Equipment
Ingredients
Burger Patties
- 600 g ground beef chuck (20% fat), cold
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 15 ml neutral oil
Beetroot & Carrot Slaw
- 200 g raw beetroot, peeled
- 150 g carrots, peeled
- 40 g red onion, thinly sliced
- 10 g fresh parsley, chopped
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 15 g honey
Assembly
- 4 brioche buns
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 20 g unsalted butter, softened
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 953 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Fat
- 70 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 1203 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 22 g
- Trans Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 124 mg
- Potassium
- 821 mg
- Calcium
- 94 mg
- Iron
- 5.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 44 mg
- Phosphorus
- 340 mg
- Zinc
- 6.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 533 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 74 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 6.9 mg
- Folate
- 78 mcg
- Water
- 192 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the slaw vegetables. Using the coarse side of a box grater or a food processor, grate the peeled beetroot and carrots into a large mixing bowl. Add the thinly sliced red onion and chopped parsley.
Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until emulsified. Pour over the grated vegetables and toss thoroughly. Set aside to marinate while cooking the beef.
Divide the cold ground beef into 4 equal portions (150g each). Gently form them into round patties about 2cm wider than your buns (they will shrink). Press a shallow indentation into the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent doming.
Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Spread softened butter on the cut sides of the brioche buns and toast them in the pan until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Remove buns and set aside.
Increase heat to high until the pan smokes slightly. Pat beef patties dry if needed. Generously season only the exterior with salt and pepper immediately before placing in the pan. Sear for 3-4 minutes undisturbed to develop a dark crust.
Flip the patties and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Check internal temperature with a digital thermometer. For standard safety, cook to 71°C (160°F).
Remove patties from the pan and let them rest for 5 minutes to redistribute juices. While resting, spread mayonnaise on the bottom buns.
Place the rested patty on the bottom bun. Top with a generous amount of drained beetroot slaw (or serve slaw on the side to prevent sogginess) and close with the top bun.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to a great burger is the Maillard reaction. Ensure the pan is ripping hot and the meat surface is dry before searing.
- Beetroot stains everything. Wear gloves while peeling and grating if you want to avoid pink hands.
- Never mix salt into the burger meat; this cures the protein and creates a sausage-like rubbery texture. Season the surface only.
- The acid in the slaw is designed to cut through the heavy beef fat, acting as a palate cleanser with every bite.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store slaw and cooked patties in separate airtight containers. Slaw may bleed color.
Freezer: 3 months — Raw formed patties can be frozen with wax paper separators. Do not freeze slaw.
Reheating: Reheat patties in a skillet over medium heat until heated through. Do not microwave bread.
Troubleshooting
Burgers are tough and dry
Cause: The meat was overworked during forming or lean beef (<20% fat) was used
Fix: Add extra sauce or cheese to mask dryness; cannot be reversed
Prevention: Handle ground beef as little as possible; use 80/20 chuck blend
Slaw is watery
Cause: Salt in the dressing drew moisture out of the vegetables during resting
Fix: Drain excess liquid using a colander before serving
Prevention: Dress slaw closer to serving time
Burgers puffed up into balls
Cause: Patty centers were not indented before cooking
Fix: Press down gently with spatula (caution: releases juices)
Prevention: Press a thumbprint divot into the center of raw patties
Cultural Context
While the hamburger is an American icon, the addition of beetroot is a beloved staple in Australian 'Aussie Burger' culture. This recipe deconstructs that concept, moving the earthiness of the beet into a bright, acid-forward slaw that modernizes the heavy classic profile.
