Description

The Ultimate Christmas Burger is a festive twist on a classic burger, combining juicy beef patties with savory smoked pancetta, tangy cranberry sauce, and a rich blue cheese sauce. Enhanced with sautéed shallots and hints of English mustard, this burger is perfect for holiday gatherings and offers a comforting yet elegant flavor experience.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Burger Patties

20g unsalted butter
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
500g 12% fat beef mince
40g fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg yolk
2 tsp English mustard
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp salt (for seasoning the mixture)

For the Toppings and Assembly

8 thin slices of smoked pancetta
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 brioche burger buns
4 tbsp cranberry sauce
Chicory or salad leaves, to serve
80g crumbled blue cheese (Stilton works well)
1 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp soured cream

Instructions

Sauté Shallots: Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat until foaming. Add the finely chopped banana shallot with a pinch of salt and fry gently for 10 minutes until they become soft and translucent. Once cooked, set aside to cool completely.
Prepare Burger Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the beef mince with the cooled shallots, fresh breadcrumbs, egg yolk, English mustard, cracked black pepper, and salt. Use your hands to gently squish and mix all the ingredients until well combined. Divide the mixture into four equal portions, weighing for accuracy if desired, then shape each into a burger patty. Cover and refrigerate; the patties can be kept chilled for up to 48 hours.
Grill Pancetta: Preheat the grill to medium. Arrange the slices of smoked pancetta on a baking tray and grill for 3 to 4 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from the grill and set aside.
Make Blue Cheese Sauce: In a bowl, mix together the crumbled blue cheese, mayonnaise, and soured cream. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to use.
Cook Burger Patties: Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) or gas mark 7. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the burger patties for 3 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Transfer the browned burgers onto a baking tray and finish cooking in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through. Once done, cover the patties and let them rest for 5 minutes.
Toast Buns and Assemble: Toast the cut sides of the brioche buns in a dry frying pan until golden. Spread the base of each bun with cranberry sauce. Place a rested burger patty on top, followed by a generous dollop of the blue cheese sauce, salad leaves or chicory, and the crispy pancetta slices. Finish with the bun top and serve immediately.

Notes

For a lighter alternative, substitute beef mince with 500g turkey mince in step 2 and proceed with the recipe as usual to make a Christmas turkey burger.
Ensure the shallots are fully cooled before mixing with mince to prevent the mixture becoming too warm and soft.
Use fresh breadcrumbs for better texture and binding in the patties.
Resting the burger patties after cooking helps retain their juices for a moist burger.
The blue cheese sauce can be adjusted in creaminess by varying the mayonnaise and soured cream ratios according to taste.
Serve with your choice of salad leaves or chicory for added freshness and crunch.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: British

Keywords: Christmas burger, festive burger, blue cheese sauce, pancetta burger, holiday recipe, gourmet burger, brioche bun burger