Considering there are few things more American than burgers and patriotism, it seems only fitting that National Hamburger Day and Memorial Day are on the same date.

It may not be a holiday weekend here in Canada, but we’re more than happy to join in the celebrations of any food-inspired holiday — and of course, we have a recipe for making the perfect burger at home.

This five-ingredient recipe is from Clueless in the Kitchen, the perfect beginner's cookbook and a great graduation gift for students heading off to university or at-home cooks looking for easy, mouth-watering recipes (can you say #foodporn?).

Keep it simple by following the recipe exactly, or spice things up by adding onion, garlic, barbecue sauce, or cheese to the mix. No matter what, you’ll end up with a delicious burger worthy of celebration.

 

A Perfect Hamburger

Makes 3-4 (perfect) burgers

What you need:

1 lb. (500 g) lean ground beef

¼ cup (60 ml) water (yes, water — it keeps the meat moist)

2 tbsp. (30 ml) soy sauce (if you have it)

½ tsp. (2 ml) salt

¼ tsp. (1 ml) black pepper

Vegetable oil for greasing skillet, if cooking stovetop

How to make it:

1. In a bowl, with a fork or barehanded, mix the ground beef with the water, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Don’t mush it to death — the secret of a perfect burger is not to handle the meat too much. Whenever you’re working with meat, remember to sanitize all surfaces (and your hands!) after you’re finished to prevent any cross-contamination.

2. With a light touch, form the meat mixture into 3 or 4 patties, squishing them just enough so they don’t fall apart. Flatten the burgers to an even thickness — around ½ inch (1 cm) is good. (Your burgers will shrink a bit as they cook.) Place on a plate, cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook them.

3. If you’re using a barbecue grill or oven broiler, preheat it to medium-high. If you’re cooking your burgers on a skillet, lightly grease the skillet with vegetable oil and place it over medium-high heat.

4. Whichever method you’re using, cook your burgers until they’re evenly browned on both sides, flipping them once or twice, until they’re no longer pink in the middle (cut into one to check). If your heat is too high, the outsides of the burgers may burn before the insides are done — reduce the heat so they cook through without becoming incinerated.

5. Serve on a lightly toasted bun with absolutely everything on it. Especially hot peppers.

 

Not sure what kind of peppers to top your burger with? Check out 101 Chilies to Try Before You Die.

 

 

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Get the books:

 Clueless in the Kitchen

 101 Chilies to Try Before You Die