The Burger
 

I was in NY today, ready to get the car and come back home when I noticed a restaurant across the street from the garage. Outside had good press about having great burgers, so I had to go in. A good decision. Expensive but value for dollar could not be matched. Chef uses sirloin, short rib, chuck and brisket blend. Almost made me wish I had gone with a plain burger instead of the gussied up "Manhattan Latin" with guacamole, bacon, cheddar and some special pepper aoli. All together, it was fantastic, but the beef itself made it. Wish I could get the ratios and go down to my local butcher and have him mix some up. Also came with fries tossed in oil, butter, garlic and herbs. Those things, again, fantastic.

I've been working on the perfect burger for a while and for me, a thinner patty griddled along with onions which are caramelized, dumped on top, cheese added and then steamed to melt the cheese, on buns that have been browned in butter, are the best thing going with a beer. Forget napkins, shop rags work better.

Grilling, I can't grill a burger to save my life. Don't know why. They always suck.

What's your best burger?

In-n-Out does it for me. Maybe my palate is not that sophisticated.

I tried Burger Bar once in San Francisco. It wasn't something to write home about. All hype.

Although the way you described that place, it sounds like I will become more discriminating after trying it.

Plain Jane with cheese and a tiny bit of mayo. On the grill, still ever so slightly pink in the middle. Thin (one inch) better than thick. The bun is as important as the meat. Ciabatta (only if fresh), or a Kaiser style big bun.

Home-made hand-cut fries, well done.

Has been my staple food since I was weaned.

Get a packet of au jus mix (powdered form McCormick is best) and a can of french's french fried onions and a couple pounds of 80/20 chuck.

Crush up about 1/2 cup max of the fried onions as fine as you can.

Mix the onions and the au jus mix into the meat, making sure it's evenly dispersed.

Add salt and pepper, don't be stingy.

Form into 8 patties with hole in the middle from your finger (cooks faster and more even).

Cover with saran wrap and stick in fridge for minimum 2 hours, 4 hours is better.

grill as usual, meduim rare.

Juicy, tastes like a porterhouse.


That's part from Sandra Lee and part from me, it works.

These guys make good one in my neck of the woods.
TrueBurger Oakland

Ground chuck mixed with some whole hog sausage, and mixed up with diced onions and Lawry's seasoned salt. keep the patties on the thin side (not over 1" thick). Some room temperature provelone cheese, on top a minute before removal from heat. I then add one leaf of lettuce, a medium amount of catsup, a smaller amount of French's yellow mustard, and a smear of fresh horseradish.

A frosted mug full of stout beer, and some Lay's rippled chips in an onion dip.....OOOOHHHH Yea.

This is the one I'll be trying - sounds good!

PM Sent

dice a tomato and an onion, sautee both with a little garlic. mix the sauteed stuff into the meat. I also like to add a little wine (red or white will do) salt, pepper and smoked paprika.

grill.

very yummy

10 oz Sirloin Tip (Flat Steak)
6 oz Boneless Short Rib

Chunk it up... freeze a bit, pass through your meat grinder...

Make some home made 1000 island...

griddle or BBQ the patties...

Butter the buns ;) brown on a griddle or BBQ

Assemble.... eat and arrive at burger heaven..

If you really want or need a spike in your cholesterol some yellow American cheese works well

Shaun - thanks for the burger thread.

Great stuff!

I don't have anything special to contribute so will just live vicariously through the rest of you blokes. :D

We outta merge this thread with the LeMans thread for a really perfect weekend resource!

You need to start with good meat and some fat. IMO the easiest way to do this is to use 1 part sirloin and 1 part untrimmed brisket. Many top burger joints use this (including Shake Shack in NY IIRC). If you like adding onion and other stuff, so be it. I like adding that AFTER the burger is cooked in the form of condiments.

The single best item I ever bought for getting burgers (and steaks, chicken, etc) absolutely perfect and juicy is the Grill Grate. Your must-have grilling grate for any and every grill | GrillGrate It is IMPOSSIBLE to fail using these. They make anything you grill better. No flare up, no leaving it too long, no mistakes. I once forget a burger on the grill for 10 minutes (was working on car!). The only damage done was darker char marks. No joke. Burger was still juicy. Best "gadget" I ever bought for my grill apart from my ThermaPen meat probe (I do lots of grilling/smoking)

To melt cheese properly, wait until burger is done. Get a fry pan lid. Squirt water on grill and quickly cover with lid. Leave 20-30 seconds. Cheese will be perfectly melted.

I hate all of you. But then again I am stupid enough to open the thread titled "the burger". Now starving for a burger. Trying to lose weight. Eating salads and fish. At least you guys aren't posting pictures. Then I will really hate all of you.

Farmer Boys burgers are the best of the chains.

I tried Habit Burger, and was like "meh". In-N-Out Burger gives me a serious case of butt coffee.

Thick patty, straight ground beef with about 20% fat, cooked just under medium. Slab of sharp cheddar melted on top and...ready? A fried egg with soft yolk. Squished between a soft deli roll.

Heaven on earth.

I'm not a big fan of cheese on a burger, unless it's just a ballpark cheeseburger. I like to experiment with just ground meat and spices. Cheese is a food of its own to me. It's like putting lasagna on top of spaghetti and calling it creative. It's just too much.
Thanks for the thread. There will be a lot of learning opportunities from this one.

I made some kibbie burgers a few weeks ago. Grilled over charcoal and topped with cucumber yogurt, romaine lettuce and tomato. Was not too bad.

Backdoor burger at the beer stube in Whitefish Montana was memorable...

Can't say as I've had too many that were memorable

Cadillac Burger at Big Ricks

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