Cook like The Beefy Boys: recipes from their new book.

The culinary institution was founded by four friends, whose prowess on their home grills and appreciation of quality ingredients, such as beef from Hereford Cattle, led them to win accolades in barbecue competitions in both the UK and the USA.

Just over a decade ago, Anthony ‘Murf’ Murphy, Lee Simmonds, Daniel Mayo-Evans and Christian Williams had everyday jobs and a passion for cooking homemade burgers in their back gardens.

 

Buoyed by numerous complimentary comments over the deliciousness of their patties, they entered the UK’s biggest barbecue competition in 2014, returning home with the ‘Best Burger’ title.

The following year they headed for Las Vegas to compete against chefs from 50 of the best hot grills across the United States and Canada, going on to win the final round and coming second overall with their ‘Butty Bach’ burger featuring a special barbecue sauce made from beer from the Wye Valley Brewery, which sponsored their flights.

The Beefy Boys book (Image: Courtesy of The Beefy Boys)

Today their restaurants are regularly packed out, and their mobile burger kitchens are a familiar sight at events across the region.

Last year The Beefy Boys won Burger of the Year and Burger Chef of the Year at the 2023 National Burger Awards, and made appearances on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and The Hidden World of Hospitality with Tom Kerridge. This year, Murf was invited to be a judge at the World Burger Championships.

Now the men are sharing their recipes and approach for mouth-watering burgers, fried chicken, pickles and other favourites in a new book.

The Beefy Boys: From Backyard BBQ to World-Class Burgers, published by Quadrille on August 15, is a treasure trove of insider secrets and expert tips gleaned during their travels across the US and beyond.

From the art of steaming buns to the science behind different patty styles and recipes for unique condiments, the book will offer a step-by-step guide to mastering the perfect burger. Readers can expect to discover signature recipes such as the Beefy Boy Burger, Oklahoma Onion Boy, Peanut Butter and Jelly Boy, Nashville Hot Chicken Burger and Buffalo Chicken Burger, as well as veggie favourites like the Beanie Boy and Leafy Boy.

A selection of recipes for their famous joy-inducing sides, including Pastrami Fries, Jalapeño Poppers, and Millionaire Fries also feature in the book, along with some unexpected twists like the Pizza Boy, Sunday Roast British Boy, and The Christmas Boy. Each recipe is presented with the Beefy Boys’ signature style and illustrations, along with mouth-watering pictures that are sure to make readers rush to their kitchens.

The Beefy Boys: From Backyard BBQ to World-Class Burgers, published by Quadrille, will be released on August 15, RRP £20.

www.thebeefyboys.com

Here are some recipes from their book.

Beefy Boys fried chicken (Image: Courtesy of The Beefy Boys)

Fried Chicken

Now, obviously, we love a burger, and generally for us that comes down to beef (hence the name The Beefy Boys). Sometimes though, you just want a really banging chicken burger. When we first started doing this, chicken burgers were the bane of my life; I could never get the coating right on the fried chicken. It took me five years of trial and error before I got a coating I was happy with. My mantra was that if it isn’t better than KFC, what’s the point. Well, after five years of trying, we got there, and this is it.

Serves 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Rapeseed or vegetable oil, for deep frying

For the fried chicken seasoning

1 tbsp rock salt

1 tbsp cracked black pepper

1⁄2 tbsp MSG (available online or in Asian supermarkets)

1⁄2 tbsp dried thyme

1⁄2 tbsp garlic powder

For the buttermilk brine

240ml (1 cup) buttermilk

240ml (1 cup) whole milk

2 tbsp hot sauce

2 tsp fried chicken seasoning (see above)

2 eggs

For the fried chicken flour

130g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

120g (1 cup) cornflour (cornstarch)

2 tbsp baking powder

11⁄2 tsp fried chicken seasoning (see above)

This process works well with breast or thigh, although I think thighs are better than breast for deep frying. They have more fat and are more forgiving when cooked in a fryer, but I do understand some people out there will only eat breast. In this recipe, we use MSG, and the only thing more misunderstood in the world than MSG is Dr Pepper or possibly the ending of The Sopranos. MSG is Monosodium Glutamate, a name that sounds like a sixth-form noisecore band. MSG is created from the fermentation of plant-based ingredients such as sugar cane, sugar beets, or corn. It’s the sodium salt of glutamic acid. It’s a myth that MSG is bad for you; it will not make you feel ill. What it will do, though, is give your fried chicken that proper chicken shop fried chicken flavour that we all crave.

Method

Mix all the ingredients for the fried chicken seasoning together in a bowl and set aside.

If using chicken breasts, butterfly them, then gently bash out with a rolling pin, first placing a sheet of clingfilm/plastic wrap on top, until they are about 1–1.5cm (1⁄2 inch) thick.

In another bowl or dish, combine the buttermilk brine ingredients and whisk together. Place the chicken in the brine mixture and leave covered in the refrigerator overnight.

Mix all the chicken flour ingredients together. Preheat enough oil for deep frying in a fryer or cast iron skillet, to 160°C/320°F. Take a few spoonfuls of your buttermilk brine and flick them over the fried chicken flour, then with your hand, start to make craggy bits in the flour. Take the chicken out of the brine and press the pieces firmly into the flour, making sure the flour has coated the chicken all over.

Tap off any excess flour, then place slowly in the hot oil. Fry for about 6 minutes or until the breasts reach an internal temperature of 75°C/167°F, or 85°C/185°F for the thighs. Remove from the oil and let rest on some kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. There you go; your fried chicken is ready to rock and roll in some delicious burgers.

 

Beefy Boys Pickles (Image: Courtesy of The Beefy Boys)

The Pickles

There are those of us who love a pickle on a burger, and then there are those who are fundamentally wrong. Lee is so dead against pickles in a burger that they actually make him feel physically ill. However, he does have the palate of a 4-year-old, so it might be more to do with that. Is there anything more loved and hated and divisive than a pickle? Maybe Marmite? Musical theatre? Brexit? The ending of Game of Thrones? To be fair, I think everyone hated that.

I love pickles – the sweet vinegary tang of a good pickle cuts perfectly through the meaty fat of a juicy burger. If you don’t like pickles, that’s fine. Don’t read the rest of this section – and wherever you see a burger that mentions the dreaded pickle, ignore it and pretend it isn’t there. For those of us who don’t have the tastebuds of a toddler, keep reading.

These recipes are for what I call quick pickles because life is too short to be fermenting stuff.

I am way too disorganized to be making pickles in advance. I need something I can whip up in the morning and be ready to eat in a few hours. These pickles are just that, and they will all keep in the refrigerator for up to a month as well.

Method for Making Quick Pickles

You can make each of these quick pickles in the same way:

1. Toast off any whole spices in a pan until they become fragrant.

2. Pour in the water and vinegars.

3. Add the salt and sugar and any powdered spices, stir until

they are all dissolved and the liquid just starts to boil.

4. Take off the heat, place the ingredients you wish to pickle

in a sterilized jar and pour over the pickling liquor.

Dill Pickles

These are the Daddy pickles, the classic dill pickle – crunchy, fresh and delicious. They bring you everything you would expect in a decent gherkin. This recipe is so quick and easy that you will never need to buy a jar of pickles again. Unless you do so just to laugh at how inferior and pathetic they are compared to your mighty pickle.

Ingredients

250g (9oz) baby (kirby) cucumbers, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Small bunch of dill

2 tsp black peppercorns

2 tbsp mustard seeds

240ml (1 cup) water

120ml (1⁄2 cup) white malt vinegar

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

Pinch of chilli flakes

Pickled Jalapenos

Pickled jalapeños have got to be one of the ultimate pickle accompaniments if you want to bring a bit of spice to a burger. For years I had only ever used pre-made ones. Making them myself was a revelation. A fresh homemade pickled jalapeño has a crunch and vibrancy that bought ones just can’t match. A word of warning: these get hotter (and arguably better) over time.

Ingredients

250g (9oz) fresh jalapeños, sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

240ml (1 cup) water

120ml (1⁄2 cup) white malt vinegar

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

Bread and Butter Pickles

Bread and butter pickles are the earthy spiced cousin of classic dill pickles. They have a real depth of flavour, so much so they were designed to be eaten alongside just bread and butter, hence the name.

Ingredients

250g (9oz) baby (kirby) cucumbers, sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

1⁄2 tsp celery seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 cinnamon stick

240ml (1 cup) water

120ml (1⁄2 cup) white malt vinegar

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp ground turmeric

Pinch of chilli flakes

Chipotle Maple Pickled Pinks

I am really proud of this recipe. It’s so so so good, amazing with BBQ meats or on a BBQ burger like the Piggy Back (see page 68), and it’s also incredible eaten just with some cheeses. The maple syrup and smoked chipotle chilli flakes work so well together it’s silly.

Ingredients

250g (9oz) red onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)

240ml (1 cup) water

120ml (1⁄2 cup) white malt vinegar

3 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chipotle chilli flakes

Asian Pickles

These are such great pickles and their nutty and fragrant notes actually work really well in a burger. They are also amazing served alongside noodles or fried rice.

Ingredients

250g (9oz) baby (kirby) cucumbers, sliced

2 red chillies, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

240ml (1 cup) water

120ml (1⁄2 cup) rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp fish sauce

1⁄2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame seeds