Hamburgers. A simple meat patty cooked to perfection and surrounded by soft bread. Even without anything added, hamburgers are yummy.
Having said that, the culinary world is rarely static. It’s always revealing new ideas for making even the simplest things extraordinary. When you first see these creations, they may take your breath away. But there is no reason you can’t make something unique, flavorful, juicy, and visually pleasing.
What’s the trick? Understanding basic flavor combinations and playing with a few wild cards. Let’s break it down.
Go through this list and make a special concoction for friends and family. There is so much more to the burger picture than this overview, but it’s a great place to start. If possible, have a burger blast, where everyone brings their signature dish for taste testing!
There’s a fun recipe for Stuffed Burgers at the end for you to try.
Best in Burgers
Ingredients
Meat Additives
- Basil
- Brown sugar
- Garlic powder
- Mustard powder
- Onion powder
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Pepper (cracked)
- Salt
- Spicy pepper powders (chili, etc)
- Thyme
- Worcestershire
Beyond the Spice
- Denmark: Havarti
- England: Stilton
- France: Brie (Camembert)
- Greek: Feta
- Italy: Asiago (Gorgonzola, Mozzarella)
- Mexico: Oaxaca (Cotija)
- Netherlands: Edam (Gouda)
- Norway: Jarlsberg
- Switzerland: Gruyere
- United States: Monterey Jack (Muenster)
Bastes
- Balsamic Reduction
- Barbecue Sauce
- Peanut Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Terriaki Sauce
- Thai Chili Sauce
Toppers
- Avocado slice
- Bacon
- Cole slaw
- Egg
- Goat cheese
- Lettuce
- Mango slice
- Onions (onion rings)
- Pickles
- Sprouts
- Tomato
Condiments
- Catalina Dressing
- Chimichurri
- Cream cheese
- Guacamole
- Hot sauce
- Ketchup
- Mayo
- Miso
- Mustard (honey mustard)
- Pico
- Ranch Dressing
- Relish
- Sweet Onion Sauce
- Taco Sauce
- Tzatziki
Rolls
- Brioche
- Ciabatta
- Hawaiian Sweet rolls
- Kaiser
- Pretzel
- Sesame
- Sourdough
- Wheat
Savory Stuffed Burgers
- 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
- 5 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cracked pepper
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- Herbs & Spices
Instructions
Meat:
- Usually ground beef, but there are blends with pork and/or sausage
- Alternative “meat”: Turkey, chicken, tofu, eggplant, black bean, salmon, portobello mushrooms, lentil, chickpea
- Meat Additives: You can integrate numerous herbs and spices into your meat to enrich the flavor. Some of the most popular ones include:
Beyond the Spice
- Ah, we’re not done yet. You can add crumbled cheese to your burger before cooking. Most people choose American or cheddar, but you can also consider various cultural influences. This is just a small sampling.
Toppers
- Whew, now there are more options. The best way to choose toppers is not simply by personal preference but also by the type of burger you’ve created. A Greek-style burger, for example, should have fresh tomatoes, baby spinach, and sliced red onion. A Hawaiian burger would include pineapple.
Savory Stuffed Burgers
- Mix the ground beef with garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper
- Blend the softened cream cheese with an herb mix of your choice. Good options include basil-oregano, chive & onion, roasted red pepper & sundried tomato, chili-pimento, and scallion-leek. Make sure your additives are finely minced and integrated with the cheese evenly.
- Make 6, 1” thick patties
- On three of the patties, spread some cream cheese, staying away from the meat edges
- Take the other three patties and put them on top
- Pinch the sides together so nothing leaks out
- Grill for about 8 minutes or to the desired doneness