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Made some excellent cheeseburgers last night!

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Chapbass said:
This it ATOT. Someone on here will always hate something. No matter what the something is.
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Claiming to make amazing burgers than proceeding to put ketchup on it is like claiming to be an amazing programmer and then coding everything in MATLAB.

You instantly discount that persons opinion on that subject.
 
NikolaeVarius said:
No they don't go together. Ketchup is used for bad frozen burgers because the strong vinegar taste covers up the taste of everthing.

For a GOOD burger, ketchup is like steak sauce on a steak, a giant "fuck you" to the cook. It doesn't accentuate anything, it merely covers up every single flavor. You're not tasting beef, you're tasting vinegar with hints of beef.

If you want a tomato flavor, use fresh tomatoes, but ketchup is just... no. Not on a good burger.
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KeithTalent said:
Yep. Ketchup is pure D:

KT
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Like I said...I'm kinda shocked to hear this. Ketchup always goes on a burger. Even expensive $18 burgers at steakhouses come with ketchup on them. IMO the vinegar in the ketchup cuts through some of the fat.

Anyway, the purpose in creating this thread is to share ideas. I'll try my next burger without ketchup and use tomato only.
 
Vdubchaos said:
Excellent cheeseburgers start off with beef chuck that you grind yourself, not "ground beef".

😉
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I was going to ask this question too if anyone makes their own custom grind. I have a meat grinder, one of those hand crank ones my mother gave me. I made great burgers once using a chuck and sirloin blend. Even straight chuck is good too.
 
NetWareHead said:
Probably because it is mild and not as strong flavored as cheddar or other cheeses. Blue cheese is way too strong of a cheese IMO to put on a burger when I'd like the beef flavor to shine instead. I've used provolone, cheddar etc... with good results too. Funny thing is that I only tolerate american cheese on burgers but wont use it on sandwiches or anywhere else. I agree it is not the best cheese in the world, but surprisingly its good for me on a burger.

edit: plus it melts pretty well too. What cheese do you put on burgers?
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GagHalfrunt said:
That.

There is never an acceptable time/place/way to consume American cheese except on a burger. On a burger it fits.

The same is true of Cheez Whiz, it can only be used on a Philly cheese steak and nowhere else!
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I agree completely. Unless I've got some kind of specialty burger, I'm using American cheese. It's mild and still adds cheese flavor and melts really well on a burger without a lot of grease escaping.

It is basically the only thing I eat American cheese on. Except maybe hot dogs every once in a while.
 
KeithTalent said:
I think bleu compliments beef quite well, especially since I usually add tomato and bacon; all of those go well together in my opinion. I like a true old, aged cheddar, or sometimes I will do a Gruyere with caramelized onions.

The key, as I see it, is not to put too much of all that stuff on as you could overwhelm the beef, but if you put on the right amount it will just enhance the beef and the overall burger.

KT
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/this I love blue cheese. the stuff is great. On a burger though less is more. You want just enough for flavor but not enough to over power the burger.


and ketchup? on a burger? NEVER! only on fries!

NetWareHead said:
I was going to ask this question too if anyone makes their own custom grind. I have a meat grinder, one of those hand crank ones my mother gave me. I made great burgers once using a chuck and sirloin blend. Even straight chuck is good too.
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this is why i love my butcher. All hamburger is ground daily. Even meat that is frozen for 8 months and thawed looks and smells better then shit most buy in a store.
 
NetWareHead said:
Like I said...I'm kinda shocked to hear this. Ketchup always goes on a burger. Even expensive $18 burgers at steakhouses come with ketchup on them. IMO the vinegar in the ketchup cuts through some of the fat.

Anyway, the purpose in creating this thread is to share ideas. I'll try my next burger without ketchup and use tomato only.
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Most of the decent places around here (as in not fast food places) give you ketchup on the side, but not right on the burger. At least the places I frequent, so I may be sheltered a bit and not exposed to this ketchup epidemic consuming the rest of the burger world.

KT
 
waggy said:
/this I love blue cheese. the stuff is great. On a burger though less is more. You want just enough for flavor but not enough to over power the burger.


and ketchup? on a burger? NEVER! only on fries!




this is why i love my butcher. All hamburger is ground daily. Even meat that is frozen for 8 months and thawed looks and smells better then shit most buy in a store.
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Ketchup? On Fires? NEVER! Malt Vinegar!.

But for fast food/frozen fries I will use ketchup, too salty otherwise.
 
Markbnj said:
I'm with the OP on not adding a bunch of spices and crap to a burger. Salt and pepper is enough, and maybe some milk if the meat is very lean. But then you shouldn't be cooking a burger with anything leaner than 80/20 imo.
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Agree on the 80/20 rule. I had some white beef fat that I threw into my meat grinder to increase the overall fat content of the chuck I was grinding. Alot of ppl recommend 70/30 meat to fat ratio but IMO that is a little too greasy for me. It sure makes a juicy burger but we're talking about bread soaking juicy and messy burger. if I did use 70/30, it would be grilled over open flame as to give a chance for some of the grease to render and run out. No way you would need to use 70/30 on a burger that is cooked on a griddle.
 
Garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, splash of Worcestershire sauce, put burger on grill.
Lightly butter sourdough buns, toast on grill. Add colby jack cheese last min or so of cooking to melt (bacon is always good)

Take off grill, add sliced red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce, spicy brown mustard.
EAT!
 
Step 1: With an annoying sense of unfounded superiority, bitch about the vinegar in ketchup overpowering the burger flavor.

Step 2: Proceed to suggest using straight vinegar on french fries.

That sounds like the right amount of stupid I come to expect in ATOT.
 
Salt, pepper, onions and juice that have been finely grated, worchestercishire, american or cheddar cheese on top

Served on top of fresh heirloom tomato with mayonnaise.

Oh, and charcoal only. For burgers the difference is amazing.
 
My recipe for best burger:
1) Choose whatever patty you want, with whatever seasonings you want.
2) Cook it however you like.
3) Use whatever bun you like.
4) Use your favorite toppings.

Enjoy! Haters, kindly stfu.

For me, it's:
1) grass fed beef, about 20% fat. Some salt.
2) cook to medium rare
3) I ain't fussy about buns, but I use one, maybe toasted if I'm not lazy
4) ketchup and cheese: sharp cheddar and blue are my faves.
 
RagingBITCH said:
Not sure "Excellent cheeseburger" and "American cheese" can ever be used in the same sentence. Do you also use A1 on your steaks?
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I'm aghast at the notion that American cheese never has any place on a good burger. Next you'll tell me that a decent cheesesteak cannot be made with Velveeta. I remind you, sir or madam, that the original cheeseburger, that icon of American casual dining, was not topped with aged roquefort or camembert. Can burger snobbishness be carried to any higher extreme, than to suggest that the most American of cheeses can never grace that most American of sandwiches? I think not.
 
You all are missing a CRITICAL part of the process... How it is cooked.


My favorite are smashburgers:

Best cooked over lump charcoal with some oak chunks added. At the very least cook over briquettes. Let your charcoal burn for awhile until the smoke is clear blue. Add your smoking wood, let it smolder for a few more minutes. Only one chunk.

You need an iron skillet for the grill. Get it hot, not nuclear. Somewhere in the 500F range.

Make the meat into a ball. I like sirloin, lean meat works because they're thin burgers, but you need bacon grease to help it along.

Put a small dallop of bacon grease on the hot skillet.

Put the ball of meat in the skillet, let it get a good hard sear.

Flip the ball over, seared side up, immediately smash it almost flat.

Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, maybe less.

Flip again, cook for less than 1 minute, add cheese.


Put some mayo on a bun, sprinkle pepper on the mayo, but burger on bun.

Eat. With ketchup or WTF-ever you want. Americans put whatever they damn well please on their burger.
 
I like cheddar best on a burger. The flavor of cheddar and beef seem to complement very well. Just like ketchup.
 
Why all the hate on american cheese? Sure, the shit labeled as slices is crap but I love boars head american, and yes, it is cheese. Many things calling themselves american cheese may not be cheese, but there are some really good REAL american cheese brands out there. And I personally hate bleu cheese. Something about seeing mold and all that just grosses me out.
 
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