You’re nailing the burger...with two small caveats. Salt, pepper, and garlic always go on as seasoning (maybe even some BBBR). Cheese...I’m not an American cheese fan at all. It melts great, but the flavor is chemically to me. I prefer almost any other kind of cheese.
Potato buns are the best, especially with a nice toast on them. They have a light flavor and some toast gives it a little crunch to combat the condiments.
It’s true.. I do not eat American cheese if not in burgers. I don’t like that (chemical-ish) side to it. However, how it wraps the patty on a grill is almost perfect. Muenster cheese is one of my favorites too.
Equipment
Weber Genesis Gas
Weber 22" Kettle (black)
Smokenator
Slow N Sear
Thermometers
Maverick 732 Redi-Chek
Thermopop
Fuel
Kingsford Blue Bag
Kingsford Professional
Wood
Apple (chunks)
Mesquite (chunks)
Hickory (chunks)
Oak (chunks)
Beverages
Beer: Sun King Sunlight Cream Ale; Goose Island 312; Goose Island Green Line; Revolution Anti-Hero IPA; Lagunitas IPA
Bourbon: Basil Hayden
Rye: George Dickel
Cocktail: Manhattan
Personal
Married, one child (son)
Originally from Indianapolis, IN. Currently live in Chicago's Western Suburbs (near Meathead!)
Associate Dean at Chicago area university
Agreed. Simpler is better. We do change it up occasionally. Penzy's prime rib rub is a nice change. A local grocery store sells nice pre-made slider burgers. When are son's friends are over we will grill those and use Montreal Steak Seasoning. Also agree on hot, direct, and fast. I've tried the reverse sear recipe on the AR site and just don't care for the results.
Thick, slow cooked pattys with a nice sear are not bad at all. However, as you said hot, direct and fast smash burgers are top of the line. My favorite.
Love burgers in almost any form, but I think the smash burger on the griddle is my current favourite. Sometimes like to add shredded cheese into the burger mix, other wise pretty simple.
love me some J-Wellington Wimpy burgers! We had them last night with Maytag blue cheese, candied bacon, baby bella shrooms, and carmelized onions.I have a 2lb 5.4oz bone in ribeye dry brining in the fridge currently, with some St.Elmos on it, so Im thinking it will be steaks tonight.
Burgers are like painting on a canvas to me. Once you have the technique down you can try all kinds of variations.
How about lamburgers? A 50/50 mix of ground beef and lamb. Top with on the vine sliced tomato, onion and homemade cucumber sauce with mint leaves. It's like a gyro!
Or a reubenburger, topped with corned beef, a little sauerkraut, swiss cheese and 1,000 island dressing. Look up "Paleo 1,000 island dressing" for a recipe that looks good to you. At least don't use store-bought fat free "healthy" dressing. Read the ingredient label next time you're at the store. Yuck!
No bun preferences here since I've been paleo for six years. Don't miss them, they just get in the way of the meat.
edit-
Forgot to mention I use GrillGrates on my Weber kettle.
Also, I bought a Stufz burger press when I saw the Gold review Meathead gave it on the AR free side. Haven't used it yet. I need to fix that soon!
Last edited by N227GB; August 18, 2018, 08:26 AM.
Reason: Added a few thoughts
did a modified keto diet with intermittant fasting and calorie restricyion (restricted to 4,000kcals so it wasnt THAT bad) back in my competative powerlifting and bodybuilding days. Now i eat from the 3 major foodgroups daily: Whisky, BBQ, Pie
Haha do not need anything else! I was a student-athlete my entire life.. know the importance and emphasis a lot on my intake and exercise. I now do crossfit.
Trust me, there is no thing as willpower needed to do the paleo eating lifestyle!
The biggest change was rethinking the way I chose food. In the past, if a soup recipe called for bacon, I would squeeze every last drop of fat out of the strips using paper towels. Now I save the fat in the fridge to put over steamed vegetables.
ssandy_561 Been a while since I made them. I should make up a variety and invite some friends over. Bacon-blue and mushroom-swiss sound great. That one in the picture was stuffed with sauteed mushrooms, Kansas City style sauce, bacon and of course cheese.
I’m way into bacon cheeseburgers. Bacon and extra sharp cheddar. And red onions.
Also acceptable:
buffalo blue cheese burgers
corned beef burgers
mushroom Swiss burgers.
BBQ brisket burgers (burger with chopped smoked brisket)
burgers with a fried egg
and so on. Pretty much whatever. Doesn’t matter.
By the way, Fogo is pretty good lump. Burned up a few bags and I will buy more.
Cheddar comments keep coming up, will try definitely the next time. Haha you are right, difficult to go wrong when choosing a burger for lunch + beers.
Thanks a lot, I am glad you are enjoying the product!
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
Equipment
Primo Oval xl
Slow n Sear (two)
Drip n Griddle
22" Weber Kettle
26" Weber Kettle one touch
Blackstone 36†Pro Series
Sous vide machine
Kitchen Aid
Meat grinder
sausage stuffer
5 Crock Pots Akootrimonts
Two chimneys (was 3 but rivets finally popped, down to 1)
cast iron pans,
Dutch ovens
Signals 4 probe, thermapens, chef alarms, Dots, thermapop and maverick T-732, RTC-600, pro needle and various pocket instareads. The help and preferences
1 extra fridge and a deep chest freezer in the garage
KBB
FOGO
A 9 year old princess foster child
Patience and old patio furniture
"Baby Girl" The cat
S&P. Onion or Ciabatta Rolls.. Dash of Mayo. My wife prefers deli American yellow - happy wife, happy life. Big round Claussen sandwich sliced dill pickles on the side. German mustard. Grilled red onion. Nice cold thin slice of giant tomato, nice cold leaf of iceberg. REALLY HOT fresh-ground chuck burger.
Been thinking of trying the Jucy Lucy - got the gourmet grate with the cast iron insert for Lucille.
Haven't tried Onion or Ciabatta rolls, will do for sure. Mayo is a must in a burger I feel, simple extra but definitely keeps the burger together (flavor wise).
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