Burgers

From A Hamburger Today [Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt] It's time for another round of The Food Lab. Got a suggestion for an upcoming topic? Email Kenji here, and he'll do his best to answer your queries in a future post. Become a fan of The Food Lab on Facebook or follow it on Twitter for play-by-plays on future kitchen tests and recipe experiments. Welcome to Burger Toppings Week 2013. Each day this week we'll be presenting a brand new set of burger toppings, all crafted in accordance to The Principles of Topping Burgers, a plan designed to maximize flavor and textural contrasts to provide you with the ultimate burgering experience. Let's jump right in, shall we? We all know how seductive a plate of poutine can be, right? You know, that Canadian late-night dish of fresh fries smothered with squeaky cheese curds and hot, meaty gravy? After a few beers it beckons to you, seduces you. A cheese-clad goddess enrobed in gravy, ready to nip your hangover in the bud. Heck, even without the beer goggles poutine is a pretty tough mistress to turn away. So what happens when your poutine employs her crafty wiles on an unsuspecting burger? The Poutine Burger emerges. This is what happens when your poutine and your hamburger slink off into some dimly lit corner and re-emerge a bit more disheveled and a whole lot messier. It's a delicious burger, to be sure, but one you probably shouldn't consume in mixed company. There are only three elements that make up a perfect plate of poutine. First is really good fries. When designing this burger, I started by taking a very literal approach: topping a burger with poutine made with standard, thick-cut french fries. It was delicious, but it was not more than the sum of its parts, as a well-designed sandwich should be. The problem? The fries, despite their crisp exterior, were simply too similar in texture to the burger itself. Moist-on-moist doesn't make for the most exciting bite of food. I gradually reduced the thickness of my fries in order to increase their crisp-crust-to-interior ratio until I finally reached the stage where they were literally matchstick-thickness, crisp all the way through. They weren't the classic poutine-style fries, but I felt that the added textural contrast they gave to the dish was enough to warrant a slight deviation from utter authenticity. In order to get the fries crisp without becoming too dark and acrid tasting, I washed them in water until all of their residual starch was washed away. This allowed me to cook them until completely crisp while still maintaining a nice golden-brown color with a clean, potato-y flavor. The other two elements of poutine—the cheese curds and the gravy—didn't require much tinkering at all; they worked as-is with the burger concept. If you have a local cheese maker, most likely they'll sell you fresh cheese curd if you ask them. You can order them online (there are a number of options available on Amazon, or you can do what I did: make them yourself with fresh milk and rennet tablets (the process is remarkably easy, requiring nothing more than a thermometer and a pot). As for the gravy, any sort of meat broth-based homemade gravy will do. This is a good place to start. Poutine gravy tends to be glossier and shinier than your standard roux-thickened American-style gravy, so if you want to get that look just right, you should thicken your gravy with a pure starch like cornstarch or arrowroot as opposed to flour. Once you've got your elements all set, it's a simple matter of putting it all together. You can cook your burgers in a skillet if you'd like, but this is a topping set designed for a thick, hearty burger from the backyard grill. Take a look at our Guide to Grilling Great Burgers for some good general principles on how to get the most out of the meat between your buns. Finally, for the sake of some fresh, non-fried crunch, I

From A Hamburger Today [Photographs: Wes Rowe] Hopscotch 1915 San Pablo Ave., Oakland CA 94612 (map); 510-788-6217; hopscotchoakland.com Cooking Method: Griddled Short Order: A delicious, flavor-rich burger is accentuated by uniformly excellent toppings, but it's brought to a new level of beef-vana thanks to a slab of griddled tongue. Want Fries with That? Chips come standard, but upgrading to duck fat chips is worth the $2. Absolutely do not skip the Yonsei oyster to start your meal. Price: First Base Burger, $14, + $1 for cheese; duck fat chips upgrade, $2; Yonsei oyster, $5 each Notes: Hopscotch is worth a visit for their cocktails, as well, and its proximity to the Fox Theater makes it a perfect pre-concert spot. I've got a confession to make. It's been a little while since I visited Hopscotch with the intention of trying their burger. A burger so good, so flavorful, that I sometimes find myself gazing eastward across the Bay, wistfully plotting my next trip to Uptown Oakland. So, why have I held back? For one, Hopscotch's pocket-sized space fills up quickly. I didn't relish the idea of fighting off my fellow burger lovers to get a stool at the bar in the charming classed-up diner space. But mostly, I sometimes get too wrapped up in the memory of a meal to sharpen my critical eye and do my journalistic duty. My first visit to Hopscotch included a few cocktails, the company of a great friend, and a wonderful concert at the nearby Fox Theater. And an absolutely stunning burger. For that, I apologize loyal AHT-ers. I was selfish and wrong to have held back. I hope that you'll forgive me, and perhaps we can raise a toast to the glory that is beef between bread together at Hopscotch sometime. So let's get down to it. The First Base Burger ($14) is a seven-ounce blend of scrap from high quality rib eye and chuck roll, with some beef tongue thrown in for good measure. It's ground in-house each day, hand-formed, and seasoned with salt and pepper. The meat cuts, sourced from Kansas City's NatureSource, remain consistent, but the fat ratio can change slightly based on what the restaurant receives. I tried the burger twice in the course of a week, and I found it to be consistently beefy and well-salted, with a nicely loose grind and a gorgeous medium rare interior. Cutting the burger in half resulted in a gush of juice which, thankfully, didn't lead to a dried-out patty: the meat stayed moist, flavorful, and intensely beefy Toppings include tangy-sweet pickled onions, wonderfully ripe jewel-toned tomatoes, and a swath of sesame aioli. Oh, and of course, a slab of griddled beef tongue. Yeah, man. BEEF TONGUE. Unctuous, salty, and tender, the tongue deepens the beefy richness of the burger, while adding a decadent oomph of texture and flavor. A decidedly unexpected topping, the tongue skyrocketed this burger to over-the-top amazing levels, without doing so in an overbearing, flavor-dominating way (see: grinding bacon into your beef). The inspiration for this unorthodox topping comes from chef Kyle Itani's half Japanese heritage. Itani spent time studying cooking in Sendai, where tongue is a specialty. There, it's usually served in a stew or soup. At Hopscotch, Sendai salt cures it for 24 hours, then braises it slow and low for three to four hours before being sliced and griddled to order. The time spent curing and braising the tongue explains its melty texture and the wonderful intensity of this flavor. Anyway. My tongue rhapsodies aside, the sweet, crisp vegetables of the fresh and pickled variety provide a welcome fresh contrast to the richness of the tongue and beef combination. Sesame aioli lends a nutty richness, as well. You can add cheese for $1 and bacon for $2—I went with a sharp cheddar add-on for my second go-around, and, to my great surprise, found it entirely unnecessary. The tongue and aioli provide all the salt and richness

Categories: Hot off the Grill, Miscellany, OtherTags: @Popeyes, Fast food, Fried Chicken, Popeye's Louisiana KitchenMrs. Burgerdogboy do love her Popeye’e, especially a side of red beans, and I’m always happy to oblige her, as she’s taught me the whole “happy wife, happy life” thing, and it’s 100% on target. So whenever I roll past a Popeye’s, or am pointed in that direction by my better two-thirds, off I go,(Read more...)

Categories: Ham & Bacon, Hot off the Grill, Miscellany, SandwichesTags: Chicago, SandwichThere are what – 40,000 Subway sandwich places in the world.  The franchised brand name one, not including other chains, Quiznos, Jimmy Joe Bob’s or whatever that one is.   Yet “independents” keep springing up and competing. Like Uncle Sammy’s Sandwich Classics, in Chicago.  Uncle Sammy’s is in Lincoln Park, the first neighborhood I ever lived(Read more...)

Luby’s Inc. concedes that—initially, at least—its absorption of the Cheeseburger in Paradise brand it acquired in December is being more difficult than expected. Speaking to analysts today about results for its fiscal third quarter, ended May 8, 2013, President-CEO Christopher Pappas addressed a 13% decline in Cheeseburger in Paradise (CiP) sales compared with the year-earlier quarter. He called that performance “challenged and below expectations.” Cheeseburger in Paradise is Luby’s entry into casual dining. Pappas attributed the decline in part to “prior year promotions not fully repeated this year,” but said Luby’s would aggressively work to rebuild CiP sales. As with any acquisition, Luby’s is on a learning curve with CiP, Pappas said, adding, “sometimes, those curves are steep.” He outlined a three-pronged effort to enhance the level of operations and service, upgrade the menu and, third, realize efficiencies and improve margins. Already, Luby’s has introduced an improved burger patty and is serving it now on baked-on-premises buns. Marketing initiatives have included introduction of a happy hour, family nights with free kids meals and sports-themed promotions. A Burger Up social-media initiative invites customers to create new burgers and cocktails for the CiP menu. A “brand ambassador” program being put in place allows some staff to spend time outside the restaurant to “generate interest and knowledge” about CiP in local communities. Houston-based Luby’s closed its $11 million acquisition of 23 Cheeseburger in Paradise units in December 2012. In June 2010 the company acquired the Fuddruckers chain (plus three Koo Koo Roo units) for $61 million. The Q3 report for Fuddruckers was a bit brighter: Same-store sales were up 0.5% for the quarter, but only because a 2.7% increase in check overcame a 2.1% decline in traffic. “It’s a small part of our business now, but it does give us a foothold into the casual-dining segment, which we didn’t have before. We want to be in there and learn about it,” Pappas said of the CiP acquisition today.

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar is featuring the Pittsburger for Father’s Day. The question “Want fries with that?” is being replaced by “Want fries on that?” as the never-ending search for new toppings moves fries from the side to the top. Pizza Hut Canada this week introduced Cheesy Beef Poutine pan-crust pizza topped with a poutine-like combo of fries, seasoned steak, cheese curds and mozzarella. That mimics a similar trend making fries a topping in the burger category. It’s not a new idea, certainly, but it is enjoying renewed interest. Milwaukee Burger Co. in Eau Claire, Wis., was working on the same idea this spring when it made the Poutine Burger its specialty burger for March. Suggested by customer Joe Schaefer, the burger was topped with house-made fries, Castle Rock Organic Farms’ white Cheddar cheese curds and house-made brown gravy. The Checkers/Rally’s chain this spring gave the fries-as-topping idea a whirl when it introduced the Fry Burger, a beef patty topped with cheese, pickles, ketchup and mayo. Priced at just $1, the combo burger was a hit. Primanti Bros. in Pittsburgh has long been famous for including fries in sandwiches. It’s not an option, it’s the style: The menu says, “All sandwiches are topped with french fries, coleslaw & tomatoes.” Perhaps that’s why Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar locations’ Father’s Day weekend feature burger is called the Pittsburger: That’s a 5-oz. beef patty with house-made American cheese, spiced garlic ketchup and a handful of hand-cut skinny fries. Fries are a topping on Pizza Hut Canada’s Cheesy Beef Poutine Pizza. At Fat Head’s Saloon in Pittsburgh, fries even function as salad toppings. The Jalape?o Cheddar Chicken Salad, for example, is grilled chicken with house-made jalape?o Cheddar sauce topped with shredded provolone cheese, cilantro-seasoned tomatoes and a serving of fries. The South Shore Steak Salad gets the same treatment. Checkers/Rally’s $1 Fry Burger California burger haven Slater’s 50/50 gives a similar nod with its french-fry-topped Pittsburgh Pastrami sandwich. This is another trend where independent burger joints are leading the way because they’re less afraid to try something new. The Burger Company, Charlotte, N.C., comes up with a new burger special almost every day so it’s not surprising it has given the fries-on-top idea a spin. Its recent Munchie Burger was a 5-oz. beef patty topped with chili, Mexican queso cheese, caramelized onion and, yep, fries. McDonald’s has tried a few variations on the idea overseas. The Big Rösti burger with a hash-brown-potato patty is a frequent and popular LTO in Austria. An Idaho Burger with a hash-brown patty was part of the Big America promotion in Japan in 2010. McDonald’s also recently tried a Hash Brown Burger in Hong Kong. The downside to the trend, which is likely to keep most operators—and especially chains—from  embracing it, is that putting fries on the burger eliminates a high-margin side order. In an economy this still-tight economy, that can be a deal breaker for operators.

Categories: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Hot off the Grill, PizzaWhen we roll out the new site shortly, we’ll be getting help in the future from a new set of players.   Here’s a sneak peek at your webmaster, BurgerDogBoy!(Read more...)

From A Hamburger Today VIEW SLIDESHOW: Snapshots and (Almost!) All of the Burgers from the San Francisco Burger Brawl [Photographs: Lauren Sloss] What's better than a burger and a beer among friends? Lots of burgers and beers among friends, with a cutthroat competition to boot! So went the Eye Heart SF Burger Brawl, which went down in all of its beefy glory this past Saturday at Fort Mason. The Brawl featured 10 contestants, including restaurants (The Corner Store, Burger Bar), food trucks (Brass Knuckle, Belly Burgers), and pop-ups (our very own Wes Rowe!). Each stand served burgers in a variety of sizes, from bare-bones sliders to eight-ounce behemoths dripping toppings. Some stands offered sides, should you want some bacon jalapeño mac 'n' cheese or a pickle plate with your 10 burgers. Burgers from Stock In Trade, The Corner Store, and Sauce. Sides, all $3 (french fries from Sauce; potato salad from Stock In Trade; pickle plate from Wes Rowe; mac 'n' cheese from Brass Knuckle). We saw a wide range of creativity, too—The Boardroom certainly had the most pure burger iteration, simply serving up beef on a bun with squeeze bottles of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise on hand, while Burger Bar's short rib slider pushed the boundaries of what can really be considered a burger versus a very good cow-filled sandwich. Skillet-griddled sliders from The Corner Store. Hot Wes burgers on the flattop. There were some common issues: most patties were overcooked, and many lacked a texturally interesting crust. Buns ranged from insignificant to bready and stale. But sliders from The Corner Store and Wes Rowe's Hot Wes burger were standouts for their composition, ingredients, and bold flavors. Wes, hard at work. Burger tasting remains. While Wes's close ties to Serious Eats certainly did raise the red flag of nepotism for my judging purposes, his Hot Wes was the favorite of my esteemed burger tasters, as well. What's more, the judges agreed: the Hot Wes was the victor of the Burger Brawl, taking home a shiny trophy and, of course, a lifetime of pride. Warning: the above slideshow could be considered NSFW. At least, not safe for work pre-lunchtime. Scope out the burger porn here! About the author: Lauren Sloss is a bicoastal food-lover who is based in San Francisco. Some of her favorite things include The Black Keys, goat gouda, and guacamole. You can follow her on Twitter @laurensloss. Love hamburgers? Then you'll Like AHT on Facebook! And go follow us on Twitter while you're at it!

You can develop lower-calorie alternatives for your menu to appease dieters and other health-conscious diners, but keep in mind an NPD study that finds that consumers seeking to eat more healthfully are more likely to simply skip a course (such as appetizers or desserts) than to choose “healthier” foods. Source: The NPD Group/”Healthy at Foodservice–Consumer Expectations Put in Perspective” The NPD study, “Healthy at Foodservice—Consumer Expectations Put In Perspective,” finds that when looking to have a healthier meal, 39% of adults order a salad. But almost as many (38%) say they eat healthy by skipping dessert. Worse, 37% simply have water instead of ordering a (high margin) beverage. Just 19% say they cut back on calories by not finishing what they order; 23% say they get a smaller portion of what they want to eat. The restaurant industry is the target of criticism for its high-calorie meals. Some claim foodservice bears responsibility for the high incidence of obesity. But NPD’s study finds that consumers choose to eat less health-consciously at restaurants: Although more than half the adults surveyed say they eat healthful meals always or most of the time at home, just 25% say they do the same when dining out. Among those who do not eat healthfully at restaurants, 37% say it’s because they “want to eat what I want to eat,” while 23% say they “want to indulge” when dining out. “The bottom line is that even with an increasing number of restaurants offering healthier menu items or posting calories and other nutritional information, at the end of the day, consumers see dining out as a treat, an indulgence,” NPD restaurant industry analyst Bonnie Riggs says in a release announcing the study. “Operators and foodservice operators are in a challenging position trying to balance meeting their customers’ wants and needs, like any successful marketer should do, and meeting societal responsibilities. A first step is understanding healthy from the consumers’ perspective.”

From A Hamburger Today [Photographs: Todd Brock] The General Muir 1540 Avenue Place, Suite B-230, Atlanta GA 30329 (map); 678-927-9131; thegeneralmuir.com Cooking Method: Flat top Short Order: Jewish deli with a serious pedigree does two of the city's finest burgers Want Fries with That? They're great. But turn them into pastrami-topped poutine for something magical Price: Double Burger Stack (lunch), $8.75; The Burger (dinner), $14; fries, $4; poutine, $6; w/pastrami, +$5 So a hamburger reviewer walks into a Jewish deli... It may sound like the set-up for a groaner of a punch line, but the laugh's on you if you discount the burgers at The General Muir based solely on its more traditional and expected menu items. Yes, matzoh ball soup, Reubens, and 14-ounce piled-high pastrami sandwiches stream steadily out of the kitchen, but I'm ready to call The General Muir's burgers among the city's best. That shouldn't come as a surprise, really. The Emory Point restaurant, open since early 2013, was born of excellent stock within the local burger scene. The story goes that Jennifer and Ben Johnson, husband-and-wife restaurant co-owners, wanted to open up a new place with Shelley Sweet, GM at their West Egg Cafe—a spot that, not coincidentally, does a mighty fine burger. They joined forces with chef Todd Ginsberg, who had been looking to start a true-blue delicatessen that paid homage to his East Coast roots. And it just so happens that Ginsberg is the genius who created Bocado's famed burger. So you could argue that an exceptional burger was programmed into The General Muir's DNA from the very beginning. Lineage is a major theme at The General Muir, which gets its name from the transport ship that brought Jennifer's mother and grandparents—Holocaust survivors—to New York in 1949. Old photos of the vessel and framed portraits of the ownership's relatives adorn the subway tile walls and give off an authentically warm and familial vibe. But don't be lulled into thinking it's some sleepy mom-and-pop joint; with a primo location next to Emory University and the CDC, this place literally buzzes, especially at lunchtime. That's when the Double Burger Stack ($8.75) comes out to play. In between thin twin patties is a layer of shaved onion. Over the top patty, American, pickles, and lettuce are all nestled under a pillowy onion roll. Russian dressing is the wackiest thing here, adding a tangy zip under the bottom burger. It's simple, to be sure. But, like Ginsberg's Bocado burger, that's the beauty. Every element shines and explodes with flavor. Take a look at the crust on that craggly, loose meat and tell me that's not the sexiest thing you've seen all day. A perfect melt on the cheese. Pickles aren't my thing, but these will delight sweet-and-sour fans. The onions, after some griddle time of their own, get one of the patties plopped on top just long enough to absorb some of that telltale flavor and then are left between the patties to permeate the tasty beef. The fries are very, very good: deep brown, skin-on, and flecked with big grains of salt. You get a nice-sized portion with ketchup for four bucks... ...But upgrading them to the poutine is a must. An extra two dollars gets you gravy, cheese curds, and parsley. Five more on top of that brings out TGM's big guns: huge chunks of chopped pastrami. Tender and succulent, they elevate this side into a phenomenal meal all its own. It's already been featured on a few local publications' food bucket lists, and I hope I'm not pulling back the curtain too far on my inner whackjobness by admitting that I've actually woke up dreaming about The General Muir's poutine since trying it. You'd expect a New York-style deli to have good pastrami. You'd expect a great deli's pastrami to be great. But you might not expect them to slap it on an already-stellar burger and offer it as a dinner-o