Coarse-ground cheeseburger with onions and pickles

Heat a cast iron or stainless steel skillet just a little bigger than the burger; not non-stick, which will not get hot enough.

Season the loosely packed patty with salt and pepper. Add just a little oil to the skillet.

Cook the patty so its fat renders and it cooks in its own fat; take a patty this fatty to around medium; it stays juicy even well done.

Variation: to grind at home in a food processor, trim off connective tissue and silver skin, cut the beef into cubes on a metal tray and freeze about 10 minutes until the edges harden; process about half a pound at a time, pulsing 20 to 25 times.

Put onions on top of the burger and cheese on top of the onions.

Spread mayo on the bun and add the pickles.

The burger is done as soon as the cheese is melted. Save the rendered beef fat for roasting potatoes.