Australia Day Hamburgers

Last night we celebrated Australia Day (26th Jan) and we had our usual aussie barbecue with family and friends here at our home. Everyone arrived early so they could go for a swim first in the pool before the fireworks display began. Adults groaned about having to supervise the children but they were having just as much fun as the children were, splashing about on a very hot australian summer night. Soon it was time to crank up the barbecue so David and the men did the cooking, some drinking and a lot of talking and laughing while us girls brought out the salads, buns, etc and waited for the master chefs to do their stuff. I always make my mum's recipe for hamburgers as they are a much requested item. I know most people have their own favourite version of this great aussie icon but this recipe has been handed down through my family and is a definite winner. If you want them to taste as good as my mum's then please don't change the recipe at all. Make sure you make enough for several hamburgers per person as you will need them and copies of the recipe to hand out for the requests you will get. This is even better if you make the mixture up the night before and leave, covered in the refrigerator overnight. This makes the flavours really blend through.

PREPARATION:

1 kg good minced steak
2 large onions
2 very ripe tomatoes - organic are best
4 thick slices of fresh white bread made into rough breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon of good hamburger seasoning
cracked black pepper or if available, aust outback mountain pepper (my favourite)
sea salt to taste
plain flour

Chop up the onions and the tomatoes first. Do not peel the tomatoes. Then place all the ingredients except flour into a very large mixing bowl and mix in with your hands. I always crack the eggs on top of the breadcrumbs and mix them a little through this first and then mix all together. Using your hands is a much better way than using a spoon or mixer and you have the warmth from them which helps the mixing. If your mixture is a little too sloppy, add some flour to it, a tablespoon at a time, until it is the right consistency. Line a large plate with plastic wrap and shaping your mixture into hamburgers, dip them in some more flour and place on the plate. If you need to layer them, place plastic wrap between each row so they won't stick together. Cook on a hot barbecue plate to your cooking preference and serve on buns with some salad and cooked onions.