Sesame Beef Burgers

I adore Korean Sesame Oil... and Spicy Black Bean Sauce... and Kaffir Lime Leaves... 

and Garlic... and Spring Onions... and Sesame Seeds dot dot dot

Roll 'em into giant meatballs.

Flatten 'em into patties and press one side into the sesame seeds.

Flip 'em and press the other side into the sesame seeds.

Pop 'em onto a baking paper lined baking tray.

Make sure you have LOTS of Sriracha, otherwise there'll be tears.

Fry 'em until the sesame seeds are golden brown and the burgers are cooked to medium-rare. 

Don't tell me if you like your burgers well-done, that's something I don't need to know.

Grab a bun (be nice about it), and top with a lettuce leaf, a burger and some thinly sliced red onion.

Squirt an unhealthy amount of Sriracha over this pile of goodness. 

Put it's hat on and chow down.

This ain't no Royle with Cheese or Big Kahuna Burger but it sure is a tasty burger.



Sesame Beef Burgers
adapted from Annabel Langein's Simple Pleasures
Makes 8

For the Beef Patties:
1 kg ground beef (I ground 600g brisket and 400g of chuck)
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves, central rib removed and leaves finely shredded
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons spicy black bean sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 table spoon vegetable oil, for frying

For the Burgers:
8 soft burger buns (I used my Light Wholemeal Brioche Rolls with Black Sesame, Fennel and Cumin Seeds)
Butter lettuce leaves, separated, washed and dried

1 red onion, thinly sliced

Sriracha sauce

Make the Beef Patties:

Put all the ingredients expect the sesame seeds and vegetable oil into a large mixing bowl and mix with your hands and mix really well. Form the mixture into 8 large balls and then flatten them out to form patties.

Put the sesame seeds into a small bowl. Working with one patty at a time, press one side the patty into the sesame seeds, coating one side. Turn the patty over and press the other side into the sesame seeds, covering the second side. Place them on a baking paper lined baking sheet.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan to medium-high (or cook on the barbecue). Cook the patties until the sesame seeds are golden brown and the burger is cooked to your desired done-ness. I like mine medium-rare.

Assemble the Burgers:

If you like your burger buns toasted, then pop them sliced-side up under the grill (broiler) or on the barbecue until lightly toasted. I had super-fresh buns, so I didn't toast mine.

Pop lettuce leaves, burgers and onions on the bottoms of the buns and slather with Sriracha. Pop the burger bun tops on and enter the gates of burger heaven.