How to make the best burger ever
Ah, the perfect burger. It’s a thing of meaty beauty. . . or it can be a falling apart mess. But Chef Gilles from Opal by Gordon Ramsay says it’s actually not that hard, as long as you keep it simple. The most important part? ‘The right proportions of each ingredient -bread, meat and condiments- and obviously good quality produce,’ says Chef Giles. That starts with the meat: ‘You can use any part you like, but it should contain at least 20 per cent fat. This is the secret to keep your burger moist and juicy,’ he says.

With buns, he says it’s a matter of taste, but he personally prefers to use a nice rich brioche bun, like they do at Opal. The secret to keeping the burger from falling apart? It’s all in the mixing. ‘In order for the meat not to fall apart, it is important to smash the mincemeat in a bowl until it sticks together.’ And if you’re always burning your burgers, he’s got a simple trick for that as well: ‘If you are worried to burn your burger, here is what you need to do: sear it first in a hot pan, then finish the cooking on the grill.’ That’s his other tip for the best burger flavour: ‘It all depends on taste! However, I would recommend to cook it on a charcoal barbecue so that you can get a nice smoky flavor.’

Once it’s cooked, he says it’s important to keep it simple. Save the special sauce for McDonalds and top your burger simply. ‘Try not to put too many’ ingredients because otherwise, you end up not knowing what you are eating,’ he says.
Opal by Gordon Ramsay, St. Regis Doha (4446 0105).

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Arabic Burger
‘To give an Arabic touch to your burger, you can replace the mayonnaise with a nice tahina sauce, the beef with a spicy lamb patty and instead of your classic green salad and pickles, top up your burger with a fattouch salad.’- Chef Giles, Opal by Gordon Ramsay

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