29 Oct Remember the Aussie milkbar burger with ‘the lot’?
Friday night burgers, hot chips and milkshakes were once a family treat. Food writer Jane Lawson takes us back to the days of the neighbourhood milkbar and shares her recipe for a classic Aussie beef burger with ‘the lot’.
Growing up with the neighbourhood milkbar
The milkbar had everything a child could wish for. We didn’t want much – it was the simple things. A visit for takeaway burgers and chips on a Friday night after Mum and Dad finished work and were too tired to cook was an adventure!
Milkbars were pretty much the only shops you could guarantee would throw open their doors on the weekend when trading was permitted. For a kid growing up in those times, that was pretty exciting – and terribly important too.
In the searing heat of a Sydney summer, when my brother and I could barely walk up the steep hill to our local shops, we did so, dragging our little bodies under a scorching sun, knowing we’d find sweet relief at the milkbar.
Then we’d burn off the sugar high with a run under the sprinkler.
As a teenager, the milkbar was just as important. It sustained us with portable treats for dawn-until-dusk beach days in the summer holidays and was an inadvertent meeting place for boys and girls.
A glance in our direction from a group of young surfers playing the ‘pinnies’ was enough to send us into blushing fits of giggles.
As a surfer, football player and travelling sales rep, my dad knew every milkbar from the city to the northernmost tip of Sydney, and he wasn’t shy about sharing his knowledge.
He knew which one whizzed up the best shakes, who grilled the tastiest burgers and who used the sweetest fruit in their pineapple crush.
The classic Aussie beef burger with ‘the lot’
A proper milkbar burger is all about the extras – juicy beef, melted cheese, bacon, egg, beetroot and, for those who love it, pineapple.
This homemade version brings back those Friday night takeaway memories, with plenty of room to adjust the fillings to suit your family.
Serves: 4
Preparation: Approximately 20 minutes
Cooking: Approximately 25–30 minutes, depending on pan size
Ingredients
For the burgers
- 500g good-quality beef mince
- Olive oil, for frying
- 4 hamburger buns
- 120g mild cheddar or edam cheese, sliced
- Softened butter, for spreading
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For ‘the lot’
- 1 small onion, finely sliced
- 4 rashers streaky bacon, halved
- 4 eggs
- 4 pineapple rings, fresh or tinned (optional)
- Lettuce leaves, washed and shredded
- 1 ripe tomato, sliced
- 4 slices cooked beetroot
- Tomato or barbecue sauce, to serve
Method
- Prepare the patties. Divide the beef mince into four equal portions. Gently form into balls, then flatten between sheets of baking paper to make patties approximately 13cm across.
- Cook the onion. Heat a little olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10–12 minutes until soft and golden. Remove and keep warm.
- Prepare the pineapple. If using pineapple, add the rings to the same pan and cook briefly on each side until lightly golden. Set aside.
- Cook the bacon and eggs. In a separate frying pan, cook the bacon until browned and as crisp as you like. Remove and keep warm. Fry the eggs until cooked to your preference.
- Cook the burger patties. Heat a little oil in a clean frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the patties with salt and pepper and cook in batches, turning as needed, until browned and thoroughly cooked. Check that the centre reaches 75°C using a food thermometer.
- Add the cheese. Place a slice of cheese on each patty towards the end of cooking, allowing it to melt.
- Toast the buns. Lightly toast the cut sides of the hamburger buns under a hot grill or in a dry frying pan. Spread with a little butter.
- Build your burgers. Layer the bottom halves of the buns with lettuce, tomato, beetroot and pineapple, if using. Add the beef patties, followed by the cooked onion, bacon and eggs.
- Finish and serve. Add a good squirt of tomato or barbecue sauce, pop on the bun lids and serve immediately, with hot chips if desired.
Make it easier (and cheaper) for families
The traditional burger with ‘the lot’ has plenty of ingredients, but you don’t need every one of them to make a delicious family meal.
- Keep it simple: Leave out the bacon, egg or pineapple if your family prefers fewer toppings.
- Stretch the budget: Use whichever cheese you already have, and choose tinned beetroot and pineapple instead of fresh.
- For smaller appetites: Make smaller patties and use mini burger buns, with fewer fillings.
- Get the kids involved: Children can wash lettuce, arrange toppings and assemble their own burgers once the cooked ingredients are ready.
Busy parent tip: Slice the vegetables and shape the patties ahead of time. Keep the prepared patties covered in the fridge until ready to cook, and let everyone choose their favourite toppings.
Recipe and childhood memories adapted from Milkbar Memories by Jane Lawson, originally published by Murdoch Books in 2016. The cooking instructions have been updated for current food safety recommendations.
