A place for gourmet aviators. Musicians are also welcome.

Moderator: Dave W

By Jon Mercer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1326437
Last night I was regarding the empty state of my fridge and wondering what on earth to do with the mince I'd taken out of the freezer the night before and the idea hit me to make burgers.

So what I did was this:

Finely chop a large handful of parsley and 4 sage leaves from the garden
Finely chop a half an onion
Beat one egg
Add all the ingredients in a bowl with 1/2 kg lean mince
Season with salt, pepper, very large dash of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon English mustard.
Mix well until thoroughly combined and sticking together well.
Form the mix into thick patties and fry on a medium heat, turning infrequently to get the surface to caramelise and to prevent break up through over handling.

This was served with horseradish mash last night and the combo worked well but I'd put more mustard and sage in next time.

What would forumites like to see in their burger?
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By Keef
#1326580
I'm not generally a burger fan, because of the junk offered by certain sources.

However, there is (or was when I was a regular) a bar in Dearborn in Michigan called Millers. It was always packed, and people were always asking for a "ground round" (try that with an American accent!).

One day, I decided to try one. It was stunning! I went back there many, many times over the years, as did my colleagues.
Late one evening, I asked old man Miller what made the burgers so special.
"First awf, they ain't burgers, they're ground rounds. Second awf, they're made with fresh best fillet steak, herbs and spices, and nothing else."

He wouldn't tell me what the herbs and spices were, but he did say that he bought best US fillet steak fresh every day and made them himself.

I eat "beef patties" made by our local butcher. They aren't bad, but Miller's ground rounds they ain't.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1326582
The home made burgers (steak burgers) at the Thursday pub were always very good, but they've been through a few chefs lately and the current one puts too many herbs and things in them. Nice at first but it becomes tedious as you make your way through them and by the end you're not enjoying it.

A couple of chefs ago, the chef was a gourmet chap, not 100% au fait with pub food. He had no idea what a chilli burger was. What it actually is is a burger topped with chilli con carne. What he made was a burger with chilli powder mixed in with it... :D
By Jon Mercer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1326848
I have heard that if you twice mince the beef you don't need the egg to bind it all together. I don't own a mincing machine, needless to say... :roll:

I quite like the idea of a really herby, maybe spicy burger. Tempted to put proper uncreamed horseradish into one to see if that gives a nice flavour. Trouble is I can't imagine a burger without a rather sweet edge unless dressed with a blue cheese sauce, which plays havoc with wearing a moustache!
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1326865
Are you one of those people who pick up and eat the burger with your hands, no matter what the size or shape or how it's served? :D

I use a knife and fork. I have no facial adornments of the hairy kind (well, apart from eyebrows but I don't think they count) but still find it easier and less messy that way.

Reporting back though, I didn't have the burger last night (I had a chicken, bacon and avocado salad if you're interested, and this is the food forum so why not?) but one of the aficionados (otherwise known as a pilot) reported that the burger had returned to normal, without excessive herbage. So I might have one next week.

Said aficionado is working in Didcot at the moment, driving back and forth past Newbury to get to Godalming. I suggested he tried the American Diner on the A339 near Kingsclere. So that got me thinking, how about a forum meet there sometime?

Oh and I've had a burger with horseradish mixed in, it was quite nice.

I've also had horseradish vodka in Kiev. Also quite nice.
By Jon Mercer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1326894
Paul_Sengupta wrote:Are you one of those people who pick up and eat the burger with your hands, no matter what the size or shape or how it's served? :D


Good heavens, no! Knife and fork the whole way.

Paul_Sengupta wrote:I use a knife and fork. I have no facial adornments of the hairy kind (well, apart from eyebrows but I don't think they count) but still find it easier and less messy that way.


If someone has ever ordered the kind of burger that risks getting ketchup on their eyebrows when they pick it up to eat it I respectfully suggest they worry more about your cardiac health than personal appearance. :lol:

Paul_Sengupta wrote:Reporting back though, I didn't have the burger last night (I had a chicken, bacon and avocado salad if you're interested, and this is the food forum so why not?) but one of the aficionados (otherwise known as a pilot) reported that the burger had returned to normal, without excessive herbage. So I might have one next week.


Ever heard of the 'Bavo'? Worth another post...

Paul_Sengupta wrote:Said aficionado is working in Didcot at the moment, driving back and forth past Newbury to get to Godalming. I suggested he tried the American Diner on the A339 near Kingsclere. So that got me thinking, how about a forum meet there sometime?


Sounds good, although I think it might be worth moving westwards for a flyer meetup. What say you?

Paul_Sengupta wrote:Oh and I've had a burger with horseradish mixed in, it was quite nice.


I shall try this next time.

Paul_Sengupta wrote:I've also had horseradish vodka in Kiev. Also quite nice.


I won't try this next time!
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1326908
There's always the "Bristol, Gloucester and environs" meet. Perhaps coupled with the Wales meet. We used to alternate between different sides of the Severn Bridge, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside recently. I might try and arrange one for a night when I'm travelling to/from Wales.

The Newbury one will be the Newbury one! :-)

Another thing that's popular with kebab joints in Germany is a cheeseburger where the cheese is actually inside the burger as a line through the middle. Also quite nice.
By Jon Mercer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1326914
Maybe blue cheese mixed into the burger! You're an inspiration, Paul. :thumleft:

Thinking about it, I'd be up for a Newbury meetup, I've realised it's something I only really do about once a year, so it's not exactly a big travel burden.

If there's a night you're travelling to/from wales and fancy a meetup I'm guessing Bristol might be the ideal location. Las Iguanas at Cribbs is actually very nice.
By velostar
#1337673
I wish the airfields I visit offered anything half as tasty.... So hungry for a burger right now.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1337737
The best was at the now-burnt-down restaurant at Sandown. The Aviator burger. It was very nice indeed. I used to pop down sometimes twice a week to have one, especially if I was working nights in Newbury, I'd pop down, get a burger, then go to work.

Unfortunately now consigned to history. :(
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1337840
Sorry to correct you Paul but the best ever burgers were at Old Buck in the mid-late 90s.

Who can forget the mustangburger and its many variants.

Peter
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1337844
Yeah, people rave about the mustang burgers, but they were just a huge mass of stodge. The Sandown ones were much nicer.
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By Keef
#1337878
Oh, I dunno. I enjoyed my Mustang burger. Didn't manage to finish it, mind.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1337887
Didn't say I didn't enjoy them, just that the Sandown ones were my favourite! :D

Paul_Sengupta wrote:Reporting back though, I didn't have the burger last night (I had a chicken, bacon and avocado salad if you're interested, and this is the food forum so why not?) but one of the aficionados (otherwise known as a pilot) reported that the burger had returned to normal, without excessive herbage. So I might have one next week.


Following up on the Great Grantley Arms Burger Saga, I did have one sometime after the "no excess herbage" comment, but I found that it still contained excess herbage. Several of us keep reporting it back to the chef but nothing's changed. A shame as the Grantley burgers were the best around some years ago.

The previous best on my list were the ones The Captain's Wife pub in Sully (near Penarth...near Cardiff!) used to do upstairs. They were home made and served on one of those heated steel sizzling things. Unfortunately the pub got taken over and turned into some sort of child friendly chain type restaurant. :( Prior to that it was one of the best pubs in South Wales.
By Jon Mercer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1338630
I could really do with a burger now. Feeling quite hungry. I've had a modest Christmas food wise, so I think I can justify it.

I might try and come up with a blue cheese burger for this evening.