Cheers for the beers: Three mouth-watering burgers to keep those pangs at bay

It is nearing barbecue season and while we’re all heading out to beer gardens, for those who are sunning themselves at home, here are three delicious burger recipes to keep you going.

As beer gardens and al fresco dining venues across Scotland look to reopen on Monday (April 26), more and more people will be looking for places to eat out and enjoy the warmer weather that is to come.

Having created a beer map of all the watering holes and restaurants with outdoor seating for our readers to work their way through, we are also sharing a range of content including recipes, a pub quiz and a beer gardens-inspired Spotify playlist from Scottish DJ HomeAlone across the next week.

Graham Mitchell, executive head chef of The Newmachar Hotel, Aberdeenshire, has been working away in the kitchen ahead of reopening to create three monstrous burgers. A veggie Portobello mushroom version, a mammoth double wagyu and Irn-Bru burger and a pork version with black pudding, too.

Best served with a side of potato or sweet potato fries, these big eats are just what you need ahead of a day out in beer gardens.

Double wagyu and Irn-Bru burger

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

Method

1. Place the red onions, cater sugar and red wine in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and reduce the ingredients to an onion jam consistency. Set aside.
2. To make the burgers: Place the diced shallots and garlic in a pan and sauté. Once cooked, add the Irn-Bru and reduce to a sticky onion jam consistency. Remove from heat and chill.
3. Once cool, add to the mince along with the salt, pepper and mustard. Make eight meatballs which will form the burger patties. Push down with the palm of your hand and then pop on the grill for around five to seven minutes for a medium-rare burger. For medium, cook it for seven plus minutes, or for well done, cook for up to nine minutes.
4. Once cooked, top with the red onion jam and two slices of cooked streaky bacon and two Monterey Jack cheese slices per burger and place back on the heat for 2 minutes.
5. Place the avocado and coriander in a food processor and blitz it. Add the mayonnaise, salt and pepper and mix. Add diced tomatoes once it has all been blitzed again to add texture.
6. To assemble: Cut a brioche bun in half (I used The Bread Guy’s bun) butter it then place the baby gem lettuce, sliced tomato and red onion on top with some avocado mayonnaise, too. Then add two burgers topped with some more avocado mayonnaise and place the bun lid on top. Stick a skewer with a pickle for garnish through it into the burger to help hold it together.

Roast pepper, Portobello mushroom, brie and tomato jam burger

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 500g tomato
• 250g soft light brown sugar
• 1 chilli, pricked with a fork
• 200ml red wine vinegar

For the burger:

• 2 red peppers
• 2 yellow peppers
• 8 Portobello mushrooms
• Vegetable oil, to cook veg in the oven
• Salt and pepper, to season
• 500g brie
• 1 baby gem lettuce, sliced
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, sliced

Method

1. Dice the tomatoes and place in a pan. Add the chilli, sugar and vinegar and bring to the boil then reduce the heat and reduce tomatoes to a tomato jam consistency. Remove from heat and chill.
2. De-seed the peppers and peel the mushrooms and de-stalk. Place in the oven with some oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the veg for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and place some brie in the mushrooms. Top with tomato jam and the roast peppers and place back in the oven for 3 minutes to melt the cheese.
4. Place the mushroom burger in a brioche bun with baby gem lettuce, sliced tomato and red onion.

Foveran pork, apple and Charlie MacLeod Stornoway black pudding burger

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

For the burger:

• 3 banana shallots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 granny smith apples, diced
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 200g Stornoway black pudding
• 500g pork mince
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

To dress the burger:

• 1 celeriac, grated
• 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 200g mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 baby gem lettuce, sliced
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, sliced

Method

1. Dice the shallots and sweat down with the garlic in a pan on a medium heat, add the apples and wholegrain mustard. Once cooked, remove from the pan and chill.
2. Once cooled, add the pork mince and diced black pudding into a bowl and give it a good mix with your hands. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
3. Make four equal-sized meatballs. Push down on the meatball with the palm of your hand slightly to make the burger patty and then pop on the grill for around seven minutes for a medium. For a well done finish, leave to cook for up to nine minutes.
4. Place all the ingredients to dress the burger in a bowl and stir, adjusting with salt and pepper seasoning to taste.
5. Place the burger in a brioche bun with baby gem lettuce sliced red onion and tomato, and top the burger with the celeriac slaw. Pop the lid on the burger and enjoy!

For more in this series…