Unlike here in North America, burgers in old Hungary were not deemed as fast food item. Our burgers were mainly made with pork, formed into small, near-flattened balls and seasoned to superlative flavoring even before it reached the frying pan. I make them the same way, with just a bit of alteration a bit bigger and thicker to grill inside or on the BBQ.
These delicious, little meat patties are great even cold as leftovers, if you’re lucky enough to find one left uneaten.
I usually serve them as you see below with my “Creamy Wax Beans” and “Garlicky Mashed Potatoes” Give it a try and you’ll see.
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb. regular ground pork
1 finely chopped medium onion (¾ cup)
2 cloves garlic fine minced
1 whole egg (no need to beat)
1 small Kaiser bun
Spices and the oil:
1 ½ tsp. fine ground black pepper
1 ¼ tsp. iodized table salt
1 tsp. Hungarian paprika
1 ½ tbs. dry parsley flakes or (about 4 stem Italian flat parsley, rinsed clean and finely chopped)
1 ½ tbs. breadcrumbs (to sprinkle lightly on the outside)
3 tbs. cold water
4 tbs. of Mazola Corn Oil for sautéing the onion
More Mazola Corn Oil for frying, about half thickness of the hamburgers.
(Please do not alter for Olive oil, butter or margarine)
Place the Kaiser bun in a small bowl and pour the cup of cold water over it. Let it soak for a minute. When the bun absorbed the water, lift it up out of the bowl, squeezing all the water out of it, crumble it into tiny little pieces, as you add it to the ground meat.
Preparation:
Under medium heat, warm the oil.
Add the finely chopped onions, with a small pinch of salt.
Sauté until softened and translucent, about 3-4minutes, put aside to cool.
Place the ground meat in a medium size-mixing bowl; add the bun, salt, ground pepper, garlic, parsley flakes, Hungarian paprika, water and the egg.
Add the now cooled onion to the ground meat and mix together steadily, until you feel the ground meat and all of the ingredients, including the soaked bun, been completely integrated, together.
Allow combined ingredients to rest 25-30 minutes in the refrigerator to achieve a greater overall flavor.
I usually test fry a small patty to see if it needs anything extra. Maybe bit more salt or pepper.
Forming the patties:
When forming the patties always make them slightly thinner near the middle than the outside. The middle always rises and this way, when you are cooking them, they will end up evenly cooked. As you do more, you will be achieving this automatically without thought.
I prefer my patties small, unless it’s for the BBQ. You can make them bigger but keep the width (thickness) the same for easier fry through cooking.
When forming the patties take out a small handful of meat, enough to cover the (length and width of your fingers) form a small round ball. Pick up some breadcrumbs and lightly sprinkle as if you’re salting them, then press down with the fingers of your other hand to flatten and smooth out the patties to be roughly finger thickness. ½ inch thick. Make it less in the middle, these are dinner patties so you don’t want them too big or round. Put them on flat plate. Repeat untiL done.
There should be between 10-12 patties.
Frying the Patties:
On MEDIUM heat, in a thick-bottomed and deep-sided frying pan, heat enough oil to reach near half the thickness of the hamburger.
Add the patties ONLY when the oil is hot enough.
Test temperature, by pinching a tiny crumb from the hamburger to drop into the oil. When it sizzles, you can put in many as will comfortably fit in the frying pan.
It will only take 8-10 minutes on each side. Turn only ONCE, and only when one side turns a nice medium brown color. When done, pierce one to check the inside.
Pork meat should always be fully cooked. No in-betweens, even if you combine it with beef or veal. When pierced, clean juice should run free and not pink. When both sides are cooked, remove and put on dry paper towel to soak up excess oil.
Suggestion:
Serve as complete meal for dinner with mashed potatoes, wax beans and sour dill pickles.
Look for my special “Garlicky Mashed Potatoes” and “Hungarian Creamy Waxed Beans” recipes, to go with my great meatloaf type burgers.
If you are ambitious enough, you can save the potato water you throw down the drain and make my “Anyu’s Potato Water Soup” in minutes. It’s simple, easy and most of all delicious.
Tip: I prefer and only like the regular ground pork for this recipe because it is not as dry when cooked. If you want a juicy, tasty burger, you need fatty meat, not lean. That’s the secret to all burgers. Don’t worry the fat always cooks away, but the flavor intensifies and stays.
If you have leftovers put these tasty patties on a Kaiser, Brioche or slices of lightly toasted sourdough or rye bread. You can also give these burgers a try on the BBQ. I promise you will not be disappointed. Let me know the results below.
Click here for complete recipe:
http://www.sherryshungariankitchen.com/hungarian-meatloaf-type-hamburger/
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