Homemade Pickled Veg: the Latest Trend in Burger Toppings!
As much as we love those over-the-top, mouth-watering burgers with their mountains of melted cheese and piles of bacon, sometimes we like something a little more refined! Something like this juicy burger, topped with crunchy pickled cucumber and red onion. So simple to make, these pickled veggies will look amazing in mason jars in your refrigerator. The red onions look especially vibrant, sitting prettily in their bright pink pickling juice. Use them in salads (like these spiralized salads), sandwiches or on hot dogs. Or just put the jar straight on your party table and let everyone dig in as part of a gorgeous cheeseboard!
Ingredients:
Makes 2 burgers plus 1 jar of pickled red onions and 1 jar of pickled cucumber
— 1 cucumber
— 2 small or 1 large red onion
— 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
— 3 1/2 teaspoons salt
— 1 cup cider vinegar
— 2 cups room temperature water
— 1/2 pound good quality ground beef — ideally 20% fat (for a juicier burger)
— 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
— 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
— 2 brioche buns
— 1 little gem lettuce, washed
For the sauce:
— 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup
— 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
— 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
Instructions:
- Start by making the pickled veg the day before you plan to use them. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber into thin strips, right up until you reach the seeds. Peel and slice the red onions thinly.
- Place the cucumber strips into one mason jar and the red onion slices into another. Add one tablespoon of sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt to each jar (this will leave half a teaspoon of salt). Divide the vinegar and water between the two jars. Place a lid on each jar and place in the refrigerator overnight (they should keep for at least 2-3 weeks).
- When you’re ready to make your burgers, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper to the ground beef. Mix together with your hands and form the meat into two patties.
- Preheat a griddle or large skillet while you make the sauce. Mix the sauce ingredients together and put to one side.
- Brush the insides of the brioche rolls with the oil and place them on the griddle until griddle marks appear (about 45-60 seconds on a hot griddle). Place the burgers on the griddle and cook, turning once until cooked throughout (about five minutes).
- Now it’s time to assemble the burgers. Place the bottom of the burger rolls on plates. Add lettuce slices and the sauce. Top with the burger. Add a few lightly drained cucumber slices and one tablespoon of lightly drained red onion slices. Place the burger tops on and serve.
Start by making the pickled veg the day before you plan to use them. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber into thin strips, right up until you reach the seeds. Discard most of the very outer peel of the cucumber (but a few dark green bits on the edges look nice). Peel and slice the red onions thinly.
Place the cucumber strips into one mason jar and the red onion slices into another. Add one tablespoon of sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt to each jar (this will leave half a teaspoon of salt). Divide the vinegar and water between the two jars. Place a lid on each jar and place in the refrigerator overnight (they should keep for at least 2-3 weeks).
See how pretty they look!
When you’re ready to make your burgers, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper to the ground beef. Mix together with your hands and form the meat into two patties.
Preheat a griddle or large skillet while you make the sauce. Mix the sauce ingredients together and put to one side.
Brush the insides of the brioche rolls with the oil and place them on the griddle until griddle marks appear (about 45-60 seconds on a hot griddle). Place the burgers on the griddle and cook, turning once until cooked throughout (about five minutes).
Now it’s time to assemble the burgers. Place the bottom of the burger rolls on plates. Add lettuce slices and the sauce. Top with the burger. Add a few lightly drained cucumber slices and one tablespoon of lightly drained red onion slices. Place the burger tops on and serve.
What will you serve your burger with? We’d love to know. Tweet us @BritandCo!
