Farmers' Favorite Burgers

This is Jamie Oliver's "cracking burger" recipe - and it's been a favorite for a long, long time -- since before we even met! Joe's been making this recipe exclusively for over 12+ years now.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. gourmet ground beef blend
• 1 cup smashed crackers (about 12 - Ritz, sourdough, etc. are good, but any cracker will do)
• 8 springs parsley, chopped finely
• 2 tsp. Dijon or brown mustard
• 1 pasture-raised egg
  
• Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
• Lard 
  

Directions

For the grill:

1. Mix the ground beef, smashed crackers, chopped parsley, mustard, egg, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
   
2. Shape into six patties, each about 3/4 inch thick. Place on a plate or large dish. (If stacking in layers, place parchment or wax paper in between the burgers.)
   
3. Place burgers in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until needed. This will help them retain their shape while cooking.
4. Season grill with lard, then heat to medium or medium-high heat. When it's ready, place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes before flipping. For a medium burger, you'll want to cook about 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 140-145 degrees F. 

For the stovetop:

1. Mix the ground beef, smashed crackers, chopped parsley, mustard, egg, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
   
2. Shape into six patties, each about 3/4 inch thick. Place on a plate or large dish. (If stacking in layers, place parchment or wax paper in between the burgers.)
   
3. Place burgers in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until needed. This will help them retain their shape while cooking.
4. Spoon 1-2 tbsp. of lard into a cast iron pan or grill pan. Turn heat to medium-high.
   
5. Once lard is smoking slightly, add the burgers to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, undisturbed, or until it reaches your preferred doneness.
   

Why use lard? Lard has a high smoke point, which makes it an excellent & healthy choice for cooking meat. Learn more about our lard!