Hamburgers with Fries
By Middagsarkivet
- Easy
- 4 servings
The home burger is Friday food across the Nordics. Sweden has fredagsmys, Denmark has the same evening under a different name, and in both cases it often means something you eat with your hands in front of the television. Ground beef is the cheapest meat in the cooler, potatoes are the cheapest vegetable in the bin, and the whole thing lands on the table for less than a takeout order for one.
Nordic supermarket ground beef runs leaner than American chuck, usually somewhere between 10 and 15 percent fat, and the patties are shaped a little thicker than the flat griddle burgers Americans know. If you can buy 80/20 chuck, do, it is more forgiving. Fries go in the oven rather than a fryer, because almost nobody keeps a liter of frying oil around for a Tuesday.
The sauce is whatever is in the door of the refrigerator. Mayonnaise, mustard and a chopped pickle is the version that keeps turning up, and it tastes close enough to the sauce on a burger from a kiosk that nobody at the table asks questions.
How to make it
- 1
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and put a rack in the lower third. Line a large sheet pan with parchment.
- 2
Cut the fries
Cut the potatoes into sticks about 1/2 inch thick, leaving the skin on. Rinse them in cold water until the water runs clear, then dry them well in a towel. Wet fries steam instead of browning.
- 3
Bake the fries
Toss the potatoes with the vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper, then spread them in a single layer with space between them. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once halfway, until browned at the edges and soft inside.
- 4
Mix the sauce
Stir the mayonnaise, mustard, chopped dill pickle, red wine vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until serving.
- 5
Shape the patties
Divide the ground beef into 4 lumps and pat each one into a patty about 3/4 inch thick and slightly wider than the buns. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each so they do not dome. Handle the meat as little as possible and do not salt it yet.
- 6
Toast the buns
Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
- 7
Sear
Wipe the skillet, add the vegetable oil and set it over high heat until it just smokes. Season the patties on both sides with the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the coarse black pepper, then lay them in the pan. Cook without moving them for 3 to 4 minutes, until a dark crust forms.
- 8
Flip and melt
Turn the patties, lay a slice of cheddar on each, and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Ground beef must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Let the patties rest for 2 minutes.
- 9
Assemble
Spread burger sauce on both halves of each bun. Build with lettuce, the patty with its melted cheddar, tomato, red onion and pickle slices. Salt the fries again while they are hot and serve at once.
A couple of tips
Do not press the patties down in the pan. Every push squeezes out the fat that makes the crust, and leaner Nordic ground beef has little to spare.
Salt the meat just before it hits the pan. Salt mixed into the ground beef ahead of time makes the texture springy, more like a meatball than a burger.
If the fries are done before the burgers, leave them in the turned-off oven with the door ajar. They hold better there than under foil, which makes them limp.
What you need
- an instant-read thermometer
- a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron
- a large sheet pan
Serving
Serve the burgers and fries straight from the pan and sheet pan, with the bowl of burger sauce on the table for dipping the fries. A plain cucumber salad cuts the richness if you want something green.
Storing it
Cooked patties keep 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat best in a dry skillet over medium heat. The sauce keeps 5 days refrigerated. Fries do not keep well; eat them the same evening or crisp leftovers in a hot oven and accept less.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 1,270 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 87 g |
| of which saturated | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 72 g |
| of which sugars | 7 g |
| Fiber | 7 g |
| Protein | 47 g |
| Salt | 6 g |
Questions and answers
- Can you freeze hamburger patties?
- Yes. Freeze them raw, separated by parchment, for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. Cooked patties freeze too but turn dry on reheating.
- How do I know when a burger is done?
- Use an instant-read thermometer in the side of the patty: ground beef needs 160°F (71°C). Color is not a reliable sign, since ground beef can look brown before it is safe and stay pink after it is.
- Can I make the fries ahead?
- Cut and rinse them earlier in the day and keep them in cold water in the refrigerator, then dry them well before oiling. Baked fries themselves do not wait.
- What can replace the cheddar?
- Any cheese that melts without separating works, including Havarti, Jarlsberg or a mild Gouda. Skip it entirely if you want the beef to lead.
- Do I need breadcrumbs or egg in the meat?
- No. Those belong in meatballs; a burger is ground beef, salt and pepper, and fillers make it bouncy.
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- 1 min 39 sec
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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