef mince (at least 10 per cent fat)
½ tsp canola oil
1 tsp dried onion flakes
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cooking salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Burger fixings

1 big, soft hamburger bun, split
2 slices streaky bacon
½ large brown onion, sliced 1cm thick
1 tbsp canola oil
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
20g lightly salted butter
2 butter lettuce leaves
2 slices tomato, 7mm thick
2 slices Kraft Singles cheese (yep, we need processed cheese!)
2 slices canned beetroot
1½ canned pineapple rings
tomato sauce (or other sauce of choice)

Method

1. Place patty ingredients in a bowl and mix well with your hands. Roll the meat into a ball then pat down gently into a patty slightly larger than the bun. Press down with the back of your hand to make a dent in the middle of the patty – this will prevent the burger from doming up and shrinking while cooking.
2. Preheat oven grill on high. Place bun on a tray, cut face up, and toast until the surface is light golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. We're going use 2 pans here – one for the bacon and onion, the other for the patty and egg. Place bacon in a cold, non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. As the pan heats up, the fat will melt and the bacon will cook in its own fat. Cook until the bacon is golden (about 3 minutes), turn and cook the other side until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
4. Return the pan to high heat. Add onion with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook in the bacon fat until golden – about 3 to 4 minutes. Add to the plate with the bacon (I pile it on top, which keeps the bacon warm).
5. Meanwhile, in a separate non-stick frypan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Sprinkle the burger patty with ¼ teaspoon of salt (some on each side). Place in the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn then place 2 slices of cheese on the burger. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Return the pan to the stove and reduce heat to medium. Crack an egg in and cook to your liking (I like runny yolks, which takes about 1½ minutes). Remove onto the plate.
6. To assemble, butter the burger bun. Smear with tomato sauce then stack the burger components on in the following order: lettuce, tomato, beetroot, pineapple, beef burger patty, onion, bacon then egg. Smear the top lid with more tomato sauce then place the lid on top. Serve with crispy fries.
Note: While I've provided the full arsenal of toppings for a classic burger experience, don't ever let anyone (including me) tell you what you should or should not have on your burger. The only rule is there are no rules!
Also try: RecipeTin's crispy homemade fries and lamington fingers