Eyre Hotel Head Chef, Patrick Spriggs.
Eyre Smashed Burger.
Eyre Hotel kitchen team.
Eyre Hotel: Winner of the Best Burger Challenge FROM THE HEAD CHEF, PATRICK SPRIGGS Winning AHA|SA best pub burger 2021 has been massive for not only the hotel, but the whole community has got behind us and supported us too! We averaged around 140 burgers per week - that has now risen to 300 burgers per week which is massive for a small country town. The kitchen team is super happy to be cooking the best burger in the state and it’s been a launchpad for all the changes we are introducing to the hotel, including a shift toward using local Eyre Peninsula suppliers and produce. We currently have local Spencer Gulf prawns from “The Prawn Store”, artisan rubs from “The Rub Whisperer”, locally baked brioche burger buns from “Casa De Pan”, EP honey from “Eyre Honey” bush teas from “Marcia’s Bushflower Teas” all our pork smallgoods come from “Boston Bay Smallgoods” and all of our flour Back to Contents
currently used at the Eyre Hotel is now from “Cummins Milling”. The end goal is to truly use as many local suppliers and producers as possible and showcase the Eyre Peninsula for the great food producing region it is. EYRE SMASHED BURGER The beauty of a simple burger to me is that you can make it to your own taste. If you like onion, add it, if you like grilled pineapple, add it also! We try to keep things simple with our burger line-up here at the Eyre Hotel, and let the quality of the local ingredients shine. The thing I like most about doing a smash burger, compared to a classic burger, is you are able to cook a smash burger to well done, and it’s still incredibly juicy. This is due to the burger relying on rendered fat rather than a medium or medium-rare doneness to achieve the same level of juiciness.
Eyre Smashed Burger Recipe: Keys to perfection 1. Fresh mince. If you have a mincer at home, don’t be scared to use whatever meat you have to make burgers. We use a combination of tough cuts 60% and quality cuts 40%. 60% brisket and 40% trim of wagyu rump and sirloin steak. If you do not have a mincer available get your butcher to make some burger mince for you and tell them to keep it loosely packed. VERY IMPORTANT! 2. Buy a burger “smasher”. These things are great because it’s just so easy to do. Easily found online. If you don’t have a burger smasher you can use tongs and something to press the patty down like a flat spatula or bottom of a pan. However for $30 online a burger smasher makes your life so much easier,
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