Brilliant BBQ Burgers

Looking forward to getting the barbecue out again this weekend? Try our luxury beef and beer burger recipe and get creative with the toppings. How about melting Taleggio cheese and a whole portabella mushroom in your bap?!



Beef n’ beer burgers
Serves 4

For the burgers:
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 large shallots, very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
50 ml dark real ale or stout
1 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
700 g coarse beef mince

For the garnishes:
4 portabella mushrooms
3 tbsp butter, melted
150 g Taleggio, sliced
4 bread rolls, halved horizontally
4 dill pickles, sliced
50 g rocket
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Make the burgers ahead of time. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the shallots gently over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic to the pan and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Leave to cool completely.
• Tip the shallot mixture into a mixing bowl and mix it with the ale, cream, breadcrumbs, mustard and seasoning. Add the mince to the bowl and knead it together until everything is evenly distributed. This is a good time to let the kids get their hands dirty!
• Shape the meat into 4 patties. A burger press is great for making uniform, well compacted burgers, but you can get a really good result by squeezing the patties together and making a slight hollow in the centre on both sides.
• If you’re cooking on a barbecue, make sure all the flames have died down and the coals are glowing hot before you start cooking. Brush the mushrooms with butter and season with salt and pepper, then cook the mushrooms and the burgers on the barbecue for 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes or until the burgers are just cooked in the centre. Alternatively, you can fry the burgers in a pan and grill the mushrooms.
• 2 minutes before the mushrooms are done, add a slice of Taleggio on top of each one and toast the cut side of the burger buns.
• To assemble the burgers, lay a burger patty on top of each bun base. Top with the  dill pickles and Taleggio mushrooms, then arrange the rocket and shallots on top.
• Finally, mix together the mayonnaise and mustard and drizzle it over the rocket before topping with the bun tops.

Happy nibbling!
Fiona B x