Thinking about new burger things.

[Mosca]

I’m thinking about new burger things.

I always default to the California burger, the classic: cheeseburger with L/T/M/O, and then a pickled thing, which could be sweet or dill pickle, cowboy candy, hot banana pepper rings, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts… anything.

I’m not necessarily against that. I’m more thinking about things that could make ANY burger better. But, in this particular instance, I’m thinking of things that could also go on a California burger.


Here are two things that I think do NOT make a burger better.

1) A fried egg. Frankly, this is a waste of energy and a waste of eggs. The flavors do not go together. Eggs take pork. Eggs do not take beef.

2) Bacon. Sorry. I love bacon. But it makes a burger too busy. I’ll take that bacon on the side, please and thank you. Don’t skip the bacon, just give it to me separately. Maybe I’ll crumble it onto my fries.

Seriously. You’ll have a better sandwich if you make a fried egg and bacon sandwich with cheese and L/T/M/O. Leave out the burger patty, add more bacon.


Here are some things that do make a burger better.

1) Sautéed mushrooms and onions. These work well with Swiss style cheeses. They can also go on a California burger, but you need a bigger bun.

2) Fried onion straws. The kind that come in a can. The crunchy texture is great.

3) Potato chips. Get the kettle chips. Texture. Salt. Fried flavor. Yum.

4) BBQ sauce. Or course.


Here are things I am thinking of trying.

1) Butter. It works for steak. Why not butter the burger, then cook it? I’m going to try this tonight.

2) Garlic. Not like in SPG, but why not mash a clove of garlic and rub it on the burger?

Or, why not make garlic butter and cook the burger in it? Butter the burger with garlic butter? Or, butter the bun with garlic butter before roasting it in the pan?

3) Pimento cheese spread, like in pimento cheese sandwiches. I mean, what could go wrong here?


I welcome comments and ideas.

[AdequateEatin]

Man those are some strong view points that I am not sure I agree with all of.

I agree with yes a fried egg is terrible on a burger, it is too runny and makes a mess out of a burger. And you are right sauteed mushrooms and onions, fried onions straws and potato chips make a burger better.

However I feel like you are completely wrong bacon belongs on a burger, and for the same reason as a fried egg BBQ sauce does not belong on a burger. I don't need my bun crumbling apart because it is too wet from the BBQ sauce.

As for the butter burger it has good flavor, I have tried it a few times. It makes a wet wet burger though and as we previously established I am not a huge fan of that.

If you have George Motz book The Great American Burger Book he goes over the history of the butter burger out of Wisconsin.f A pretty interesting read.

[Mosca]

I know I’m swimming against a riptide with the bacon thing.

There are two ways to put bbq sauce on.

First, just spread a little bit of it on one half of the bun. So, top half mayo, lettuce tomato. Then cheeseburger. Then bottom half (from the bottom), bbq sauce, pickled thing, onions.

The other way takes dedication. Make your cheeseburger openfaced. Cover it with fried mushrooms and onions. Then dump that freakin’ sauce all over your burger, and eat it with a fork.

Not for everyone, no.

[Mosca]

And thanks for the book recommendation, I’ve seen his YouTube videos. I have Raichlen’s burger book, it was worth the 99 cents I paid for it.

[bbqLuv]

Mosca ". . . and eat it with a fork." Is that an edible fork? as seen on Shark Tank?

[Oak Smoke]

In the old days we used to use a little Lipton onion soup mix on the top then fry it up in a mixture of butter and Worcestershire sauce. They weren’t bad at all.

[Mosca]

That’s how my mom made her burgers! They were pretty good.

[Murdy]

We mix the soup mix, Worcester, and other spices directly into the burger before forming it into patties.

[tbob4]

Lipton onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce and a squirt of lemon. Funny story - I thought I made the soup thing up. It was MY secret ingredient until I learned it is everyone’s and has been forever.

[Bkhuna]

I can't believe I've been on the planet for 65 years and never heard the term "California Burger". I remember reference to a Hawaiian Burger in Pulp Fiction but I'm at a blank for burgers named after states.

[TripleB]

Oh that's because the burger originated in California.

[texastweeter]

"THAT IS A TASTY BURGER!"

[Bkhuna]

How about we start with naming an official burger for each state. I'll start off with the Florida burger.

It's just a standard burger but it has to annoyingly declare to all the other burgers how much better it tasted back where it came from.

[WillTravelForFood]

Pimento Cheese? Yes
Different Cheeses? Yes
Experiment with cheese? Definitely.

Different seasonings on the burger? yes
Different cooking styles (smash vs grill vs smoked)? Yes

different types of lettuce? (say no to iceberg!)
bacon tomato jam? yes
homemade chipotle ketchup? yes

truffle fries as a side? yes
different styles of buns? yes


The world is your oyster. try 'em all.

[treesmacker]

Oyster on a burger?

[WillTravelForFood]

Why not?

[Murdy]

Avocados are a common addition on a California burger. I sometimes add some crumbled bleu to the burger and add a thin slice of swiss over it to hold it in place. Fried onions of course (not talking about the crispy straws here, actual onions fried in a pan).

I agree on both bacon and eggs, no place on a burger.

[Murdy]

@ smokenoob -- Mash it up!

[smokenoob]

and a tooth pic!

[Tax Man]

Bacon bleu burger is my ultimate fave burger. Bacon not too crispy, lot of bleu, with a side of bleu cheese dressing for dipping my fries in.

[TripleB]

I put butter on my burgers the other night. I had a very lean mixture after grinding and thought of adding a little fat. Just before putting on the cheese for the final few minutes, I put on a small pat of butter on each burger than placed the cheese over the butter......sealing in all that buttery goodness . Burgers came out very good.

[GroceryBoy]

There is a restaurant in Green Bay named Kroll’s. Directly across the street from Lambeau Field that has been putting a pat of butter on their hamburgers since the 50’s. They use a hard roll that is real crusty and a slice of onion if I remember right. Delicious!!

[STEbbq]

I have yet to do this but you are thinking the same way I am. I bought this sauce book to specifically start using some fun ideas for burgers among other things like Japanese, Thai, and Mexican flavors. Mango, mint, cilantro, soy sauce, curry sauce etc. I figure that will get some new flavors on top of our favorite burger recipe.

Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades--Bastes, Butters & Glazes, Too (Steven Raichlen Barbecue Bible Cookbooks) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1523500816/

[Mosca]

Yep,I got that one. There was a sale on Raichlen kindle books a few years ago or so,I got all the old ones for 99 cents each. He has some great ideas, but it’s rare to find everything in the grocery store, let alone the pantry!

[Santamarina]

I was gifted Raichlen’s Barbecue Bible probably 20 years ago. It helped guide me on my early outdoor cooking journey. Not sure that "Bible" is an appropriate title…I’ll give that to the AmazingRibs site!

[holehogg]

Wholeheartedly agree with you on the egg, especially if there's cheese on.
I'm in favour of bacon served with cheese.
Have made burgers on the kettle with a knob of butter inside the patty. Was good, and messy too, but didn't have a wow factor for me.
The garlic butter on the bun is a good idea and personally think it would work nicely.

These are the things I put on burgers no garnish except BBQ sauce and finely chopped onion:-
Egg's
Bacon
Bacon and avocado (always together)
Thick cheddar cheese sauce with a slice of processed on top.
Mix in sliced pickled jalapenos with the cheddar cheese sauce and top again with a slice of processed (very popular).
Grated cheddar cheese.

On request sometimes os a thin slice of tinned pineapple lightly fried to warm and singe with a slice of cheese on top.

My personal take on burgers is keep it simple. I have sampled all of the above and combinations of them and my conclusion is you don't get to taste the goodness of the smashed patty.
For me just a patty on the bun is best. I do enjoy bacon and cheese and the jalapeno cheese sauce combos but they do mask the essence of a pure tasty smash burger.

I make the cheese sauce very thick and let it cool. Once I've flipped the patty I load on a heap of sauce and cover with a lid to heat up. The bits that melt and land up on the flat top and char, is delicious. I then add the cheese slice and cover again until melted.

[Jfrosty27]

We have a fast food chain here in Wisconsin called Culver’s. They’re famous for their butter burgers. They plop a healthy sized pat of butter on the burger patty just before the pull it off the griddle. Then assemble the burger and the butter melts in there. Really good.

[Jfrosty27]

glitchy. Here they put a pat of butter on it. Might be a local thing? 🤷‍♂️

[glitchy]

Jfrosty27 Then I call not fair, yours are probably better than they are here.

[au4stree]

They opened a Culver’s here about 1.5-2 yrs ago. Not far from a Freddie’s. I much prefer Culver’s, but my kids want Freddie’s burgers. Although, both are great for fast food.

[Dan Deter]

Carolina style is always good...cheese, chili, and slaw, optionally yellow mustard. Messy, but good.

[texastweeter]

I make a peanut butter and jalapeño jelly burger with cream cheese.

[Mosca]

I think I would have to try that at someone else’s house first. It might be good, but idk.

[bbqLuv]

"Are you serious?" was my first thought, but actually, that sounds good on second thought.
Paired with PBR, of course, and root beer for the young ones.

[texastweeter]

Don't knock it till you've tried it. Mosca bbqLuv

[HawkerXP]

You had me at mushroom n swiss.

[Mosca]

Yeah, that sounds good doesn’t it! I think, with fried onions and ranch dressing, this might be tonight’s burger. Maybe with roasted red pepper.

[smokenoob]

burger just has to fit in my mouth without it slidin’ out on my lap, other than that, anything goes!

[Mosca]

You had me at mushroom n swiss.

Oooh, I found this in the cheese drawer (yes, I have one):



I know what cheese is going on this burger.

[Murdy]

Great. That evil-looking thing on the label is going to give me nightmares.

[Mosca]

Murdy that cheese is fantastic, if you can find it get it!

https://www.cheese.com/challerhocker/

[Murdy]

Mosca -- I will try it. The Swiss group of cheeses is one of my favorites, and it has the additional benefit of being relatively low sodium.