The Best Burger

This hamburger is so fabulous it doesn't need a bun. As one of my favorite summertime recipes I always want another one; however, I'm already too full. Year round it is better than any restaurant burger.

Ingredients:
1 Pound Hamburger
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
A Sprinkle of Hot Sauce
1 Pinch of salt
1 Egg
1/2 Cup of Finely Diced Onions
1 Tablespoon of Basil
2 Tablespoons of Cooking Oil

Optional Ingredients:
Cheese
Bun
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Ketchup
Sliced Tomato
Lettuce
Sliced Sweet Pickles
Sliced Red Onion

Place hamburger in a large mixing bowl. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, egg yolk, onions and basil. Wash hands before kneading all of the ingredients together. Lift corners to center and then push it all together with your palms until the onions are well dispersed throughout the mixture.

After washing hands again pour cooking oil into the pan and heat. Adjust stovetop burner for your preference. If you want well-done, turn it to medium-low. If you want it red in the middle, turn it to medium-high. The secret to a tender burger is to only flip it one time. It is okay to lift the edge of the hamburger at one side to see if it is a dark brown at the bottom. If it lifts up without bending flip it over. After the burger is done, place them onto napkins to remove some grease.

While the pan is heating, divide the hamburger into servings. If you want plump hamburgers divide it into two halves. Roll the halves into balls, gently flattening them with palms of hands until they are slightly wider than a piece of bread. Softly press down the middle with your thumbs so they lay flat in the pan. To make a couple more burgers divide the mixture into quarters. Roll each quarter into balls and then flatten with palms of hands. Take extra time to flatten so they are only about a half inch thick.

Place burgers into the pan. Let them cook until the sides turn brown the only the very top is pink with juice running off of the sides. Flip the burger and let it cook a couple more minutes. For extra well-done hamburgers, poke a couple holes in the top so additional juice runs off the sides. Turn burner off and leave the burgers in the pan for a few minutes before serving.

Prepare optional ingredients while burgers are cooking. Spunk up the burger with cheese by completely covering the top of the burger with slices of cheese and then quickly place a lid over the pan. Steam melts cheese in to the burger.

People like burgers on a bun, so if you like your burgers on a bun, you will need the optional ingredients. Take the buns, and place them in the oven crust side down on a cookie sheet. Heat them in the oven at 350 degrees for fifteen minute or ten minutes if the oven is preheated. Buns should be barely golden brown.

Take a knife and spread mayonnaise onto both halves of the buns. Drizzle mustard and ketchup onto the top bun. A quick "Z" of mustard and two circles of ketchup is enough. Slight differentiation in flavors creates interest.

Now stack the sandwich by placing the bottom bun onto the plate, then the burger, then the lettuce, then sweet pickles, then the tomato and then the red onion and then the top bun. Press down on the top slightly so it sticks together.

Serve it with chips and it makes a great lunch or dinner. Spicy fries also compliment the meal. You've never tasted anything so delicious. A napkin is required; because even the well-done hamburgers are so moist they drip all over.

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