So Sunday was the first free day I have had in quite a while. Between school, work and a sick baby I have had a very little time. Yesterday was a beautiful day, temp in the high 60's, low 70's and just enough of a breeze to carry all the aroma's of everybodies grills right to our front door. My wife asked me early in the day if I would show her how to grill a burger so I went to the store and picked up some ground beef and some fixin's for a good burger.
I am sure that everybody has a favorite way to prepare a burger, so I am not trying to pass this off as the best burger ever, just a good burger. That said there are a few things that annoy me about making a burger or people who make burgers. Lets start with the meat. Why anyone would buy 90% or 93% lean ground beef to make a burger is beyond my comprehension. First of all you are buying ground beef worrying about whether or not it is healthier for you than the 80% or 85% lean is ridiculous, it's ground beef. As long as you aren't eating it everyday it really shouldn't be that big of deal. Besides the extra fat keeps your burger from drying out and will prevent it from crumbling apart when you eat it. For our burgers I got some nice 85% lean grass fed ground beef and added 1 tablespoon of worchestire sauce and 1 tablespoon of McCormicks hamburger seasoning mixed it together and made four quarter pound patties.
Next lets talk about the bun. I really like a nice onion bun but my wife doesn't like onions so we grabbed some fresh sesame seed buns. I like to toast the buns with a little butter just before the burgers are done. I think it is a texture thing, I like the crunch of a toasted bun more than a soft soggy bun. Next comes the cheese I like good old fashioned kraft american cheese it melts smooth and creamy. I am also a firm believer in bacon. A burger without bacon is like rum without coke, it just aint as good. A couple of strips of thick cut bacon can make a world of difference with a burger.
Those are the basic components of what a burger should be, to me. As far as toppings go I am pretty liberal in what I think can go on a burger. I have had just about everything you can imagine on a burger, Peanut butter, sardines, fried eggs, brunswiegert it doesn't matter I love everything on a burger. Last night I went pretty simple just some pickled onions and a couple slices of tomatoe with some spicy southwest dressing on it. It was a tasty burger. I would encourage all to try different things on your burger and be adventurous with your burger. If your not into trying new things thats fine to but spend a little extra money and buy some good quality ingredients and make a great burger. Fresh bakery buns and quality ground beef will make all the difference in a burger. So with the grilling season upon us again get out and try something new even if it is just a burger.
