Canal Boat – July 2018

canalboat.co.uk Canal Boat July 2018 81

VICTORIA HOLTAM’S

GALLEY GRUB

BACKCABIN

INGREDIENTS

500g of minced meat

(here I’ve used 50/50

pork and venison)

1tsp cumin

1tsp coriander

1tsp smoked paprika

1tsp salt

1tsp pepper

Handful of fresh herbs,

chopped finely

BRILLIANT BURGERS

B

urgers have a terrible reputation. They

are the quintessential ‘junk food’ for

many and if I think back to some of the

hideous supermarket offerings I got

served as a kid there is probably some justification!

Times change and the rise and rise of the gourmet

burger restaurant has started to turn the tide.

Done properly, a burger is a brilliant dish, king of

the barbecue, and finds favour with even the

fussiest eaters. And a burger lives and dies by the

quality of the meat.

Of course, the best quality burgers you can

possibly eat are the ones you make yourself. Buy

good qulaity meat and mince it yourself (or get the

butcher to do it for you) and then select the

seasonings and accoutrements you love to create a

brilliant, bespoke burger that will make your

summer barbecues a treat.

I love to get the kids involved – it is so easy and

they love getting their hands messy. Plus, the

sense of pride they get is worth a bit of extra

cleaning up. Some top tips – don’t go too lean on

the meat. A bit of fat content is important to give

you a juicy burger and stop it from drying out if

you overcook it slightly. Here I have mixed minced

pork belly with local venison to get great flavour

but plenty of succulence. I have tried using milk

soaked breadcrumbs and adding softened finely

chopped onions but for me, good meat, the right

seasonings, keep it simple.

I like to fry off a little mini patty to test the

seasoning levels as I go along (chef’s perks!). And

although you can buy burger presses, a bit of a

rustic look and feel all adds to the ‘home-made’

vibe. A great tip is to wet your hands to stop the

meat sticking and press it into a nice patty to

ensure even cooking.

All you need then are a load of fresh bread rolls,

some salad, pickles and plenty of sauces.

METHOD

1

Simply mix together

all your ingredients

in a large bowl.

2

Divide into four

roughly equal

portions

3

Shape into a patty

with your hands or

use a burger press

Grill to your preference.

If shop bought mince I

prefer to cook to make

sure it is just cooked

through. If home

butchered venison or

quality beef that you

mince yourself, you can

go medium for a pink

and juicy finish. These

are great cooked inside

but nothing beats the

flavour of the fire!