All National Cheeseburger Day coverage
When you're called the best burger in the country, those are some pretty big shoes to fill.
When you're called the best burger in the world by the London Observer, those are gold-laced sneakers of Shaquille O'Neal proportions.
Memorial Day weekend is practically the opening ceremony of the summer grilling Olympics, and this year, it's time to go for gold with your own personal burger trainer.
Joey Campanaro is the chef and owner of the Little Owl in New York City - he's also the man behind the meaty masterpiece that is purportedly the world's best burger.
The Little Owl's Bacon Cheeseburger
Courtesy Joey Campanaro
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef brisket
- 1 pound ground short rib
- 4 slices American cheese
- 8 slices precooked bacon
- 4 homemade buns
- Lettuce
- Tomato, sliced
- Purple onion, sliced
- Pickles
- Ketchup (suggested brand: Sir Kensington's)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons madras curry powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
Cooking Directions
- In a small bowl, mix curry powder, cayenne, 1/2 tablespoon cracked black pepper and 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt until combined; set aside.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix brisket and short rib until blended; season with salt and pepper. Separate into four balls and flatten into 3/4-inch thick patties. Season both sides of each patty with spice mixture.
- Place patties on hot grill or grill pan, cooking for approximately three minutes per side for medium-rare, four minutes per side for medium; top burgers with 2 slices bacon and cover with cheese during the last minute of cooking. Grill buns, turning over once with tongs, until toasted. Cover the burger with the top bun.
- Layer bottom bun with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and red onion before adding the burger and top bun from the grill. Serve immediately.
- Serve ketchup and extra pickles on the side for those who want it.
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Previously - Best. Burgers. EVER and Best. Cheeseburger. EVER
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All National Cheeseburger Day coverage
Make a hamburger with real ground pork and Angus beef together with cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese and you've got a customer. Curry is a standard with the Brits. Have a curry is all you hear from them. Their India connection from ruling the country no doubt.
A Hamburger is an American standard and therefore we are bias as to what goes in and on a burger.
It is not just because they once had an empire that included India it is because they have an enormous South Asian population in India. Curry is an English dish not an Indian one. There is a herb called Curry but it is not in every dish that is called a Curry in the English speaking world. I lived in NJ for 5 years a while back and there were Indian and Pakistani places everywhere. It was great.
That do look good to me.
Not black pudding good but good.
You outta yer freakin' minds? This is roughly 3 times as much food as one person shoould eat. Other than Porkers' Portionsa, it's a fairly dumb recipe, using processed non-cheese and lowgrade bacon. Ugh. A simple combo of veal, beef, herbs, and Dijon mustard would be bettter.
Earlier today, McCain was quoted as saying: "A moose burger could best this recipe. I have no doubt about it."
The best burgers were in my back yard last night watching NASCAR...
Did you run out of gas like JR. did? I hate when that happens.
Was cheering for JR, no gas issues here, but out of beer about 0100, bummer...
WOW, YOU'VE GOT A TV IN YOUR BACKYARD???
YES, doesn't everybody???
When you have nascar in the sentence, it immediately invalidates anything as qualifying as the best, unless you are stating the best way to spot an inbred redneck that should be removed from the gene pool.
Check this list out.
http://eater.com/archives/2011/04/27/15-of-the-countrys-hottest-burgers.php#Map
1 1/2 TABLESPOONS curry powder, 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS cayenne pepper, for TWO pounds of meat ????? I wonder who adapted and tested the recipe for home cooks ???
The curry measure sounds accurate, but the cayenne might be a bit much. More like 1.5 tsp – 2 tsp cayenne
Hank Hill is not going to like this. As he always says "Propane, taste the meat, not the heat!"
Looks nasty.
Not much of a chef! Fixins go on top of the burger, not on the bottom. He's covering the fact that he's made the wrong choice for the bun, by using the fixins as a barrier between meat and bun. Infidel! Plain ketchup? Surely you jest! If anything, add some Miracle Whip separately and mustard if that suits you...though I avoid it. Lastly a few tablespoons of worchestshire sauce added to the meat before cooking..or sprinkled on during grilling...adds a ton of flavor. There's even "Liquid Smoke" which is amazing if you can still find it. The one thing this guy did do right was use red onion.
Dude, you're worse than he is. Liquid smoke? Worcestershire sauce? Really? Why don't you go ahead and use tasteless tofu and call it a day. 80/20 ground beef is all you need with some kosher salt to bring out the flavor. Let the fat do the work.
The real flavor from a good burger comes from grilling it over hickory and oak; charcoal comes in second. Anything else, forget it.
And for atmosphere, not New York City, or any other city. Cook it on a campfire in the middle of nowhere.
Agreed, Bill, but out in the middle of nowhere the dangers of grilling are increased as well, specifically, the tendency to undercook because of the primitive conditions. Charred on the outside and raw on the inside due to wood flames means the trots the next day...
Please remember to drink plenty of beer so that you can fully extinguish your campfire. Only YOU can prevent Forest Fires. That is all!!
I don't know if that's the best burger, but I love burgers, so I wouldn't mind trying one. Although, there is a lot of prep and ingredients in making this one. As long as you have fresh ingredients and you don't over cook or under cook them, anyone can make a great burger. Pretty simple to make...
Saying that the world's best burger has ketchup on it is like saying that the world's smartest person is a circus clown...theoretically possible, but incredibly unlikely. Just say no to the Red Menace.
Stating opinions as if they are facts means you'll never be confused for the world's smartest man.
Good ketchup is delicious, and definitely belongs on a good burger, if the rest of the burger isn't already sweet. Don't put ketchup on the same burger with caramelized onions, for example.
and they didn't even say if it was a beef or pork rib. seriously, glad i have never been to london, they have NO idea what good food is there.
Im pretty sure short ribs are pork ribs
Most likely beef short ribs. Brisket and beef short ribs would provide a good balance of fat and beef flavor.
Definitely beef short ribs.
ha ha ha, about 100 things wrong with this burger, I guess i have been making better than the best burger in the world for 10+ years.. sliced American cheese yeah sure... if im at mcdonalds... the directions are also piss poor. and does anyone really want a half lb plus burger, ideal weight is closer to 6 maybe 7 ounces not 8... no detail on type of bun.
Shawn, as I agree with most of you, and are still waiting to eat the "perfect" burger, do you have a recipe that you can share? Thanks!
That is an awful lot of Curry and Cayenne Pepper for four burgers. A great burger should let the flavor of the meat shine through; heavy seasoning will hide that flavor.
Oh the urine and feces, the natural flavour of animal flesh sold by the USDA? Thanks but no thanks.
No one is saying you have to eat meat. But if you think that vegetables are free of disgusting contamination, then you are in for a big surprise.
There are unquestionably many ways to make a territic Burger. I, for one, have a chiliburger as my favorite. However, this burger looks fabulous. THANKS JOE! For sharing your terrific and easy to follow recipe to enjoy a special day. Remember our fallen heroes! :)
Best burger I've ever had was the Fat Doug at Michael Symon's B Spot in Cleveland. Absolutely fantastic and is only like $5.
Looks to be a tasty burger, no doubt, but there is a small problem. No grilled onions. Are you seriously trying to convince me that the best burger in the world doesn't have grilled onions on it?
It's already got ketchup on it. Just how sweet does it need to be?
Also, the texture of raw onions is probably better on a burger that's already going to be quite soft due to the fatty meat and cheese. If you're talking about food that's pleasing to all of the senses, texture and appearance matter as much as the flavor of each ingredient.
Perhaps I was to cryptic J. To me the best burger in the world has quality ground beef, lettuce, tomato, mustard, coarse black pepper and oh so yummy grilled onions. To you it is different. And to those guys arguing about cheese... Well, doesn't that make it a cheeseburger?
If there was a universal best burger, well, I guess we would wouldn't need menus at (insert your burger joint here).
Big Kahuna burger has the best burgers.......that is one tasty burger. Do you know what they call a 1/4 w cheese in France....the Royale w/ Cheese.......and the big mac.....le big mac. huh.......
I only eat at high class joints while in France like Le Jacque in Ze Box!
You wouldn't know a high class join even if you were sitting in front of one, unless of course if your talking about MacDonald....!!!!
Pulp Fiction: Royal with Cheese :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bt_-R5LInU
Sorry wrong vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS_ROi0iiZw
Being named best burger by a London paper is like being named top seafood place in Omaha.
Sorry, fail. Best moo burgers are at Elevation Burgers in Austin TX, all grass fed organic, everything on the menu organic. And guess what? They are not much higher than Jack in the Box's greasy crap on a bun. The absolute best burger? My buffalo burger.
The best burger ever I had while vacationing in Spain and also had a fabulous red wine with it as well.
Did you put pimeinto cheese on that burger?
It wasn't "La Speciale" was it? Those are made from ground up bull balls, hacked off after the matador does his work. Not for me.
Best burger? No way with a pickle on it... and with the toppings underneath the burger... flavor proportion is out af whack. However, maybe it is great. Have they tried Kua Aina burgers in Hawaii, Port O' Call's masterpiece in New Orleans? Those burgers rock! I might buy their claim to the title if they listed the burgers that it was rated against. Still... half-sour pickle... yuck. No mayo? No mustard? Just ketchup? Sounds mediocre. I bet Five Guys Burgers and Fries would give it a run for its money.
Oops... hope the grammar nazis don't mind a typo or two in my post. (ie. "of" vice "af"...)
Umami Burger is the best burger in L. A.
Best burger? Not no way, not no how.
Too much seasoning, no mustard. Ketchup? Is it for an 8 year old? Meh. Give me a break.
Give you a break? Sure, you opinionated snob.
Which limb would you like to have broken?
Burger, hot dog, fake Italian pizza, sugar and soda, the best of American cuisine!!! are "dog food" and a recipe for obesity... reason why 25 % of the Us population is obese...!!!
Oh please, you are an ignorant idiot, so zip it. I'd rather eat American junk food than most British garbage.
You are the idiot, British food is the same as yours: dog food and you probably weight 400 lbs....
Thank you Patrick, finally someone speaks the truth about the poisonous refuse served as "American cuisine"
That describes my diet to the T. That DeGiorno Pizza really ain't bad, and it's inexpensive too. Obese? 55 years old last month, 5'6", 125 pounds. In Texas...where everyone is FAT. "Obese" is PC...mustn't hurt anyone's feelings, must we?
I like the comment about "Fake Italian pizza" as if any one cares whether it's authentic. American pizza is tastier than the authentic variety, which is why we eat it that way. I'm not talking about the big national pizza chains, by the way. That stuff really is terrible, for the most part.
The best American pizzas are there with the best but if you compare what the big chains serve to pizza in other countries we are way behind.
NY does have the best pizza on the planet. sorry to inform you.
and any hole in the wall restaurant in NY has great pizza (not chain restaurants!)
Sorry to inform you, but your opinion is just an opinion. At the very least, most Chicagoans would strongly disagree with your assessment.
Looks very Tasty i think the patty is the main ingredient and it what makes this one special..
umm..
For the veg friendly – best meatless burger (in my opinion) is at National Mechanics in Philly, PA. Exact ingredients are a secret, but it is so ridiculously delicious.
Add the bacon for a dollar and i'm in! J/K...
The avacado, mango and grapefruit salad looks mighty tasty as well.
Its not a burger then. End of story!
If you're not responsible for the slaughter of a living being, then it ain't a burger!
The first person that tries to sneak a piece of bacon under the cheese on my burger will be hurtin. I like the brisket/short rib mix tho.
Is You a Muslim?
There's the beef! Ketchup in a JAR! And that pickle looks home made.
I have tried many burgers in England but have never found one that was worth eating. Being certified as the best by the 'London Observer' means little. Besides, those buns look hopeless and Madras curry powder??? Did any American try these?
Good writing job SLT. Gonna try this Monday.:)
The London Observer naming the world's best hamburger is just as silly as would be the Detroit Free Press naming the world's best Yorkshire pudding.
Good point. Wouldn't Gourmet Magazine or Bon Apetit be better judges? That said, however, this does sound like a yummy burger and I plan to try this ground brisket and short rib combo this weekend.
Well it's not like they did it for Americans although CNN picked it up.
if Yorkshire pudding actually tasted good, it wouldn't matter where you're from
Sounds like enough food to feed a small third world country. 1/2pound each. Wonder how much it would cost to make these burgers? Remember, I have to put gas in the car to get somewhere to have the picnic.
1/2 pound pre cooked is standard for restaurant burgers. This isn't Wendy's or McDonald's with those piddly thin burger patties.
hahaha it sucks being poor, huh?
wow, Karma's gonna kick your a$$
Ground brisket and short rib? That has got to be the word's fattiest burger, no wonder it tasks so good. Just goes to show you that a good burger is in the meat, and that toppings don't much matter.... I love the simplicity.
Boka burgers are da bomb! Add some tofutti cheese, a bit of tofurkey bacon some veganese and that's all you need!
to puke
Yes, that jammie is very good!
and no one cares what you have to say.
You cared enough to tell everyone how much you didn't care. Can you say irony? HA!
If you knew how a cow is slaughtered, you'd go vege yourself.
If you knew what a vegetable was thinking, you would blush! Naughty naughty vegetables.
So a cow is led somewhere, and their throats are sliced? Blood gushes out..? No., they get a bullet between the eyes? An arrow in their lungs??? And then you can hear them weeezing and coughing... *hack* *hack* *hack* wwwweeeeeeeeez.
And then you slice into them w/a knife, pull some muscle out... grind it up and make a burger. Yum!
Ya know, I wouldn't have so much a problem with vegetarians... until that one day... That one day. A vegetarian who is pro-choice. A vegetarian that says "poor animals" and is ok killing babies. I lose all respect for such a person. Something w/ that person's philosophy is completely messed up.. "Save the cow!!!!" – "Woman's right to choose to kill a HUMAN!!!!" what a joke..... The same people that will donate money and time to animal shelters, but walk by the homeless man.. "tsk, poor guy." and not help..
Been to a slaughterhouse, slaughtered my own animals(pigs, goats, chickens). The most offensive thing about a slaughterhouse is the smell.. they do stink. I am an omnivore and proud. Veganism as a moral stand is silly. The only way i can uderstand veganism would be from a medically neccessary stand, or if you just dont like the taste of meat.
Meat Is Murder
I bet you get a hard one when you watch "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes".
Yeah you do ;-)
I'm mostly a burger purist, sticking with salt and pepper, but I've found the McCormicks Grill Mates "Hamburger" seasoning to be absolutely wonderful. It'll even make those crummy pre-made-and-frozen storebought patties quite good.
I'm sorry, but us simpletons in my family like our 90% lean beef with French onion soup mixed into the burger. Bacon, Velveeta (cheese product – because it melts so well), French's mustard, Heinz catchup, Hellman's mayo, green leaf lettuce, and a tomato. Toss some pickle spears on the side, and that's dinner.
World's Best? Them's fightin' words. If you have some extra change,say $5,000.00 then head on over to Las Vegas and hit up The Fleur Restaurant and Chef Herbert Keller. That's right kid's,$5,000.00 smakaroo's for a Burger and a bottle of 1995 chateau petruz(sp). Don't want the wine? A mere $75.00 for a Burger. Think I'll just "Naked Grill" and save $4,950.00.
Wow, you're stupid as hell
I could pay $80 for a burger....why not if I'll spend more on a monster crawdad (Lobster) but 5 grand for sour grape juice is stupidity.
In all seriousness, Chef Keller has another place at Mandalay Bay called the Burger Bar. The burgers there are very good, and not terribly expensive (unless maybe you go for the Kobe beef burger)
Fastest way to tell a barbecue hack:
Smashing the burgers on the grill flat to make them like shoe-leather and turning them 100 times before they are done.
Burgers are best just flipped one time with squashing the juices out of them. Leave the burgers alone...
Not squashing is very important, of course, but the flipping thing is a myth. As long as you're not tossing the patty in the air or anything ridiculous, it's not going to have much effect on "juices coming out."
The bigger problem with this recipe is the "squishing the round ball into a flat patty part." The best burgers in the world would never be in a hard-packed, tightly formed patty. That right there is the easiest way to ruin an otherwise perfect burger. Why go through all the trouble of sourcing ground short rib and brisket if you're going to press and form your meat so that the burger shrivels and dries into a nasty little ball?
Depressing.
Whee doggy! That is one tasty looking burger! Juices from the rare burger saturating a pizza dough bun. Oh my deliciousness!
Fuddrucker's is thee best!!
Seriously? You really need to get out more. Fuddrucker's is overpriced and dull.
Amen!
While it sounds like a good burger, I really don't think it sounds like the best burger in America. The patty may be the best hamburger patty in America, but the rest of the ingredients are too unimaginative to really earn that title.
Fair enough but truffle and seaweed flakes do not necessarily make a tasty burger :) There is something to be said about sticking to the classics. To each their own!
I'm with you...other than the bun and the curry powder I don't see how this is 'the worlds best'. Looks rather plain and unbalanced. And american singles, really?? It's not even cheese, they have to call it a 'cheese product'. They should have tried my own Roquefort, carmelized onion and candied bacon burger.
:) Now that is a flavorful, middle-of-the-night-craving burger.
Sounds tasty as well! How does one go about getting/making "candied bacon"?
Candied Bacon: dredge thick sliced bacon in sugar (equal parts brown/white) and bake on parchement paper in oven till crispy. 25-30 min at 350 flipping once.
Holy cow that sounds good.
Thanks!
Oh I think I'm in LOVE!
Yours sounds a heck of a lot better than this thing they are trying to push.
I was going to suggest using maple sugar, but its obvious you know what you're doing already.
Wonder if we could deep fry this candied bacon?
Hell to the yeah!
Yes, Yes Carmelized Onions!!!
The curry is because this is a British place that's declaring the best burger, and they love curry there. But in reality, what do they really know about a burger? I'll give 'em bangers, pasties and maybe Indian food, but Americans know burgers. I will be trying your recipe. Candied bacon sounds yum.
That is not exactly true, actually.
You can buy American cheese. It is a real cheese. It may be simple and primitive and obvious and a little bit overt, not as sophisticated or as subtle as some other cheeses, but it is considered a real cheese.
Yes, there are offshoots called 'processed cheese food,' or some such thing, but they are based on real American cheese. They are to cheese what margarine is to butter.
LOL. You would be arrested if you called that cheese in France.
If you scroll throught the step by step pictures of the making of this burger he specifically states using 'classic american singles'. That is processed cheese product. My kids won't even eat that. :)
Since when does a burger have to be imaginative to be the best? Adding all kinds of extra flash just masks what the dish is supposed to be about...the burger.
Uh oh... watch the vegans come crawling out from under their rocks...
Oh Oh, watch the ignorance and stupidity of the republican party come out in full force. And this slam is brought to you from a dear, duck, rabbit and everything else Democratic hunter you GOP P.O.S.
Seriously? Why is there always a moron like you to inject a political angle to a story...any story? WTF does a hamburger have to do with Republicans/Democrats or any other political issue? Freakin'idiot. Seriously?
Jim – why don't you get a job and start contibuting to society so we "republicans" can stop taking care of you. Typical of the liberal Left to turn a burger story political.
this is an article about a cheeseburger with bacon. If you turn it into a political fight, then you are the idiot.
You don't have to be Republican to eat meat. In fact, the vast, overwhelming majority of Democrats eat meat as well. So do most Independents. You know why? Because, despite the common misconception otherwise, meat is good for you.
Actually most meats are bad for you, especially processed meats. The problem is not so much the meat as is the chemicals, preservatives and hormones they put into it. Ted Nugent is a hard core Republican conservative and hunts his own food for this very reason. BTW, vegetarians and vegans I know have the most beautiful glowing skin.
Still I can go 3 days without meat...and then I'm climbing the walls ;-)
I should really take up hunting and butchering. I've always wondered how 3 hours of the carcass fresh differed from first day in Publix fresh. Does the meat taste that much better or is it just more fun? I'm just curious.
Of course the best burger is in New York City! Seriously, I doubt they looked in very many other places.
Did you read the part where is was decided by the London Observer? If it was biased, don't you think that the best burger would be somehwere in England?
And this looks absolutely tasty :)
My point is I doubt they looked beyond the obvious handful of metropolises known for fine dining (NYC, Chicago, San Francisco). I could be wrong, but like I said, I doubt it.
Hamburgers are vastly more popular in the U.S. than anywhere else; it would be too obviously transparent (and controversial, even, but that would've interesting, at least) for them to choose a place in London, instead of in the country where hamburgers – at least as we know them today – were invented.
It's got curry in it. Of course the English think it's the best burger. But I don't really consider the English an authority on burgers...
True, they can only judge black pudding, kidney pie and fish & chips. :)
And Indian food. Last time I was in London, it seemed liked there were two Indian restaurants on every corner.
@The Witty One so I'm guessing the London Observer went to a bunch of small cities blah blah blah. Filler article made by New Yorkers who think everything great is in New York and you only get to live and work there if you're considered one of the world greats too.
I hate pickles on burgers...this isn't the best burger in the world. Thanks for playing anyway.
Bitter much? And not an ounce of wit. Hmph, go figure.
It's not the best burger, to you, because it has pickles on it?
Do you do kids parties? 'Cuz you're just a barrel of laughs.
Or maybe it's the drastic influx of different cultures and cuisines that make New York a great place to find great food. Just sayin'...
I agree that pickles don't need to be on a burger. That's why there's Burger King. They'll fix it your way.
Everyone and anyone, knows that New York takes 1st place in Narcissism.
You just ain't whistlin' Dixie!
This article is about a delicious hamburger, not your ignorant hatred of NY'ers. Grow up.
You are right in that the article is about hamburgers. However, his disgust for New Yorkers is far from ignorant. They are easily the most self-absorbed morons in the nation, to include the Bible Belt. If only Florida would allow us to hunt snow birds.
Om Nom Nom. That is all.
Best burger my ăss! Not with thin cut regular bacon and fricken American cheese on it's not. You need thick cut hickory smoked bacon and any cheese would be better than American Cheese. Cheddar, Jack, Colby, Swiss, Muenster, etc.
I agree. American cheese is not cheese anyhow. And you have to have thick, crispy bacon!
Ok.. so there definitley could be some improvements.. but come on this sounds great! I am going to make these today. they are going to go great with my signature.. my "Love You Long Time Pork Ribs". that I make... they are these braised Asian BBQ ribs that I throw on the BBQ after simmering. They always come out so great.. and the recipe is actually online.. just google the name or "Whipped and beaten culinary works" and you will find them... But be warned.. if you get offended easily or can't take a good joke.. they are on a pretty UNpc food website.. (hilarious, but not for everyone) so if you don't have a good sense of humor.. skip it..
American cheese? What a joke. Whoever rated such a burger well must have had favorable sexual relations with the chef.
American Cheese was at one time a combination of Cheddar and Colby cheeses. What you guy are really complaining about is processed cheese products, which in some parts of the country can't legally be called cheese. But there are some of the old fashioned American Cheese still out there that is actually very good cheese.
I agree to disagree. American cheese by itself is mundane however melted on a burger it's perfect.
You got that right about the cheese, you might as well put a piece of paper there. Too bad there is no real cheese culture in this country. Only higher end stores have really good cheese. I was in France last year and they know their cheese whether it is soft, semi-soft or hard cheese. I would prefer a slice of sharp cheddar which can be found in many grocery stores. It should be so sharp it is hard to cut it without it breaking apart. No dyed orange cheese here.
American Cheese is crap. Cheddar, Smoked Cheddar, Colby, Jack, Muenster,...even Brie. there are hundreds of cheeses with much better flavor than American. Leave out the bacon and put the bacon slices on for those that want it. And 1/2 pound of meat?? A 1/3 or 1/4 pound burger is best, especially when you add all the delicious extras. How about adding avocado, grilled mushrooms, or an Ortega chili. Add the good stuff and cut down on the meat.
When people say cheddar on a burger you can tell they dont know anything about cheese, cheddar is a greasy oily mess when melted and loses all its flavor. In terms of melting cheese on a burger a good quality american cheese destroys cheddar.
Best burger only if voted on by none burger people. Curry is for Asian food. Not a burger. Only artsy people would accept american cheese on the best burger. "oh my it is so retro" Brutal. Bacon was a let down as well. I will share how to make a burger rock. 2 pounds of top sirloin and 1 pound of double smoked bacon put through the meat gridder. Try it. It will change your life.
I totally agree! What a bunch of hype. American cheese is like plastic and is not even real cheese (oil, milk, thickening agents, food coloring). The bacon looked extremely fatty. I say this guy just got really lucky. I do like the curry, though, and big, sturdy buns. I do the same. I'm sure his burgers are good but hardly "The Best in the World". They should try MY burgers!
I argue all the time, with my wife, over which cheese should be on a burger. In my mind "processed singles", are sacriledge and shouldn't be less than a mile, from the worlds best burger. Real Cheddar only!
I had to roll my eyes when I read in the recipe – American Cheese. And thought they must be talking about something other than what I was accustomed to. But, nope. If you trackback to the 1st hyperlink in the article – http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/10/26/you-can-has-the-worlds-best-cheeseburger/ – the jump will take you to "You can haz America's best cheeseburger". [Note:(sic) on the haz.] They are talking about Kraft American Cheese singles folks. The cheese your mom put on white bread for your lunch 40 years ago. I must admit, I thought it was cheese too. The same way I once thought that American lagers were beer.
Now, let's talk about that beer.
This guy will probably have his American cheese burger with an American lager.
I certainly hope they don't mean American Cheese as in the processes garbage that is everywhere in the USA. In Canada, we simply call that stuff Processed Cheese and we mostly ignore it in favour of actual cheeses.
Catchup on a hamburger???? What???? He'd get kicked plumb OUT of Texas.
We are in the 21 century, we should stop being cannibals. If our ancestors found someone else’s flesh tastier than the fruits and vegetables, it does not mean we should keep doing it. This is how we ended up using only 3% of our brain. This diet is destroying our health and the health of our children. As for milk and cheese, at the beginning we did not run after cow mothers to get their milk... we started drinking it when we started dominated them and taking away that milk from their babies, and kill their babies. All of our physical and mental problems come from animal products. They come with all kinds of garbage and cholesterol and wear out our organs. They destroy our immune system, our blood cells, and thicken the blood. As a result, our blood can not go through all the small veins and as a result can not feed the body the needed oxygen and the nutrients (so regardless how much vitamins you have from that peace of meat, you will get less out of them than a vegan). For every action, there is a reaction. Killing is never right – be it human, dog, cat, calf, cow, pig, chicken. Every living being wants freedom and runs from pain. By eating one, you become a killer. By advertising their body, their shed blood and pain as something tasty, is a sign of low conscious. By supporting a business that kills people, the environment and 60 billion animals a year, is criminal. Please, ignore your ego, do some research and think of all the killing that proved wrong humans did during our history.
Do you not believe that the people who wrote this article have had cheese other than American cheese? Yet, they thought this was better than any burger they've had. Your point is useless.
Yeah, HosieO ... he probably had the burger with a freakin bud or mgd light.
Hey, Elena ...
You know, every time you take a breath, you're inhaling thousands of living microbes that are killed instantly by your immune system. Does that bother you? I mean, if every living thing should be allowed to live, surely you're not excluding microscopic organisms. If you are ... well, that's just hypocritical. So if you think eating meat means I'm a killer ... then breathing makes you one too. How does it feel being a heartless, murderous, maniac? LOL The irony is overwhelming.
In your future ... I see a parasitic worm (and don't think you can't get one because you don't eat meat), and I see you doing whatever it takes to kill the little pest.
The #1 criteria for the burger is whether you use MEAT or SHMEAT. Everything else is details. If you have no clue what i mean, check the "most popular" article out on NoShmeat (.com of course). Otherwise your "best" burger will be just another shmeat sandwich.
There is nothing wrong with beef. The problem is how the beef is raised, handled and slaughtered. That is what makes it dangerous to eat undercooked conventionally raised beef. Buy grass fed and organic, people!! It is leaner, has more nutrients, doesn't contain growth hormones or antibiotics, and the flavor is much more superior.
Listen to all you faix connoisseurs rationalizing your ludicrous personal preferences.
#1 – burger outside of US? Get a grip, never compare to the greasiest spoon anywhere inside these borders.
#2 – American 'Cheese' – fundamental; How about 'salad pizza' for you.
#3 – "it has to have crispy, thick cut bacon" – another salad pie over here.
Fools.
No cheese tastes better on a burger than American (regardless if it's cheese or not). And thick cut bacon adds too much chewiness to the process. Thin cut gives the flavor without the pain in the butt.
Elena – What was used to build your home? Wood? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe trees are (or where, in the case of your home) living. And as for cannibalism...look up the definition and then pick a different word that's more appropriate.
Sorry, but i just had to say something...Elena stfu. You know NOTHING about human diet. We have the brains we have because of cooked meat..yes, cooked meat. Certain proteins are only created by heating meat. And we don't only use 3% of our brains...yes we don't always use 100% of our brains at any given moment, but we don't do everything we can possibly do at every single moment. But we do use all of our brains in the end, just because we don't use them all all the time doesn't mean we don't ever use all of them.
And wtf are you even posting this bull about the world's tastiest burger anyways? Did mommy never teach you not to badger people about their personal choices in life? Keep taking your vitamin supplements you have to take because of your diet choices so your brain won't rot away and leave us the heck alone!
Btw the burger sounds awesome, and even tho processed cheese isn't 'cheese' it does have it's own taste and therefore has it's own uses. If you limit your ingredients because they're 'fake' you can never hope to be the best chef..
Such is the subjectivity of taste... and the problem with calling anything so subjective "the world's best." For the record, I'm usually a cheese snob and can't stand American on its own... but it does make such a nice melter. Wondering if anyone who's bashed this recipe has actually /tried/ it?
First off I didn't see where it said what type of bacon. This is completely dependent on your taste and how big the patty is without bacon.
Second there was no stating of "Kraft Pasteurized Individually Wrapped Trash". There is a difference between that and real American Cheese. On a burger, real American Cheese is as good as any and again depending on personal preference.
You do seem to be great at reading failure though so props bro.
The bloody (literally!) hamburger is raw in the centre! Only a fool eats rare/raw ground beef. Hello e-coli!!
If you grind your own meat and have half a brain as to sanitary handling of same, the risk is very low. Bloody red burgers are the best!
Just knock the horns off, slap it, and throw it on my plate.
Get your meat from someone you trust and learn how to not destroy your hamburger patty before you put it on your bun.
If I wanted to eat a bloody cow Id call your mom back
Moooooooo!
An entire nation eats raw hamburger!! Ever heard of Steak Tartare.........because you don't like it, means little........
I eat my burgers rare and medium rare all the time. I'm 30 years old and I've had food poisoning exactly 3 times in my life. How do you ever expect to have a good immune system if it's never exposed to anything?
It's called rare, idiot.
Oh, bollocks. I've gotten liver flukes from COOKED food. And germ-phobia like yours – enough to troll websites and call people fools – means you've got way too much anxiety in your life. Perhaps you're not as healthy as you think you are.
And I wonder if Richard knows that E. coli live in his intestines too! Lots and lots and lots of them! Surely he does; sounds like he knows eeeeeverything. ;)
I thought that at first but I'm sure it's actually ketchup – it's a little too red. The chef did say this particular burger should be cooked medium to medium well, and the rest of the burger looks cooked.
Got to have my red meat. How else would I stay mean?
And I am no fool!
I have eaten rare beef including ground my whole life, which is well over half gone, I have never gotten ecoli. salmonella, trichinosis, shingles, post nasal drip OR waxy yellow buildup. Enjoy your food.
Actually, you can eat beef raw, as long as it is grass fed and organic. I make carpaccio all the time with grass fed organic, and have never gotten sick. I don't even touch conventionally raised beef.
My aunt made cookies every year with a raw egg yolk in the icing; I still make them, and nobody has ever gotten sick from them in over 50 years.
Sure, get organic meat raised without antibiotics, and the bacteria won't be so dangerous; if there would be bacteria, it wouldn't be immune to the antibiotics you would take.
If you have a weak immune system, cook everything (including salad), and cook meat well done. Otherwise, the lettuce is as dangerous as the rare meat. Lettuce is good for you; and vegetables reduce the main problem with hamburgers: not enough fiber.
My family's way of protecting against "germs" in lettuce: soak the lettuce leaves in salt water for about half an hour, rinse, drain, spin dry (in a salad spinner). I've read that this actually does kill e-coli, although I wouldn't say how much (and of course, don't re-use the salt water).
The caption is confusing. Does it mean 'Meat' is the best burger, or Meet the best burger?
I know...they're either very bad at spelling or very bad at making puns.
Seriously? It was a pun. lol They are well aware of the usage.
I myself prefer Boar’s Head products, so I always have fresh thick sliced Cheddar cheese slices ready to pile on top of my burgers in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
You can have any decent local butcher ground up the brisquet and short ribs for you. If you really want to go high end, have them ground up filet mignon pieces for you!
I also agree you should used smoked bacon, if you use that ingredient. I also go one step further and usually smoke the burgers while they cook, I get chips of oak wood, soak in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning. Then stick them in a small smoker box and put in the grill. Once the oak wood smoking starts, I add the burgers.
I use a Thermapen digital thermometer and test the burgers once near the end to make sure they are at temperature. Only do it once or twice and use the same hole to prevent losing juices. Make sure you coat your grate with olive oil before heating up your grill.
The patty itself seems like a good recipe. Of course some of the condiments could be switched up. Recipes should be about customization of a base product, not by-the-numbers instruction.
Personally, I'd switch up the cheese. Maybe pepper-jack or muenster.
Pepper Jack is fabulous on burgers!
The only problem with condiments: corn syrup is in most of them, and corn syrup is really bad for you. The same products made in Canada or other countries don't have corn syrup: we go to the trouble of getting either organic (double check ingredients), or imported ketchup, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc. We discovered the problem with corn syrup after my husband got cancer: it was like biting into an apple and finding half a worm. Nitrites and nitrates aren't good either, but it is much easier to find bacon that is free of these.
Hive Mind'd: I too was going to post 'om nom nom nom'
best hamburguer in the country at HODAD'S in Ocean Beach, San Diego California. By far the best around the world,period.
Mike,
I have to agree...I absolutely love Hodad's burgers!
I fully agree with the choice of meat for grinding. However, it should be cut like stew meat, combined and then ground, and only once. Not fine but medium. The less the meat is handled after grinding the better the bite. The bacon needs to be of high quality and nothing short of 14-16 slice ( per lb ). I would go with the lettuce on bottom but pickle on top. I dont think I need to speak about the cheese, but will kindly. The cheese could be blue or sharp cheddar. The med to med well cooking is correct for the chosen grind thus stuffing the cheese into the meat prior to cooking would add a layer not often found in the burger world. Seasoning for this would be at the point of serving. A pinch of coarse sea or kosher and a few twists of Tellecherry Peppercorn. Ketchup is for the Fries. Wheres the competition next year? SM from Vermont
How is this better than the soilent green?
You pretentious cheese snobs are making me giggle.
can you say death by heart attack?? ugh! to see someone chomping on this mess would be so nasty.