One to Watch

In troubled times, a juicy, two-fisted hamburger provides comfort. It isn’t a trend – it’s a classic. And it’s a classic for a reason. So don’t monkey about with it. The meat shouldn’t be lean — you’ll end up with a burger that’s mealy and dry. And make sure to get your meat-to-bun ratio right. For those of you new to the burger game, it’s 1:1. Of course, the Americans reckon they invented the meat sandwich. And they treat it like their own. Which is why some godforsaken place in Pennsylvania came up with ‘the 96er’. It weighs in at nine pounds. You can actually get this meat monster for $23.95, but be warned — the price does not include defibrillation. For an altogether more refined experience, try the £5 cheeseburger from Yianni (below). If you can find him. No word of a lie – he’s tucked away on an East Dulwich industrial estate, and even the most highly-trained of noses would struggle to find his hotplate. Thank goodness for twitter. In the queue for the Meatwagon were writers from two food blogs –A Hamburger Today and Will Eat For Money (a gent called Ibrahim Salha, who took the photos) – who were grilling Yianni about his 28-day aged chuck and the diary content of a cheese which, I have to say, looked dangerously like a Kraft Single. Before I ate Yianni’s burger, my favourite was cooked up by Richard Corrigan. It was made from rump steak (known for its flavour more than tenderness), bone marrow, sauteed white onion and marjoram. And I seem to remember he served it on a brioche. No wonder it won him a Michelin star. Corrigan was very particular about mincing the steak himself – he used a knife, and a mezzaluna to mince it finer. He didn’t add an egg or breadcrumbs. It was perfection. But, with Yianni’s burger, I found something that bettered perfection. Certainly one to watch in the Best Sandwich category at this year’s British Street Food Awards.