Get ready for a flavour explosion! This homemade beef onion burger is a symphony of textures in every bite. The juicy beef patties, topped with crispy onion rings, sweet caramelized onions and carrots, and chewy bacon, create a truly unforgettable dining experience.
Making your own buns, patties and chili mayo elevates the burger to a new level. You control the ingredients and can customize the flavours to your exact liking. Chili mayo adds a kick of heat, while the caramelized onions and carrots provide a sweet and savoury counterpoint.
Along with a toasted burger bun, a beef patty is a classic component of a perfect burger. Toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard are the regular toppings. But, I still think that the patty should be the star.
In order to achieve a delicious patty, try to keep it simple. First, combine good ground beef, onion, salt and pepper. Second, don’t overmix and don’t overcook. And third, resist the urge to press them down while cooking. That being said, I still added a special ingredient: an apple.
Apple beef burger
But, why add an apple to a burger patty? The unexpected addition of apple to the beef patties adds a unique sweetness and juiciness that balances the spice. The high moisture content of McIntosh apples helps keep the burger patties incredibly juicy and flavorful. Believe me, the juice will be dripping out of your patties.
Smooth spicy mayonnaise
A homemade burger with homemade mayo is a winner. This is a unique take on classic mayonnaise. To make this spicy mayo I added smoked paprika, honey and chili (flakes and ground chili). On the one side, smoked paprika adds a smoky, earthy depth that complements the heat of the chili flakes and powder. On the other hand, honey provides a glimpse of sweetness that balances the spice and cuts through the richness of the olive oil. Make sure the ingredients are cold, to create a more stable emulsion.
You can use this mayo in a variety of ways, such as a condiment for sandwiches, as a dipping sauce for fries or chicken wings or as a marinade for grilled veggies and meats.
Homemade crispy onion rings and caramelized onion jam
Adding onion to a burger is always a good choice. Therefore, I added it in two different forms: firstly, as caramelized onion jam and secondly, as onion rings. On one hand, caramelized onion jam brings a sweet, savoury, and complex base layer of flavour. On the other hand, onion rings offer a crispy texture and a slightly sharper onion flavour.
I hope you enjoy this delicious and unique burger creation!
In addition, you might like these burger recipes, too: pumpkin burger buns, delicious pumpkin chicken burgers, paleo bunless tandoori turkey burger or this sunny-side-up burger.
Ingredients for homemade beef onion burger (2):
- 2 burger buns
- 360 g ground beef
- salt and pepper
- 1 shallot (finely chopped)
- 1 apple
- 2-4 lettuce leaves
- 2 bacon slices
- 1 carrot
- 2 large white onions (for onion rings and onion jam)
- 60 g flour
- 1,5 eggs (1 for mayo, 0,5 for onion rings)
- 10 ml water or milk
- 30 g bread crumbs
- 20 g ground hazelnuts
- oil for frying
- half a tsp of chili flakes (or as desired)
- 1-2 tsp of smoked paprika
- 120 ml olive oil ( sunflower or grapeseed oil or as much as needed)
Start with preparing the patties. In a bowl, combine ground beef, salt, pepper, finely chopped shallot and grated apple. Mix, using your hands, until just combined. Slightly wet your hands and create two patties. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
Homemade mayo
In a food processor or a blender, combine one egg, chili flakes, smoked paprika and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Then, blend and slowly add the oil in a drizzle until it thickens.
Onion rings
Cut one onion into 1 cm thick rings. Choose 6-8 rings, tap them dry and set the remaining onion on the side. In one bowl, combine egg, water, salt, pepper and flour. Then, in the second bowl, mix bread crumbs, ground hazelnuts and two pinches of salt.
Afterwards, using a skillet or smaller pot, add about 2,5 cm of vegetable oil for frying and heat it. One to two at a time, dip the onion rings in the batter, let the excess drip off and coat the rings in bread crumbs. Once the oil reaches 180°C, carefully add one to two rings in. Work in batches. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Drain them on paper towels. Keep them warm in the oven at 40°C.
Onion carrot jam
Chop the remaining onions and thinly slice the carrot into strips, using a potato peeler. Heat some olive oil in a larger non-sticking pan. Add the onions and cook them until softened and transculent. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until caramelized.
At this point, add the carrots and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until softened. Season with a pinch of salt, brown sugar and a teaspoon of smoked paprika and cook for 10 more minutes until thickened.
Prepare two pans or skillets. In the first one drizzle some oil and, when hot, add the patties. Sear them for 2-3 minutes on each side. Then, lower the heat and cook for another 4 minutes per side. Afterwards, put them in the oven (30°-40°C) to rest and to stay warm.
In the meantime, prepare the bacon. In the second pan, add the bacon strips(cold pan, no oil, not overlapping) and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until it reaches your desired level of crispiness. Transfer the strips to a paper towel to absorb the extra grease.
Finally, it is time to assemble the homemade beef onion burger. Cut the buns and toast them shortly in a pan. On the bottom half, place the lettuce, a spoon of mayo, followed by beef patty, crispy bacon, onion-carrot jam and a spoon of mayo. Finish with one onion ring and with the top part of the bun.
Enjoy.
