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September 2007:
Over the last few years I have been cooking my own burgers, and recently my burgers have become legendary in my circle of friends. I feel it is my duty to share my knowledge with the world. In addition to burgers, I have decided to use this page to share other recipes too, as people have often asked how things are made, and I promise to send the recipe and never do. So now all I need to do is direct them to my cooking blog. But please do not underestimate a quality of a good burger.

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Burger King Create the Worlds Most Expensive Burger

Good news for the burger world - Burger King, famous for its fast food burgers, has decided to produce a real whopper of a burger. The burger, named 'The Burger', costs GBP95.00 and is only available in one Burger King restaurant, the Gloucester Road, West London branch.

So, what are the ingredients of the world's most expensive burger?

  • Wagyu beef*
  • White truffle
  • Pata negra ham slices
  • Cristal onion straws
  • Modena balsamic vinegar
  • Lambs lettuce
  • Pink himalayan rock salt**
  • Organic white wine
  • Shallot infused mayonnaise
  • Served in an Iranian saffron and white truffle dusted bun
Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson simply said that the "It sounds delicious." I would love to try the burger to be able to provide a review, straight from the horses mouth, but cannot afford the bus fare to the West End, so will have to pass. I am not convinced that "organic white wine" is the best choice however. The ingredients are sourced from all over the world, so a splash of organic wine can only be there to attract the green vote.

But wouldn't it be great of Burger King, and its rival burger bars and restaurants, made a greater attempt to produce a better burger? I would happily pay six pounds for a high quality burger sandwich (not meal) but we only have the whoopers and Big Macs to choose from, with poor quality bread, bland meat and a garnish that tries to disguise the meat rather than compliment it.

*Wagyu refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. Also known as Kobe-style beef, the meat from wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness. Because of the wagyu cattle's genetic predisposition and special diet including beer and sake, wagyu yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than typical beef. The increased marbling also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats. (Definition from Wikipedia).

**why not use Maldon Sea Salt?

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Published on Thursday, June 19, 2008 | Burger King Create the Worlds Most Expensive Burger
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Heston Blumenthal Burger Recipe

Last week I watched Heston Blumenthal's TV show In Search of Perfection in eager anticipation, as I saw a review that he was on a mission to find and cook the perfect burger. His journey for burger perfection first took him to the USA, to a small cafe that claims to be the birth place of the burger. Their burgers were simple meat patties served in a white toast sandwich, with runny cheese sauce. Strictly no ketchup allowed.

Blumenthal then went to New York to sample a McDonalds hamburger, which obviously disappointed. He also stopped in on an old friend who served Lady Burgers, or something similar, which were mini bite sized burgers neatly presented, albeit with a bit too much greenery falling out, and not an onion in site.

As we know, the core ingredient in a good burger is the meat. And this is where things started to get interesting for the Burgermeister. Firstly, the steak used is minced, wrapped, and stored for a month. Then when ready, the burgers are sliced directly, rather than moulded by hand. The reason being that the line of the fibres and tissues in the meat is essential to the flavour and texture of the burger. Also, rather than using just one cut of meat, Blumenthal uses three different cuts, to provide the perfect flavour, texture and consistency for the burger. Naturally binding burgers are essential to a good burger, remember the Burger mantra NEVER ADD EGG! For this, he used a combination of beef chuck, short-rib meat and minimum 30-day dry-aged beef brisket. Now, this really is going into new realms of burger-discover, as I always use minced meat as it comes from the butchers. I always use the best minced meat available, but have never minced it myself.

For the rest of the burger, Heston Blumenthal prefers a plain white bun with sesame seeds (the seeds are added using an egg wash). The buns are then covered in cheese slices (made with sodium citrate!) and put under a grill. I am glad to say that this has been my preferred method for sometime now, as it ensures that the bun remains in tact throughout the whole burger eating experience.

His burger sauce obviously has the standard foundation of tomato sauce, mayonnaise and mustard, with the usual extras including onion (sliced thinly and the rings blanched for 20 seconds in boiling water), crisp lettuce and gherkins and other pickles.

The BBC Cooking web page has the full method for making the dough for the buns, the burgers, the cheese slices, the tomato concentrate for the sauce plus a description on how to construct the burger the Blumenthal way. Take a look, try it out and enjoy. Burger perfection is finally here. We bow to Heston Blumenthal, and thank him for dedicating his time and efforts to improving the knowledge and furthering our cause, of making the perfect burger!

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Published on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 | Heston Blumenthal Burger Recipe
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