Mei Er Mei Burger
美而美漢堡·(měi-ér-měi hàn-bǎo)
台式早餐 (Táishì Zǎocān) - Taiwanese Breakfasts, Fast in the Suburbs
Crack the egg into a hot cast-iron skillet, break the yolk with your spatula, and drop the pork patty right beside it while the egg blisters on the iron. Taiwan's breakfast shop aunties rebuilt the hamburger around bouncy pork patties stretched with sweet root vegetables like grated carrot, a shake of white pepper, cool cucumber crunch, and a sweet whole-egg mayonnaise that ties the mess together on a soft sesame bun. Leave the artisanal brioche and Kewpie mayonnaise at the door, stock an American freezer for a 7 a.m. Tuesday rush, wrap the sandwich in wax paper so the bun steams soft, and eat it standing over the sink.
Before you start
Emulsify the whole room-temperature egg, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and neutral oil in a tall container using an immersion blender.
Plant the blender blade flat against the bottom of the cup, fire it on high, and hold it dead still for 6 seconds until a thick white base forms, then slowly pull upward to catch the remaining oil into a glossy, translucent mayo.
Pulse the onion and carrot in a food processor until finely minced into a near-paste, then squeeze out any excess water.
If you do not have a processor, grate them on the fine holes of a box grater.
Combine the pork, minced vegetables, cracker crumbs, 1 egg, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, five-spice, white pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring vigorously in one single direction for 2 minutes.
This is grandma's meatball secret: stirring in one continuous circle unravels the meat proteins, transforming a loose mix into a sticky, bouncy paste that holds together on the griddle.
Divide the pork mixture into 6 portions and press each between squares of parchment paper into thin patties slightly wider than your buns.
Chill for at least 30 minutes to firm up, or transfer directly to the freezer for future mornings.
Ingredients
- large egg1
- granulated sugar1/3 cup
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- fresh lemon juice1 tbsp
- neutral oil1 3/4 cup
- ground pork1 lb
- medium yellow onion1/2
- small carrot1
- Ritz crackers15
- large egg1
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- five-spice powder1/2 tsp
- ground white pepper1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- soft hamburger buns6
- large eggs6
- English cucumber1/2
- large tomato1
- butter lettuce leaves6
- ketchup2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Sear the patties in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned and cooked through.
If cooking from frozen, place them directly on the hot skillet without thawing and add an extra minute per side.
- 02
Transfer the cooked patties to a plate and wipe out the skillet.
- 03
Crack the remaining 6 eggs into the hot skillet, season immediately with a pinch of white pepper, and fry to over-medium.
Flip the eggs once the whites are set so the yolks jam up slightly; a completely runny yolk will drown the bun on a morning commute.
- 04
Toast the hamburger buns cut-side down in the residual pan heat until lightly golden.
- 05
Build each burger from the bottom up with sweet mayo, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, a hot pork patty, a fried egg, a squirt of ketchup, and the mayo-slathered top bun.
Stacking the cool cucumber directly beneath the hot patty acts as a thermal barrier so the meat doesn't wilt the lettuce.
Notes
Freeze the patties for true weeknight speed.
Taiwanese breakfast shops cook straight from frozen on the flat-top. Stack the parchment-lined raw patties in a freezer bag; they will keep for up to two months and cook up in minutes whenever you need them.
Do not substitute black pepper or Japanese Kewpie mayo.
Earthy, floral white pepper and sweet, translucent whole-egg mayonnaise are the exact flavor pillars that make this taste like a Taipei street corner rather than a backyard cookout. Leftover mayo keeps in the fridge for two weeks.