Bartley's burger

[steinpilz]

I saw this "recipe" for the Bartley burger in the WSJ today, they had an article on the best burgers in the US, and thought I'd post it here.

"MR. BARTLEY'S CHEDDAR BURGER

Cooks at Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage in Cambridge, Mass., start with 85%-lean custom-ground chuck. A stainless-steel machine called an AccuPat designed to make meatballs produces 7-ounce patties that are just 4 inches across. (Forming the balls by hand, "especially today with gloves," creates too much heat, says Billy Bartley, son of the founder.) Each burger is placed on a hot flat-top grill, lightly weighted and flipped only once. The roll -- "It's an envelope," says Mr. Bartley, "a means of delivery" -- is a sesame-seed roll that is smaller in diameter than the cooked burger.
Here is our take on how to make a Bartley's cheeseburger at home.
• 7 ounces of chuck, 85% lean, ground

• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Neutral oil, like grapeseed or canola

• 1 slice of the sharpest cheddar that can be sliced without crumbling

• 1 sesame-seed bun, toasted

Season the meat with salt and pepper, and form into a 4-inch-by-1-inch patty. Handle the meat as little as possible.
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until very hot. Add a small bit of oil to the skillet, and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the patty and cook, turning once, until cooked to desired doneness (about 7 minutes per side for medium-rare), pressing down slightly on the patty with the back of a spatula every so often. For a cheddar burger, add the cheese to the top of the patty after flipping it. Serve immediately on the bun."