Read an Excerpt
Seriously from Scratch
How to Cook the Most Delicious Food Ever by Making Every Single Component Yourself
By Joe Gatto, Ken Goodman Page Street Publishing Co.
Copyright © 2016 Joe Gatto
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-62414-308-3
CHAPTER 1
BURGERS, BUNS AND BACON! OH MY!
One of the things that always hits the spot for me is a good old-fashioned burger. Hot and juicy with melted cheese, bacon, fresh onion and a side of crispy fries ... oh yeah, heaven. I have tremendous memories of being a youngster and asking my mom what's for dinner and she would say burgers and fries. PUMPED. I was constantly early to the counter on those nights, trying to sneak a lava-hot fry seconds out of its oil Jacuzzi. It's something I always order when I'm out, no matter the place. I think the sign of a great place can be judged on the quality of its burger.
When I set out to make a from-scratch burger I knew the recipe testing was going to be a ton of fun. Boy, was I right. I was in heaven. It was then I knew why Wimpy was always trying to get cash off Popeye to buy one. So in my quest for the Holy Grail I stumbled across a few musts. Homemade bun, no exceptions. Condiments and pickles — make 'em. You don't buy a Ferrari and put cloth seats in it, right? As far as the meat, chuck and sirloin were working for me very well, but I felt there was a band member missing. Brisket got a try out but was a little tone deaf. Short rib was too much of a diva. I was perplexed. Then I did something outrageous. I had some homemade bacon in my fridge because I always do and I ground that up with the chuck and sirloin. My band was a colossal hit. I mean #1 hits across the board!
I could not believe the depth of flavor this combo achieved. I was in burger meat nirvana. I had done what I set out to do, but what kind of rock band doesn't have groupies? My burger was no exception. Fries. I needed fries, but not any fry would do. Parmesan herb fries started to follow my burger band religiously. Now come on everyone, let's go see them in concert and get this party started!
BEST BURGERS EVAH
I was literally stopped in the streets in Boston and told, "I had one of your burgers at the farmers' market last week and it was the best f#@king burger I've ever had. I've been dreaming about it." Dropping the mic and walking away. Make these and please bring me one. Please.
MAPLE CHIPOTLE BACON (AKA PORKY LOVE)
MAKE YOUR OWN LUMP CHARCOAL
KILLER KETCHUP
FIERY AND ZESTY MUSTARD
MAYO THAT ROCKS
B'S BURGER SAUCE
BODACIOUS BEER HAMBURGER BUNS
GRINDING YOUR OWN MEAT FOR THE BEST
BURGERS EVAH
PARMESAN HERB FRIES
STEP 1 OF 8 FOR BEST BURGERS EVAH
MAPLE CHIPOTLE BACON (AKA PORKY LOVE)
BACON!!!!! We are going to use this in our burger grind to take it into the stratosphere! This is not store-bought, flavorless, saline-injected bacon. This is the real stuff. Savory, sweet, smoky and packed full of flavor. Trust me, the difference is huge. I love making BLTs with this bacon.
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
CURING TIME: 8 DAYS
START THIS PROCESS 9 DAYS BEFORE CREATING THE BEST BURGER EVAH
YIELD: 5 POUNDS (2275 G)
2 oz (56 g) kosher salt (weigh this)
2 tsp (10 g) pink salt
½ cup (100 g) sugar
1 tbsp (9 g) roasted garlic powder
1 tbsp (7 g) smoked paprika
1 tbsp (15 ml) molasses
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup
½ cup (50 g) roasted garlic
6 chipotles in adobo, chopped
5 lb (2250 g) pork belly
2 (2-gallon [8-L]) zip-top bags
Combine the salts, sugar, garlic powder, paprika, molasses, honey, maple syrup, roasted garlic and chipotles in a large bowl. I like to place the pork belly on a baking sheet to cut down on the mess. Working clean is very important. It does get a bit messy, so set up for success. Have paper towels ready and give yourself room to work before you start. Also, clear a space where you will be putting it in the fridge now. I'll wait.
Rub the cure all over the belly; make sure you get really good coverage. Leave no pork belly showing. Place the pork belly in a large 2-gallon (8-L) zip-top bag. This is a little tricky, so if you have someone around who doesn't mind touching pork belly, recruit them. Close the bag, squeezing out all the air. Place that bag inside the second zip-top bag and close that bag. I use two bags because once I used only one bag and it leaked all over the fridge. Can you say big-time bummer? It's a precaution, but one I strongly suggest. Now put it in the fridge on the bottom shelf. It's going to hang out there for 8 days. Each day, flip the bag over. Yes, it's a commitment, but one you will be glad you made. You will see liquid will begin to fill the bag. That's a good thing; the cure is happening.
After 8 days, it should be done. Nice and firm. Wash the cure off the meat, rinsing thoroughly. Using paper towels, pat the bacon really dry and set it on a rack over a baking sheet. Some people air-dry it in the fridge overnight. I don't: I want bacon! Just make sure it's dried really well.
FROM-SCRATCH SECRET IT'S A CARBON PARTY! LUMP CHARCOAL FROM SCRATCH!
Making charcoal at home sounds crazy, but what's cooler than to say you made your own charcoal? Nothing! It's surprisingly not difficult, once you have the proper equipment to do it. I learned to make charcoal from Bob Wells, who runs a company called Bio-Char. Make sure you are doing this in a safe place to light a large fire. Not near your house or on your newly manicured lawn. Find a good open space, and you're going to need to leave it for a while, so think about that as well. One of the cool things I learned is that whatever biomass you put in comes out as carbon. So if you put in a flower, it comes out looking like a charcoal flower. You put in a dead chipmunk. Guess what? Dead charcoal chipmunk. So cool. A boy will always be a boy.
PREP TIME: 1 HOUR
COOK TIME: 1 DAY
YIELD: 20 POUNDS (9100 G)
1 clean 55-gallon (200-L) metal drum
1 clean 30-gallon (120-L) metal drum with lid
Huge stack of dry sticks, any size
55-gallon (200-L) drum lid with 4-foot (120-cm) chimney welded onto the center
Something to light a fire
Start with a 55-gallon (200-L) drum with eight 1-inch (2.5-cm) holes drilled around the side of the barrel 8 inches (20 cm) from the bottom and 6 secondary air holes around the top of the drum. The 30-gallon (120-L) drum slips inside. The 30-gallon (120-L) drum needs to have about six ½-inch (1.3-cm) holes drilled through the bottom for air to pass. It is the retort chamber. Place the small drum inside the large drum and fill it with dry hardwood. You can use sticks of old lumber as long as it's never been treated with anything and has no nails in it. Now place the lid on the inner barrel. Now you need to fill in the spaces around the small drum. Wood should be surrounding it. Pack it tightly, and then cover the top of the small drum with wood as well. Think of it as cooking the wood inside the small drum and the large drum is the oven. The gasses get cooked out of the wood and deny oxygen to it. That way, it doesn't burn the wood and turn it to ash. The volatiles get cooked out of the wood as well, like the water. Now light the wood surrounding the small drum. Get it going really well and then put on the lid with the chimney, which creates the thermal syphon. Once it's lit you can walk away. It will take care of itself. Bob calls it the "light it and leave it" system. Then the next day, when it's completely cool, you dump water all over it to make sure there is no fire left. Finished charcoal that is done correctly should be cooked all the way through. No brown inside and it should not have ash. It's official: you just made carbon! Whoa, you're awesome!
STEP 2 OF 8 FOR BEST BURGERS EVAH
LET'S GET SMOKING!
Lump charcoal
A chimney starter
Smoker
Water or beer
Temperature probe
Applewood and hickory chunks, soaked
Dump your lump charcoal into your chimney starter and light them. Get them super hot. When they are hot, pour them into a smoker over more lump charcoal. Let the lump heat up and you get a constant temperature; I like it at 225°F (105°C). Fill the water pan with water or beer. Place an internal probe into the bacon so you can keep an eye on the temperature. (Insert the probe from the side, not the top.) Add the soaked wood chunks and let them begin to smoke. Place the pork belly, skin-side down, in the smoker and smoke. The time varies, but it is usually around 4 hours for me. The key is an internal temperature of 150°F (66°C). Once it hits 150°F (66°C), take it out!
While still warm, remove the skin from the bottom of the bacon. Just slide your knife between the skin and the bacon and remove it. (Save it to flavor soups or make chicharones for a Pats' game.) Let the bacon cool and slice by hand, or if you have access to a deli slicer, use that. That's it — now you have your own bacon! Use it how you see fit. I say fry some up ASAP and eat it, but that's just me. It will stay fresh for up to 1 week but not a shot in hell it lasts that long. Be sure to keep some to make the burger grind!
STEP 3 OF 8 FOR BEST BURGERS EVAH
KILLER KETCHUP
Homemade ketchup? Really, Joe? Now you've gone too far. But wait, hear me out. Once you try this, you will be astounded at the deep flavors. I add chipotles to this for a little kick! This is not your parents' ketchup. No preservatives, no dyes. Just from-scratch yumminess.
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 1 HOUR
MAKE THIS 2 DAYS BEFORE CREATING THE BEST BURGER EVAH
YIELD: 3–4 CUPS (720–960 G)
2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp (3 g) mustard powder
1 tsp (2 g) celery salt
2 tbsp (30 g) chipotles in adobo sauce
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp (5 g) salt
4 cups (600 g) skinned, chopped fresh tomatoes
2 tbsp (24 g) tomato paste
½ cup (90 g) dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup (60 ml) cider vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) champagne vinegar
In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 5 minutes more. Stir constantly. Add the mustard powder, celery salt, chipotles, paprika, allspice, pepper and salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add your tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar and vinegars and then simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring frequently. You have to be careful that it doesn't burn, so make sure you are stirring. Use an immersion blender and blend it until it's smooth. When it's cool, place into mason jars and let it sit in your fridge overnight. The next day, make a burger, put the ketchup on and smile wide.
STEP 4 OF 8 FOR BEST BURGERS EVAH
FIERY AND ZESTY MUSTARD
I'm a big mustard fan, especially when it's got some heat to it. This mustard is all that and more. Zesty, with some real heat, it will make any burger, sandwich, dog or wrap come alive. It's also a great thing to add to a homemade dressing to give it that little kick! We'll use it to make the perfect burger sauce in a few pages.
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
MAKE THIS 2 DAYS BEFORE CREATING THE BEST BURGER EVAH
YIELD: 1–1½ CUPS (240–360 G)
4 tbsp (44 g) yellow mustard seeds
3 tbsp (33 g) brown mustard seeds
¼ cup (36 g) spicy mustard powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp (12 g) freshly ground horseradish
2 tsp (10 ml) honey
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 tbsp (30 ml) dark beer
Grind the mustard seeds in a spice grinder. Pour into a bowl, add the spicy mustard powder and stir together. Add the garlic, vinegar, horseradish, honey and salt. Stir to combine. Add the water and beer and use an immersion blender to blend for 1 minute.
Place into the fridge overnight. The next day the mustard will be good to go! YUM!
STEP 5 OF 8 FOR BEST BURGERS EVAH
MAYO THAT ROCKS
Homemade mayo is just one of those things that everyone should make, it's so easy. The mayo is so creamy, fresh and delicious. Plus, once you make it, the things you can add to it are endless. Spicy sriracha mayo, lime mayo, fresh herb mayo and on and on and on! This uses raw egg, so I wouldn't feed it to children or pregnant women. Just to be safe! This it the second component of our bomb burger sauce coming up next.
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
MAKE THIS 2 DAYS BEFORE CREATING THE BEST BURGER EVAH
YIELD: 1 CUP (240 G)
1 egg yolk
1 tsp (5 g) Fiery and Zesty Mustard
1 tbsp (15 ml) white vinegar
1 cup (240 ml) canola oil, divided
In your blender, add the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar and ¼ cup (60 ml) of the oil. Blend for 30 seconds until combined. Turn it off and quickly scrape down the sides. Turn the blender back on, and while it's running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 3/4 cup (180 ml) oil. Blend until, well, until it looks like mayo! Once it does, it's good to go! Refrigerate it.
STEP 6 OF 8 FOR BEST BURGERS EVAH
B'S BURGER SAUCE
By putting in all that from-scratch work, we create a burger sauce that is killer. I love this sauce on my burgers and dogs, but don't stop there — dip fries in it, spread it on a wrap, the uses are endless! It's called B's Burger Sauce because that's my nickname for my son, Benjamin, and he's awesome.
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
MAKE THIS 2 DAYS BEFORE CREATING THE BEST BURGER EVAH
YIELD: 1¼ CUPS (300 G)
½ cup (120 g) Killer Ketchup
½ cup (120 g) Mayo That Rocks
¼ cup (60 g) Fiery and Zesty Mustard
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Make a day ahead to let the flavors blend. Slather on burgers or dogs.
STEP 7 OF 8 FOR BEST BURGERS EVAH
BODACIOUS BEER HAMBURGER BUNS
Well, after all that work to make our own burger grind, we can't just "chuck" it onto a store-bought bun all willy-nilly! We need a roll that's going to stand up and be noticed. Fluffy and flavorful, this bun is a superstar. Let cool and store in zip-top bags.
PREP TIME: 2 HOURS
COOK TIME: 12–15 MINUTES
MAKE THESE THE DAY BEFORE CREATING THE BEST BURGER EVAH
YIELD: 8 BUNS
12 oz (360 ml) good pale ale, at room temperature
1 tbsp (11 g) light brown sugar
2¼ tsp (9 g) active dry yeast
¼ cup (60 g) butter, melted
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
3–4 cups (360–480 g) all-purpose flour, or more as needed
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
In a large bowl, add the beer and dissolve the sugar in it. Add the yeast and let it bloom, about 10 minutes. It's not going to be a huge bloom but that's okay. Don't panic. Stir in the butter and salt. Then add the flour 1 cup (120 g) at a time until the dough is not sticky. Once it's all incorporated, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth. If it's still tacky, add a little flour, 1 tablespoon (12 g) at a time.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with a dishtowel and place in a warm area of the kitchen for an hour and let it do its thing.
When the dough has doubled in size, take it out of the bowl and divide it into 8 equal pieces about 4 ounces (112 g) each. Shape each piece into a ball and place the balls 2 inches (5 cm) apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Now they need to rise again, so cover them with a towel and let them rise for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6).
After 30 minutes, remove the towel and brush them with the egg wash. Pop them in the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes. They should be golden brown. Let them cool and start making some awesome burgers!
STEP 8 OF 8 FOR BEST BURGERS EVAH
BEST BURGERS EVAH
Whether these come off the grill or out of a cast-iron pan, once you take your first juicy bite and all the rich flavors from bacon to chuck punch your taste buds in the face, you will never buy a store-bought grind again.
PREP TIME: 1 HOUR
COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES
IT'S HERE! BURGER-FEST TIME!
YIELD: 15–20 BURGERS
3 lb (1350 g) chuck
1 lb (450 g) boneless sirloin
1 lb (450 g) Maple Chipotle Bacon
4 tbsp (40 g) roughly chopped garlic
Bodacious Beer Hamburger Buns
B's Burger Sauce, for serving
Lettuce, for topping
Tomato, for topping
Now, grinding your own meat is satisfying and really easy. There are just a couple of things you want to make sure you do to make it safe and easy.
Take all your meat and freeze it for about an hour. You don't want it rock solid but firm enough so it cubes easily. Cut all your meat into 1- to 2-inch (2.5- to 5-cm) cubes and throw it back in the freezer, along with your grinding tools, for 30 minutes as you make space to grind your awesome new burgers.
Get a big bowl, a really big bowl, and place it under your grinder. Take the cubed meat and begin grinding with the ¼-inch (6-mm) die, alternating between cuts and garlic. Now you want to move fast here. If things start to get warm, that's not good. The fat will smear and your burgers will be gritty. Not cool. So remember, cool and fast. Just like James Dean. Now, when it's all ground, you can form your patties!
MAKE THE FRIES NOW!!! JUST BEFORE THE BURGERS GO ON!!!!
Time to cook those delicious burgers. Preheat your grill for at least 15 minutes. Place the burgers on the grill and do not move them (no touching!) for 5 minutes, then flip to the clean part of the grill. You want a nice char. Let them cook on the second side for about 4 minutes. Take off the grill and let them rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
Thick, thin, flat-top or grill, loaded with toppings or naked as a jaybird, these are can't-miss burgers! For me, I'm grabbing one of our bodacious burger rolls, spreading on burger sauce, slapping my best burger evah on it and topping it with fresh lettuce, tomato and going to town. Of course, with a big plate of Parmesan Herb Fries on the side!
ADDITIONAL FRENCH FRY STEP
PARMESAN HERB FRIES
Who doesn't love a crispy French fry? If you don't, you are suspect in my mind. The double fry technique we use here is a great way to get the fries perfectly crisp. Use whatever herbs you like or make a spice sprinkle for them! They are a blank canvas. Paint away. My son Benjamin swears these are the "Greatest fries in the whole world; seriously, Dad, the greatest!"
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES
MAKE THESE THE DAY OF THE ULTIMATE BURGER FEST
YIELD: 4 GENEROUS SERVINGS
3 (8-oz [227-g]) russet potatoes, washed but not peeled
½ cup (45 g) freshly grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (2 g) minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp (2 g) minced fresh oregano
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 qt (1.9 L) canola or any neutral oil
Here you are julienning the potatoes. I like doing it by hand; it takes some practice, but doesn't everything that's worthwhile?
Slice the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5-cm) thick planks and cut each plank into ½-inch (1.3-cm) wide bars. Add to a bowl of cold water as they are cut so they release starch. Continue until all the potatoes are julienned. If this is confusing, just slice them into a shape that looks like a French fry. Change the water and soak for 10 minutes. This helps make the fries crispy. Lay out on paper towels to dry. Blot them completely dry. A wet potato will splatter you with hot oil and make you sad.
Combine the Parmesan, garlic, herbs, salt and cayenne in a bowl and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil to 300°F (150°C). Make sure the oil is no more than halfway up the sides or it will overflow and you will have a big fire and not be happy! Fry the potatoes, in handful-size batches, until blond and limp, moving them around so they don't stick, 4–5 minutes. Remember, we are cooking these twice. This step we are not crisping, we are just cooking the potato until it's limp. Remove, drain on paper towels and bring the heat up to 350°F (177°C). Refry until crisp, 3–4 minutes. Once they are nice and crispy, remove them to a paper towel–lined stainless bowl, sprinkle with the Parmesan mix immediately, remove the paper towel and toss until coated. Serve and receive praise.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Seriously from Scratch by Joe Gatto, Ken Goodman. Copyright © 2016 Joe Gatto. Excerpted by permission of Page Street Publishing Co..
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