The fakeaway burger with a secret ingredient

Nothing satisfies a burger craving quite like a burger with the works: juicy beef, melted cheddar, sizzling bacon and buttery brioche. This recipe has it all – plus a special sauce that will give your go-to burger joint a run for its money.

The secret is in the sauce, and this one features a perhaps unlikely hero: Angostura Bitters.

Yes, the trusty bitters you reach for to make a lemon, lime and bitters is just as wonderful in the kitchen as it is behind the bar. Is that not the definition of a secret ingredient?

Just a few dashes cut through the richness of whole-egg mayo and make the pickle brine and smoky paprika sing, adding a hit of botanical complexity that elevates a standard slathering into something sensational.

Fire up the skillet, toast your buns, and whip up an ice-cold lemon, lime and bitters to match.

The fakeaway burger with Angostura Bitters special sauce

INGREDIENTS

For the burgers

• 500g regular beef mince
• 4 brioche burger buns​
• 4 slices cheddar cheese​
• 4 rashers streaky bacon​
• 1 large tomato, sliced​
• 4 lettuce leaves​
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced​
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper​
• Neutral oil, for cooking​
• Butter, for toasting buns​

Angostura Bitters special sauce​

• ½ cup whole-egg mayonnaise​
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce​
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard​
• 1 tbsp finely chopped pickles​
• 1 tsp pickle juice​
• ½ tsp smoked paprika​
• 4–5 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters​
• Freshly cracked black pepper ​

​Lemon, lime and bitters (single serve)​

• 250mL chilled lemonade​
• 15mL lime cordial (1 tbsp)​
• 1 lemon, sliced​
• 1 lime, sliced​
• 2–3 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters, or to taste​
• Ice​

METHOD​

1. Prepare the secret sauce. Combine mayonnaise, tomato sauce, Dijon mustard, pickles, pickle juice, smoked paprika and Angostura Bitters in a bowl. Mix until smooth and refrigerate until serving. ​
2. Prepare the patties. Divide beef mince into four 125g portions. Gently shape into patties slightly wider than the buns, pressing a shallow indentation into the centre. Season generously with salt and pepper just before cooking.​
3. Prepare buns and bacon. Lightly butter the brioche buns and toast cut-side down until golden. Fry bacon until golden and crisp. ​
4. Cook the beef. Heat a heavy-based pan over medium-high heat. Cook patties for approximately 4–5 minutes per side, adjusting for thickness, until cooked through. Add cheddar during the final minute and allow to melt.​
5. Assemble. Spread a generous layer of Angostura Bitters special sauce over the bottom bun. Add lettuce, tomato, beef patty, bacon and red onion. Finish with another spoonful of sauce and the top bun.​
6. Make lemon lime bitters. Fill a tall glass with ice, add the lime cordial and top with chilled lemonade. Add 2–3 dashes of Angostura Bitters and stir gently to combine. Garnish with fresh lemon and lime slices. Serve immediately. ​

Ready to elevate your cooking? Discover how a few dashes of Angostura Bitters can transform glazes, dressings, sauces and more at angosturabitters.com