Even butchers are astounded by the quality of the Ballards' beef patties, writes Richard McComb.

From their small farmhouse kitchen in rural Worcestershire, Miranda and Roland Ballard are on a mission: to reclaim the beef burger.

Tainted with the dietary excesses of the fast-food industry, the young couple want the humble meat pattie to be what it initially was: a nutritious, quick, tasty dish that didn’t have anything to do free toys and a Happy Meal.

They use only quality cuts of beef, such as topside and silverside, for their 100 per cent Aberdeen Angus burgers. There’s no superfluous filler or rusk.

The classic burger contains Warwickshire beef, garlic, fresh parsley, black pepper, tomato puree, a pinch of salt and a fifth of an egg to bind. All the burgers in the range, which include caramelised onion and mozzarella and goat’s cheese and sundried tomato, are gluten and wheat free.

Miranda says butchers think they are mad for using such expensive cuts in their burgers but she and Roland think it is crucial for a premium product.

The Ballards have come a long way in a short period of time since they set up their business, Muddy Boots, in the village of Shrawley, north of Worcester.

They gave up whizzy media jobs in London – Miranda was PA to Sir David Frost and Roland worked in the film industry for Working Title – to relocate to the middle of nowhere and realise their dream of becoming burger tycoons.

There have been major sacrifices. The £30,000 deposit they had saved to buy a flat in Wandsworth was sunk into the business. They have drawn a salary for only four months since they started making ready meals in December 2009 and that was only £250 each.

Roland’s father John gave them a spot on his farm to start their homespun food production business. Initially they made their ready meals for farmers’ markets but soon discovered their burgers were the run-away biggest seller.

The kitchen where we meet for lunch was where burger making started in spring 2009. It was here that Miranda, 29, would make 1,000 burgers in a “long” day while Roland, 31, developed the sales and marketing strategy.

“Roland is naturally good at figures and we fell into our gender stereotypes within about a day,” says Miranda.

The weekly batch of burgers would be made on a Friday and were sold in four farmers’ markets in London at the weekend. It was a punishing schedule.

After selling at Pimlico and Notting Hill on Saturday, the couple would return to Shrawley, kip for a few hours, reload the van and set off for Sunday markets at Marylebone and Islington at 4am.

They now make 4,500 burgers a week and have landed a “dream” contract with Waitrose, which Miranda says was the Holy Grail of retailers for them. Muddy Boots supplies 34 branches, including Harborne in Birmingham, following successful initial sales in a core of Midland outlets. Muddy Boots also supplies some local farm shops and restaurants.

Increasing production has meant bringing in an outside contractor and the burgers are now made by Mid Shires Food at Bishops Castle near Ludlow. Miranda, in particular, found it difficult to let go of “hands on” production.

“I think it was because I am a girl and maternal and terribly protective,” she says. She insisted on working on the production line – she’s still a regular visitor – as she wanted the workers to have a connection with her and Roland and the ethos of the business.

Miranda adds: “I wanted them to get to know us. We didn’t want to be seen as the happy kids from the farm with the posh accents. People have to get to know you. They have to care. Because this is our livelihood.”

* Information: www.muddybootsfoods.co.uk