A classic Lebanese Hamburger is beautiful thing; thin smash style burger, coleslaw, pickles, ketchup, hand cut chips and that's it.
Yes we put chips inside the burger, not just on the side.
Of course you can embellish it with cheese and other sauces but the classic hamburger you find on the streets of Beirut is made of these basics.
The hamburger meat is also very simple, not heavily spiced so you can taste the meat.
You might also like my classic homemade beef shawarma recipe, and my classic kafta recipe.
If you love the Lebanese grill then don't miss out on my bbq chicken recipe and shish tawook, which is an essential for any Lebanese bbq.
Ingredients
I go to my butcher and ask for a cut best suited for hamburgers, which I choose and then ask them to put it through the mill.
You want the texture of the burger meat to be medium, so not as fine as you would have for kibbeh meat.
Apparently ground chuck with a ratio of 80/20 meat to fat is best. Sirloin and brisket cuts also make for good burgers.
These are all the different elements to get right for the perfect burger:
- Burger bread - I like brioche bread but sesame buns also work great
- Handcut chips- these must be thinly sliced French fries style
- Coleslaw - grate your coleslaw with a food processor if you can, dress simply with mayonniase or if you want to go ultra add a little sweetcorn
- Pickles - I like spicy pickles not sweet ones
- Ketchup - jut use regular popular ketchup brands not fancy ones it's a burger for heaven's sake not fine dining
Instructions
Prep is key to a successful burger, and start backwards with the coleslaw and pickles first, then chips, then fry the burger.
- Step 1: In a bowl add the black pepper, garlic powder, squeeze of ketchup, egg and optional breadcrumbs, shape into patties, press down for smash burgers
- Step 2: Handcut potatoes suitable for drying, deep fr in vegetable oil
- Step 3: Prepare the coleslaw and pickles
- Step 4: Fry the burger and layer up
Variations
I have given you the basic classic hamburger recipe, but that doesn't mean you can't change it up depending on your perfect burger goals.
- Spicy - add some hot sauce for a spicy kick, or Jalepenos with the pickles
- Cheesy - grill some cheese on top of the burger once fried
- Oniony - add a layer of caramelised onions for a luxury touch
Top Tips
Make sure the burger meat is cold before you shape and fry them as this will make it easier to keep their shape.
My son likes the melted cheese and I add a thin layer of sliced cheese at the end, by covering with a lid to create a little steam.
If you find the coleslaw has a thick consistency when you add the mayonnaise, add a tiny drizzle of olive oil to loosen it up.
You don't have to eat burgers in burger buns, in Lebanon we frequently add the same fillings to thin Lebanese bread to make a burger wrap!
📖 Recipe
Classic Lebanese Hamburger
Subtly spiced patties, coleslaw, pickles, ketchup and french fries
Ingredients
For the burger meat
- 1 kg ground meat
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon 7 spice
- 2 tablespoon ketchup good squeeze
- 1 egg mixed well (optional)
For the Coleslaw
- 3 cups of shredded coleslaw
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
For the rest
- 4 potatoes suitable for frying
- pickles thinly sliced
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Burger buns and ketchup
Instructions
-
In a bowl, add the meat, spices, salt, egg and ketchup combine well with your hands
-
Divide into approximately 12 balls and shape into patties if you like them thick, or press down onto the palm of your hands if you like smash style burgers. Place into the fridge
-
For the coleslaw, finely slice by hand or shred in the food processor. Add a tablespoon of mayonnaise and a sprinkle of salt, mix well and set aside
-
Thinly slice your plate of pickles and set aside
-
Finely slice your peeled potatoes into thin rounds ½ cm thick, and then slice into thin french fries style strips
-
Heat enough vegetable oil in a deep pan and once hot (test one to see it if sizzles around the edges), add the potatoes in 2-3 batches, turning ocassionally until golden, sprinkle with salt and set aside
-
Take the burgers out of the fridge and in another wide pan, add a thin layer of vegetable oil and once hot, add the burgers for a few minutes each side
-
Layer the burgers with some of the fries, coleslaw, pickles and a squeeze of ketchup for the perfect Lebanese burger
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Check out our Youtube page for full video tutorials, our Facebook group to discuss Lebanese cooking, as well as our tiktok page for quick tips.
Related
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Pairing
Try some of these popular Lebanese sides:
Céline
You got that perfect Lebanese hamburger taste I’ve been searching everywhere so glad j found this recipe
Nadine
My mum so used to put some breadcrumbs in bit this was brilliant!
Yamine
Absolute perfection