The P&L Burger

“I am known for cheeseburgers, and I hate it,” says chef Matty Matheson, author of 2019 Shortlisted cookbook, Matty Matheson: A Cookbook.  We always had a cheeseburger on the menus at Parts & Labour and Oddfellows,” “Everyone loves cheeseburgers. But then I did a cheeseburger competition TV show in Toronto called Burger Wars. It was my first time on television, and I won. After it aired, Parts & Labour turned into a burger shop. People were driving from places like Cornwall and Niagara Falls, like four to seven hours, to try the “best burger in Toronto.” We used to change the burger every two months, but then we were stuck with the burger I made on the show. It’s still on the menu now, eight years later.”

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The P&L Burger

Course Main Course

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE BACON-ONION JAM:

• 1 pound (455 g) slab bacon sliced into lardons
• 2 cups (4 sticks/455 g) unsalted butter
• 4 pounds (500 g) onions sliced
• 1 cup (240 ml) red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup (50 g) sugar

FOR THE BURGER:

• 3 pounds (1.4 kg) fresh ground brisket
• Kosher salt and freshly ground
• black pepper
• 1 cup (145 g) diced kosher dill pickles
• 1 cup (240 ml) Hellmann’s mayonnaise
• 1 pound (455 g) Monterey Jack cheese sliced
• Unsalted butter
• 6 sesame-seed milk buns
• Shredded iceberg lettuce

Instructions

Make the bacon-onion jam:

• In a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, render the bacon. Add the butter and onions. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 1½ hours. Cooking the onions this slowly will let them caramelize naturally in their sugars.
• Add the vinegar and sugar to the pot and cook for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat. Let cool and place in a container and store in the refrigerator. (When you make the P&L Burgers, you can warm some of this jam in a pan.)

Make the burger:

• Place cast-iron skillet over medium heat 5 minutes before cooking the patties.
• Roll 6-ounce (170 g) burger balls from the brisket and pat them into flat, thick patties, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Season the patties with salt and pepper.
• In a bowl, combine the pickles and mayonnaise; set aside.
• Place three patties in the skillet (with no oil). The fat will render and you will have a juicier burger from the natural fat inside the patty. Cook for 4 minutes on one side, then flip.
• Top each patty with the jam and then put 2 slices of cheese per patty on top. Pour 2 tablespoons water into the skillet, covering it immediately so the burgers can steam. Remove the lid after 45 seconds. The cheese should be fully melted.
• Butter the buns and place them face down in another skillet over medium high heat so they get nice and toasty.
• Spoon the pickle mayo on the bottom buns, then add a good pile of the lettuce. Add the cheesy beef patties, cover with more of the pickle mayo,then add bun tops.

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