Beef hamburger

Shape it slightly wider than the bun and press a shallow hollow into the centre with your thumb. Don’t press it down while it cooks, or you’ll squeeze out the juices.

Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium-high heat and cook a patty about 2 cm thick for roughly 4–5 minutes per side. For safety, the centre should reach 70 °C for 2 minutes; a thermometer is more reliable than judging by colour.

It’s safest not to eat minced beef rare: mincing can spread bacteria through the patty, not just across its surface. Cook it until the centre reaches 70 °C for 2 minutes.

Keep it covered on the bottom shelf and cook it within 1–2 days. Freeze patties you won’t use in that time, separated with baking paper so you can take out just what you need.

Yes, but it takes longer and can brown before the centre is cooked. Cook it over medium heat, turning regularly, until the centre reaches 70 °C for 2 minutes; don’t thaw it on the worktop.

For a classic burger, add salt and pepper, then serve the cooked patty in a bun with cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles. Crumble it into a pan for a quick beef filling for tacos or pasta sauce.

A beef hamburger is usually a patty made from minced beef, while minced beef is the loose meat before shaping. A plain patty needs no binder; breadcrumbs or egg are more typical in a seasoned meat mixture.