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HowtomakeHestonsPerfectCheeseburgerrecipefromInSearchofPerfection.:InSearchOfHeston

HowtomakeHestonsPerfectCheeseburgerrecipe
fromInSearchofPerfection.
PostedbyPhilOnMay2nd,2014/15Comments

HestonBlumenthaltakesonanAmericanclassic,thePerfectcheeseburgerrecipe
forhissecondInSearchofPerfectionseries.

Iknowalotofusfeelverystronglyaboutburgers,andweallhaveourspecificpreferencesandphilosophies.
Thisiswhyburgersbetweeneventhegourmetchainsvarysomuch.YourByron,yourPatty&Bun,Five
Guysandsoon(Justkidding,weallknowFiveGuysisgarbage).
So,eventhoughopinionsandpreferencesdifferwildlyforthesakeofthisexperiment,likeallthePerfection
recipeswemake,wellbestickingtotheexactmethodasdescribedinHestonBlumenthalsInSearchof
Perfectionbook.Besides,Hestonwasmakingthisburgerbackin2007,sohedidnthavethevastrangeof
gourmetburgersasareferencepoint.Welltalkaboutthatlater.

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WellbepairingHestonsPerfectCheeseburgerrecipewithanotherAmericanclassicfromtheInSearchof
Perfectionseries:HestonsPerfectBakedAlaskarecipe.

SUMMARY

Recipes:HestonsPerfectCheeseburgerrecipefromInSearchofPerfection
SpecialEquipment:Mincer,foodmixer
SpecialIngredients:SodiumCitrate,beefshortrib
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Time:2days
Serves:416(wehalvedtherecipeandcouldhaveeasilyfed8)
Difficulty:Hard
HeresavideoofHestonshowingyouhowtomakehisPerfectCheeseburgerrecipeontheInsearchof
PerfectionTVshow:

Andhereswhatwereaimingfor,HestonsPerfectburgerrecipeasitappearsinthebook.

WehadhopedtohaveaneasymakingHestonsPerfectBurgerrecipeafterseeingthis:

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ThatsthedishaspresentedonMasterchefAustraliain2012.Thecontestantswerechallengedtomakethedish
inabout3hours,withtriplecookedchipsincludedasamandatorysidedish.
WefiguredifthoseguyscouldrecreatetherecipeinsuchashorttimeunderthepressureofTVcameraswe
couldeasilyfinishitoverthecourseofaleisurelydayintheprivacyofourownkitchen.

Wepresumethisispossible,justaslongasyouarentmakingthehorrendouslycomplexBakedAlaskarecipeat
thesametime.Lookingbackatthisreporttheprocessseemssoeasyitshardtobelievewedidntgettoeat
untilgone1am.

REPORT
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Step1:BunPreFerment
ThisisastepwerecognisefromHestonsInSearchofPerfectionPizzarecipe.Creatingabatchofdoughthats
given24hourstodevelopaddsagreaterdepthofbreadyflavourtoyourbuns.LikethePerfectionPizzarecipeit
alsoaddsanextrafulldaytomakingHestonsPerfectBurgerrecipe.

Makingitisfairlysimple,though.Aslongasyouhavesomekindoffoodmixer.Wedonthaveexactlyoneof
those,butwedohaveanoversizedMagimixwithadoughbladethatwehopewilldothejob.

Whizzwater,flourandatinybitofyeasttogether.Thencoverandleaveonthesideovernighttoprove/proof/
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howeveryouspellit.

Step2:CheeseSlices
Thesekeepinthefridgeverywell,youmightaswellgetthemoutofthewayearlysoyoucanconcentrateonthe
restoftherecipe.

Wevediscussedsodiumcitratebefore,whenwetestedHestonsMacaroniCheeserecipeagainsttheincredible
silkysmoothsodiumcitrateversionfromModernistCuisine.Thistimeinsteadofchickenstockorplainwater
Hestonisaddingsherryinfusedwithgarlic,thymeandclove.Maybesomepeppercornstoo.Itwasawhileback,
Iforget.

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Finelygratedcheesemeltsquicker,youneedtoweighbothcheeseandsherryquiteaccuratelytogettheright
smoothtexture.Avoidusingtoohighaheat,youwantthesherrysimmeringratherthanatarollingboil.

Aswiththerestofthisrecipe,werehalvingthequantitiesHestonasksfor.Tipthesilkysmoothcheesesauce
intoaparchmentlinedbakingtray.

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Ifpossiblehaveasecond,smallertraynexttoyourfirsttoavoidthemistakewemadewepoureditallintoone
trayandendedupwiththick,clumsylooking,oafishcheeseslices.

Step3:PreparingtheChuck
Itsprobablybettertodothisonthedayyoureplanningtoeatthanthenightbefore.Yourchucksteakwilltakea
good6hourstosaltbeforeyoucangrinditthough,sofactorthatinwhenyoucometomakeyourownburger
patties.

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Chopintosmallcubesandsprinklewithameasuredquantityofsalt,thencoverandrefrigerate.

Step4:Bundough

Hestonwarnsthatthisisaverydifficultdoughtoworkwith,andImabsolutelycrapatbaking,sowemusthave
beenluckywiththisstep.Theresnootherexplanationforthesebunsturningoutsoamazinglywell.

Youstartofbymixingyourdryingredients,mainlyverystrongCanadianbreadflour,andaddingastaggering5
eggyolks(tenifyouremakingthefullrecipe).
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Thisresultsinquitealoosemixture,whichluckilymeantourcheapoArgoshandmixerdidntburnoutkneading
it,unlikewiththedoughforHestonsPerfectionPizzarecipe.

Eventuallyyoulladdbeurrenoisette(Hestonsrecipescallforthisquitefrequently,sowemadeabigbatch
earlier),Trexandsomegrapeseedoil.Alongwiththeprefermentandabitmoremixingyoullendupwithavery
sloppyandunsettlinglyyellowdough.

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Thisllneedtwohoursrestinthefridge,afterwhichitllstillbemurdertoworkwith.Weputoursinthefreezerfor
abit,hopingitdsolidifyabitandbeeasiertodivideintoportions.Thisactuallyworked!

TherestingtimegivesyouagoodopportunitytofaffaroundwithHestonssoulsappingBakedAlaskarecipe,or
youcanbemoreproductiveandstartgrindingthemeat.

Step5:GrindingtheMeat
Likewithmanyotheraspectsofthegourmetburgerscene,thecutsofmeatusedareofvitalimportance.Again,
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thatllvaryfromplacetoplace,andofcourseweallhaveourfavourites.Hestonschoicefortheperfect
hamburgerpattyisabout50%shortrib,25%chuckand25%brisket.

WhenIlookbackatthesephotosandwonderwhymakingthisrecipetooksolongitsusuallybecauseIforget
whataploddingnightmareitisusingourcastironmincer.(Icouldjustifytheexpensebecauseweuseditfor
thebologneseandthebangersandmash,aswellasthisrecipe).

Grindingwasextradifficultbecause,followingadvicefromModernistCuisinethatdavoidbacterialgrowthand
preventmeltingfatsmearinguptheworks,Idputourmincerinthefreezerovernightitwasjammedsolid.

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Note:tobeatthesetoughcutsintohumble,TheonGreyjoylikesubmissionyoullwanttomincethemonthe
smallestsizedgrindingplate.DontdowhatIdidandjustusethebigone,becauseyoullhavetostartoveragain
anditsalreadyachoreasitis.
So,putontheradio,yourfavouritealbum,perhapsalongeraudiobook,andsettoworkonthelaboriousbusiness
ofhandgrindingyourmeat.

Thendoitalloveragain.
Ifyouwanttoserveyourburgersanythingotherthanwelldonethenwedsaygetthismincebackintoavery
coldfridgeasquicklyaspossible,ideallyworkinginbatches.

Step6:Provingtheburgerbundough
Hey,rememberwhenwemadethatcolddoughintoniceneatportions.
Toshapethisdoughintoactualburgerbunswellneedsomemetalringstobakethemin.Naturallyyouwont
ownanyofthese,butdontworry,Hestonisgoingtoshowushowtomakethem.

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Itseasy,ifatouchtimeconsuming.Youjustfoldaluminiumfoilintostrips,thenbendthestripsroundintoa
circle.Wewantedsupersturdyrings,sooursarethefullwidthoftherolloffoil.Thesefourmodestrings
representseveralmetresofthestuff.
Ididnttrustmyself,sellotapeorHestonBlumenthalsowereholdingourringstogetherusingtheseminiature
bulldogclips.Hopefullytheselldoabetterjobthantheydidholdingthelooserearmudflaponmyoldcar,sowe
wontfindanyofHestonscustomburgerringslitteringthenorthboundcarriageoftheA19.

Placeyourdoughportionsinthecentreofeachringandletthemriseinawarmplacefor2hours.Peoplehave
allkindsoffancybakingcabinetstodothisin.Wejustswitchourovenonforabitthenusethegrill
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compartmentaboveit.

Step7:MakingtheBurgers
Well,burgerlog.ThisisthetrickypartofHestonsPerfectHamburgerrecipe.
GordonRamsayandJamieOliverhaveavastrangeofburgerrecipes,wherethepattycontainsallmannerof
ingredientsfrombreadcrumbsandwholeeggstobluecheeseandpaprika.HestonBlumenthalismoreofapurist,
sohisburgersarejustbeefmince,heldtogetherwithsaltandhope.
Thesaltservesapurpose,itllbreakdowntheproteinsoftheburgerandthenbindthemtogether.Imnot
qualifiedtoexplainhowthisworks,weshouldallpetitionthefunandknowledgeableAlexover
atGastrophysicstodoavideoonthesciencebehindit.
Havingsufferedthroughtworoundsofmincingyoullhavetodealwithathird,thistimeonthelargesizegrinding
plate(togivethefinishedburgeratexturethatsascoarseandmeatyasDanBilzerian).

TheuniqueapproachinHestonsultimateburger,andonethattoourknowledgenoothergourmetburger
operationintheworldseemskeentoreplicate,istolayoutalltheminceinastraightline,soitsallfacinginone
direction.Thesalt(alreadyaddedtothechucksteakearlier)willbindalltheassortedproteinstogethersothat
theseindividualstrandsdontfallapart.
Theresultintheoryshouldbeawellseasonedpuremeatburgerwithanopentexture.Theresultinpracticeisa
massivepaininthearseasyoustopandstart,tryingtolineupallthestrandsofmeat.

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Imadearoughjobofit.Thenextstepistorollthelog.Obviouslyyoualreadyknewthatthemincehadtogo
ontoadoublelayerofclingfilm,whichiswhyIdidntmentionthisearlier.Roll,tieandtwistuntilthelogisnice
andtight.

AtthispointIstabbedthethingfullofholestosqueezeoutanyairpocketsandtighteneditsomemore,witha
thirdlayerofclingfilmtokeepitfreshinthefridgeuntilcookingtime.

Step8:UmamiTomatoConcentrate
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Technicallyyoucandothisstepasearlyasthedaybeforebut,sincewereusingthesametomatoesforthe
garnish,weredoingthistowardstheend.

Hestonrecipeshaveareputationforbeingridiculouslywasteful,andyoureabouttoseewhy.Hestonisan
umamifan,andtomatoesarewildlyrichinthestuff.Theactualbitofthetomatowiththemostumamiisthat
waterygungearoundtheseeds.Hestonwantsyoutoextractitandreduceitintoanumamiboostingconcentrate
touseasanextracondiment.Whichmeanspushingthatwaterygungethroughasievetoremovetheseedsthen
reducingitonthehobforabouttentofifteenminutesuntilitsthicklikeketchup.

Whenwesaywastefulwemeanit,thescoopedoutinnardsofaroundsixtomatoesyieldedusaboutasingle
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tablespoonofthestuff.

Therewasmore,butyouhavetosievethestuff,decantitintoalittledishreadyforservingandthenusea
teaspoontoapplyittothebuns.Wereckonhalfouryieldwasleftsmearedacrossallthevariousutensilswe
used.

Youllneedasliceortwooftheremainingtomatoestodresstheburgerswith.Theother,ohsay,fivefull
tomatoeshavenofurtheruse.AsfarasHestonisconcernedyoucanjustbinthem.

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Step9:BakingtheBurgerBuns
AsifHestonsperfecthamburgerbunsdidntalreadyuseadaftamountofegg.Goon,crackacouplemore.You
wantonewholeone,ayolkandabitofwater.Ohandsometoastedsesameseeds.Youdidremembertotoast
thesesameseeds,right?

Theovenneedstobepreparedtoo.Hestonslingsajugofwaterontotheheatingelementtocreateamoist
bakingenvironmentthatllstopthebunsdevelopingathickcrust.Ourovenhasgivenmeenoughburnsalready,
sotoavoidscaldingmyhandsandfaceIvejustplacedaroastingtrayfilledwithboilingkettlewaterintothe
bottom.

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Pattherisendoughdownalittlebit,youdontwantthemtoobigoryourjawwontfitaroundthem.Bakeforabout
7or8minutes,thenapplytheeggwashandsprinkleonthesesameseedsforthesecondhalfofthecooking
time.Ourscameoutaminuteearlyastheylookedprettymuchdone.

Step10:Condiments
TheressuchavastarrayofstuffgoingontoHestonsPerfectCheeseburgerthatassemblingitallisastepin
itself.
Theonionsrequireabitofattention.Notonlymusttheybeslicedbutyoullalsowanttogetapanon,boilsome
waterandblanchthemfor30secondsthenblotthemdryinkitchenpaper.Why?Well,firstandforemost
becauseHestonwantstomakeyourlifethatbitmoredifficultasyougettowards1amandtheendofmakingthis
recipe,butalsobecauseblanchingwilltakeawaytheharsh,rawedgeofthoseonionslices.

Thenjustslicegherkinsandremovethecheeseslicesfromthefridgeandcutthemintoportionsifrequired
andgetouryourketchupandyourmustardandyourmayonnaiseandalsofinelyshredaniceberglettuceand
alsoslicethosetomatoesyouscoopedoutearlierifyoustillhavethemandthengetoutthebutterandputitinto
apanandheatituntilitstopsbubblingtomakeabeurrenoisettewhichyouthenneedtostrainreadytoapplyto
theburgersandthebunsandthenlineeverythingupandthenyoushouldbereadytocooktheburgers.Phew.
Onsidenote,wefinditoddthatHestonrecommendsusingicedwatertocrispupthelettuceusedin
hisPerfectionSteakandSaladrecipe,butdoesntsuggestthistricktomaximisethetextureofthelettuceinhis
PerfectionHamburgerrecipe.

Step11:CookingandAssembly
Besuretocutnicethickburgerpattiesfromthelogyoumadeearlier.Asharpknifeisvitalingettingthroughthe
clingfilm.Weoughttohaveslightlyfrozenthelog,liketheydowithtartar,toensureacleanercut.
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RememberwhenwemadeHestonsPerfectSteakrecipe?Histiptherewastoflipthesteakevery30secondsin
aviciouslyhotpantoensureevencookingandathickMaillardeycrust.Oh,

HestonsPerfectCheeseburgerrecipeusesthesamemethod.Drizzlebeurrenoisetteonthemwhiletheyrest.
MorebeurrenoisettegoesontoHestonsslicedburgerbuns,whichthengettoastedandgivenasliceofcheese
each.MeltthecheeseontothebunsandthenstartbuildingyourHestonBlumenthalPerfectionCheeseburgers.

Hestonsburgerconstructiongoes,frombottomtotop:toastedburgerbun,meltedcheeseslice,ketchup,
Americanmustard,mayonnaiseandtomatoumamiconcentrate,slicedgherkins,asliceortwoofthetomato
fromearlier,theburgerpattydrizzledwithbeurrenoisette,blanchedonions,shreddediceberglettuce.Ontop
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therestheotherhalfofthetoastedburgerbunwhichhasasecondmeltedcheesesliceandmoreketchup,
mustardandmayoonit.

Congratulations,youvejustmadeHestonsPerfectCheeseburgerrecipefromInSearchofPerfection.Hope
yourememberedtomakesometriplecookedFrenchfriestogowithit!

VERDICT
LikewesaidearlierHestonsPerfectCheeseburgerrecipewasdevelopedatatimewellbeforethecurrent
gourmetburgerepidemic.OurpersonalfavouritesareHonestBurgers,GlasgowsBurgerMeatsBunandthe
filthyexcessofAlmostFamous.Theresavastrangeofchoicestocaterforeverybodysindividualtastes.

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Wesayallthisbecausethecurrentclimateandswatheofhighstandardestablishmentsmakesitabittougherto
judgeHestonsInSearchofPerfectionPerfectCheeseburgerrecipeobjectively.Butsinceoneofthecorevalues
ofthisblogisnotlettingourabsoluteincompetencestandinourway,heregoes
Itsbloodygood,butwewerentkeenontheOTTcheeseslice.

Heresalongerreview:Thebriocheburgerbunwasthebestthingaboutthisrecipe.Hestonhastailoredhis
burgerbunrecipetobeexactlywhataluxuriousbutpotentiallymessyburgerneeds.Yes,theresarichand
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decadentflavourfromalltheyolksandbutter,butthetightcrumbstructurehelpsholdthebuntogetheruntilthe
lastbite,whilestillbeingabletosoakupthejuicesfromtheburgerpatty.
WedontwatchthatStrictlyBakeoffTVshow,butIknowthatbakingisaverypreciseanddemandingart
requiringtalentandskill.Despiteamassivelackofallthesethingsourbunsturnedoutnearenoughperfectly.

Icanonlyputthisdowntoextremeluckonourpart.Itcanonlybeacompleteaccidentthatthemixing,resting,
proofingtemperatureandfinalbakingallwentaswellastheydid.Andwhilethedoughisdifficultworkwithifyou
leaveitatroomtemperature,atripthroughthefreezerandwellflouredhandsmakeitalotmoremanageable.
Bytheway,Icantellyouthatjustlikeallfreshlybakedgoodsthesearebestconsumedonthedaytheyre
made.Atleastthatsmyverdictaftereatingthelastburgerforbreakfastadayandahalflater.
Thepattywasexcellenttoo,thoughwedontthinkitwasquiteworthalltheeffort.Usingthreetypesof
flavoursomecutmeansbagsofbeefyflavour.Thinkshincasseroleflavourwithfilletsteaktenderness.

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Theheavilysaltedtexturewasabitmoredivisive.BothModernistCuisineandHawksmooradviseagainstsalting
burgerpattiesfortoolongtopreventasausageliketexturefromdeveloping.Thatswhattheseburgershad.Its
ahandsomelookingburgerpatty,allroundandproud,butthesalthadgluedallthoseproteinsquitefirmly
together.
Whatyourepromisedareopenstrandsofmeatfallingawayloosely,likesnippedspaghettiends.Whatyougetis
morelikeasolid,homogenousmass.Butatastyone.

Wedidnotlikethecheesesliceatall.Thismightbebecauseourtastebudsarentdialledintothesherryorthe
Comte.Hestonscheeseslicehasanoverpoweringflavourthatdominateseverythingelseintheburger.Thefact
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thatheinsistsupontwoofthesecheeseslicesdoublesthisproblem.
ClearlytheoverwhelmingcheesesliceisasignaturemovefortheFatDuckchef,becauseitsthesamestory
withtheHestonultimatecheeseburgerrecipedevisedforWaitrose.Withthatrecipe,inlieuofmuchtodowith
shopboughtbunsandaburgerpattyfromafactory,Hestonconcoctsacheeseslicewithmarmite,yeastand
otherassortedingredients.That'salotofbigflavours,totheeffectthatthecheesesliceisallyoucantaste
whenyoufinallyeattheburger.
HestonsInSearchofPerfectionHamburgerperfectcheeseslicerecipeisntquitesodominant,butitscertainly
moreattentiongrabbingthanitoughttobe.Agoodcheesesliceshouldbeasmoothandcreamyaffairthat
complimentsandmingleswiththeotherflavoursandtextures.Thisstandsoutfartoomuch.
TheotherflavoursandtexturesallrepresentHestonBlumenthalspersonalpreferenceincheeseburgerrecipes,
buttheydoprovideagreatrangeofcontrastingtexturesandflavours.Unliketheotherkidsatschoolwednever
takethepicklesoutofourMcDonaldsburgers,thoughwedhavepreferredtheonionsunblanchedbecausewe
dolikeabitofthattherawbite.Thefinelyshreddedlettuceoughttohavegonebeneaththeburgertoholditin
place.AndwhyinGodsnamedoesHestonthinkitsacceptabletomeltthecheesesliceontothebun,masking
thecrispytoastedsurface,ratherthandirectlyontotheburger!?

Wecouldntdetectthattomatoumamiconcentrate,whichmakesamockeryofallthegoodworkand
theseventomatoesthatgointoit.Maybetheflavourismaskedbythatbrutalcheesesliceandtheother
condiments.
Onthatsubject,theressimplynosubstituteforHeinzbrandketchupandfullfatmayonnaise.PuristBritsmay
scoff,butFrenchsAmericanmustardisasublimeandwonderfulthingtoo.(Wedofinditstrangethatspecific
brandsarentmandated,givenhowbroadlytheirparticularflavourscanvary).
Ourothercriticismwouldbethatthequantitiesinthisrecipearewayoff.Therecipeinthebookclaimstoserve
eight.Wehalvedthedoughingredientstomakefourbuns(andservethreeverygreedypeople).

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Therewasactuallyenoughleftoverdoughthatwecouldeasilyhaveyieldedeightbunsratherthanfour.Thisisnt
aproblembecausewefrozetheleftoverdough,whichmeanswellgettoenjoytheseexceptionalbunsagainat
ournextbarbecue.Samestorywiththeburgerstoo,despiteuscuttingmercilesslythickpatties.

Itsnotexactlyourperfectburger,andaftermorethan7yearsitsnotasrevolutionaryasitoncewas,but
HestonsPerfectCheeseburgerfromInSearchofPerfectionisstillanexceptionaldish.Justgoeasyonthe
cheeseslices.

NEXTTIME

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Whileitstoocomplicatedtorepeatinfulltheresafewthingswedtakeawayfromthisrecipe
Theburgerbunsarethoroughlyexcellent,wedkeepthosethewaytheyare
Makeacheesesliceofmozzarella,gruyereandplainwater.Orjustuseaprocessedone.Were
notsnobs
UseaHawksmoorstylemixofminceandbonemarrowforflavourandease
Justtheonecheeseslice,melteddirectlyontotheburger
Lettuceandonionsgounderthepattytostopthemfallingeverywhere
Ditchtheumamitomatoconcentrate
Useanyofyouchosenpersonalfavouritetoppings.Welikeslowlycaramelisedonions,streaky
baconandgrilledpineapple.Sowhat!

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