The secret to the best (and easiest) home-made burger? Keep it simple

Name: The secret to the best (and easiest) home-made burger? Keep it simple
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Contemporary
Ingredients: 500g three-star beef mince (about 18 per cent fat); salt, to season; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 rashers of bacon, rind removed; 8 slices tasty cheese; 4 potato rolls or burger buns; 1 red onion, very thinly sliced; 1 tomato, thinly sliced; 4 leaves iceberg lettuce

Adam Liaw

September 5, 2025

Home-made sauce adds extra oomph to these beef and bacon burgers.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

The easiest and best burger patties are made using the cheapest mince and salt. That’s it.

Ingredients

500g three-star beef mince (about 18 per cent fat)
salt, to season
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 rashers of bacon, rind removed
8 slices tasty cheese
4 potato rolls or burger buns
1 red onion, very thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
4 leaves iceberg lettuce

BURGER SAUCE

¼ cup yellow mustard
¼ cup tomato sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp finely minced onion
1 dill pickle, finely minced

Method

Step 1
Season the mince with salt, then divide it into 4 equal-sized balls. Sandwich a ball between two sheets of baking paper and, using the base of a pot, squash it into a patty slightly larger than your burger buns (they will shrink as they cook). Remove from the baking paper and repeat for the remaining balls.
Step 2
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, add the oil and fry the bacon until browned (I prefer the bacon to be soft and juicy rather than crisp). Remove the bacon from the pan and add the patties. Fry the patties on one side for about 3 minutes, then flip and place two slices of cheese on top. Cook for a further 3 minutes. While the burgers are frying, toast the buns and mix the ingredients for the sauce.
Step 3
Place the burger patty on the base of a bun, then top with bacon, sliced onion, tomato and lettuce. Cover with the lid of the bun with sauce and serve.

Adam’s tip: The cheapest supermarket mince is usually made from tougher, tastier cuts of beef, ideal for a flavourful burger.