The Perfect NIKU Burger

January 7, 2021

100% grass-fed beef burgers have amped up flavours and are so flavourful that the smallest details make a big difference. Here are some ways you can prepare your burgers to have a guaranteed mouth-watering meal.

Because 100% grass-fed beef is leaner than regular grain-fed options, adding a little bit of moisture to your patties would be an ideal way to balance flavour with tenderness. 

Add onions into your ground beef mix. For every 1lb of grass-fed ground beef you have – we recommend adding a ½ cup of finely chopped onions. The moisture that leaves onions when they cook will prevent your patties from drying out over the heat.

Form your patties thick and loose. A thicker patty will be less likely to cook too quickly and dry out. Try to avoid packing your patty. Packed burgers can make it tough to bite into, and having a hockey puck for a burger is most likely not what you’re looking for (unless of course, it is). 

Salt and pepper are your new best friends. It’s hard not to throw garlic powder, panko crumbs, or even taco seasoning into your burger patty – but fight the urge! 100% grass-fed beef has a naturally amped up flavour that just needs some salt and pepper right before going onto the heat, and a little sprinkle before plating.

For all the food adventurers out there, a classic burger is delicious and all, but you may be looking for something a little more. That’s where this sauce au poivre by Chef Adam Alguire for NIKU Farms comes in!

For The Sauce Au Poivre

What You Need: 

• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups cream
• 1 pc shallot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp crushed peppercorns
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• Cheese of your choice (for topping)

*NOTE* If cooking the burgers in a pan, use the same pan to start the sauce for added flavor; if not, starting with a fresh pan works well.

What To Do: 

1. Thinly slice shallots and garlic and sauté them with canola oil in a pan. Once browned, add the chicken stock and reduce the liquid down by 3 times its volume over medium-high heat.
2. Once the stock is reduced, add the cream. Bring this up to a simmer and reduce the heat (too high a heat will cause the sauce to boil over). Allow sauce to continue simmering and reduce by half.
3. After reducing the sauce, strain out the aromatics (or keep them in for a rustic touch). Stir in remaining ingredients to season the sauce. Continue to simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes to infuse the flavours.
4. Continue to cook the sauce until it reaches a thick gravy-like consistency.
5. Spoon 1-2 tbsp of sauce on top of each burger with melted cheese.

Tip: Add extra stock if the sauce gets too thick. If the sauce is over-reduced, you will notice it will start looking greasy and split. Add more stock and bring back to a boil to fix this.

That’s all we have for now on taking your 100% grass-fed burger to a whole new level. If you’d like to give this a try with your very own grass-fed ground meat, sign up for NIKU Farms today and you’ll receive your first delivery in the new year!