Homemade Hamburgers with BBQ Sauce

Crumble yeast into a bowl, add a portion of warm milk, sugar, and a spoon of flour, then stir until dissolved. Leave in a warm place until the mixture becomes foamy, which ensures the dough will rise properly.

Place flour in a large bowl, add the yeast mixture, remaining warm milk, egg, salt, and butter. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough may feel slightly sticky at first, but it softens as gluten develops. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in volume.

Divide risen dough into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball by tucking edges underneath. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with poppy or nigella seeds, and let rest briefly before baking so buns rise evenly in the oven.

Bake buns at 375°F until lightly golden. After baking, remove from oven and allow to cool completely so they do not absorb moisture when assembling burgers.

Place ground beef in a bowl, add pressed garlic, egg, bread crumbs, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix gently just until combined, avoiding excessive mixing to keep patties tender. Shape into flat patties slightly larger than buns, as they shrink during frying.

Heat a pan with a small amount of oil and fry patties over medium heat until browned on both sides and cooked through. During the last moments of frying, place cheese on top of patties so it softens slightly.

Slice cooled buns horizontally. Spread BBQ sauce on the bottom half, add lettuce, beef patty with melted cheese, tomato slices, and red onion. Add more sauce if desired and cover with top bun. ENJOY!