What's Your Version of the World's Best Burger?

There’s nothing that says classic summer like a hamburger. Even though National Hamburger Month isn’t until May, we’re going to start celebrating now. We wish we could coordinate all of our Davis neighbors’ barbecuing so that the smell of charbroiled dinner would hang heavy in the air every night of summer. Nothing starts our Pavlovian drooling faster than the delicious scent of meat (or whatever) slowly roasting over coals. [‘Scuse me while I wipe my chin with a tissue.]

There are many ways of preparing the meat: beef, turkey, bison, salmon, etc. I prefer to mix my beef with a package of dried onion soup mix and a dash of Worchestershire sauce. Condiment sauces run the gamut far beyond mayonnaise, ketchup and the various mustards. Suite 101 likes:

    • teriyaki sauce
    • barbecue sauce
    • Thousand Island dressing
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • A-1 Steak Sauce
    • hot wing sauce
    • ranch dressing

The list of garnishes you can festoon your hamburger with is almost endless. The only limit is your imagination. This list from Yahoo includes some geographic cuisines (though no one from Philadelphia, and I mean no one, actually puts Cheez-Whiz on their cheese steaks – it’s Provolone baby or, in a pinch, American). Their Asian burger with green onion and water chestnuts sounds yummy.

Prepared Pantry also had some winners. I’m going to try the pesto/mozerella burger idea, and if I’m feeling brave maybe the Hawaiian burger with grilled pineapple. I also lurv the Maryland crab burger idea from Cheese-Burger.net: “Beef patty stuffed with jumbo lump crab meat, seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning and topped with grilled onions and smothered with melted provolone cheese.” YUM!

Buns – to toast, or not to toast; that is the question. What would Hamlet do?

My ideal hamburger is cooked to medium-rare and covered with mayo, bacon, sauteed mushrooms and onions, avocado and Swiss cheese. What’s your favorite burger recipe and what time should we come over for dinner?

 

Image credit: aht.seriouseats.com