“Too much” ruins a burger. If I take a bite and a bunch of crap squeezes out of the backside of the bun, it’s a problem.
I do pickles and onions only when i want a beefy burger without all the stuff.
Nice pickles are necessary for me (my partner and I make our own pickles, mmmmmm)
Onions I love, but I MUCH prefer them to be caramelized. It just takes me like an hour or two. But mmmmmmm
My husband likes grilled onions, but I prefer the crunch of raw. I love a really good pickle. We’re growing cucumbers right now and I would love to learn to pickle. Would you like to share a recipe?
My quick pickle recipe:
Vinegar + Water in equal proportions, and whatever spices you like.
Boil it and turn the stove off.
Put in the sliced cucumbers , onions, and whatever else you need to pickle.
After a few minutes it’s ready to be used.
Cool off the solution afterwards and put it in fridge for storage.
I MUCH prefer them to be caramelized. It just takes me like an hour or two
Have you ever tried the trick where you add baking soda to accelerate the Maillard reaction? Just a small pinch for a couple of onions, and you’re done in 15min or so. Too much and not as tasty.
As a burger hater and language lover I hereby contribute the word you were looking for in your title instead: it’s “conversely”. Enjoy! 😉
Whenever I get back from a camping trip I always grab a smash burger from the shittiest looking mom and pop joint I can find.
Tbf after camping trips anything covered in salt will be god tier. My wife and I did a weekend backpacking trip but didn’t bring any great food. On the way home the only place to stop was a Shoneys and we still joke that it was the best meal we’ve ever had.
i think its important that all the ingredients chosen fit well together (i guess thats the case for all food?) also i will not stand for the egrigious pickle-slander in the comments
I make my own pickles and will NOT have a burger without them.
Good: Maillard reaction. That lovely, savory sear on the meat and juices. This is why a proper slider tastes good.
Bad: Dry cardboard. Usually created by people who don’t know how to grill.
Usually created by people who don’t know how to grill.
The main subcategory of these people are those that cook it from frozen.
Nah it’s not that hard to make a decent burger from frozen. I don’t know WTF people are doing to mess that up. You just put it on the grill and don’t overcook it lol.
What makes a burger? A good bun. What ruins a burger? Soggy bun.
Cooked to medium rare. Juicy. Toasted bun. Lettuce, tomato, cheese, and maybe even a fried egg.
An overcooked, dry burger is just not edible for me.
Great: the other comments cover it quite well.
Ruin: too much of any one topping. I want to be able to taste the other ingredients. This is an especially easy mistake to make with onion. Red onions have a very strong flavor which can mask others. A little goes a long way.
It’s kind of hard to fuck up a burger. The worst burger is what they have at AM/PM or a school cafeteria. And even that isn’t completely terrible.
The best burger though would have bacon, blue cheese and A1 sauce on it. 🤤
The trick is the balance, between meat, seasoning, vegetables and to a small degree, sauce and seasoning. E.g. putting too much meat on it and less than 3 out of 4: salad, onion, tomato, pickle, would be too little. Ingredient quality matters a lot. Cheese is a nice bonus. Variations according to taste are “obvious”, hot or mild sauce, different veggies…
It shouldn’t be uncomfortable to eat, but I’m also disappointed if it’s too small. Imo, you should need both hands.
Sometimes a thinner crispy smash burger is great, other days i prefer a thicker juicier burger but still with some good sear. I don’t like when the meat is overseasoned and it tastes like meatloaf - just a sprinkle of salt, pepper, garlic. Toasted bun. Light sauce or none.
Most burgers are fine. Not excellent, not special.
Most common things that ruin a burger for me:
- soggy bread
- poor construction (falls apart, leaks, toppings aren’t spread)
- too much grease (especially on the bread)
To make a good burger, stay simple. Just get quality ingredients and cook them well. Smash burgers make things easier and go a long way. No kraft plastic-cheese.
Ruins it: When the gimmick of the burger is some “special sauce” or house ketchup (and/or they put pickles on it yuck)
Makes it: When the flavorings, seasonings, ingredients are mixed into the ground beef before grilling
I cooked Oklahoma onion burgers yesterday.
Really simple.
- Season your mince with salt and form into small rounds.
- Smash the burgers topped with really finely sliced onion smashed straight into the burger on a hot griddle (I used a soapstone in my Kamado).
- When the lacey edges of the burger are starting to caremalise, flip and add a slice of cheese.
- Place the top of the bun on top of the cheese and the bottom face down on top of that. This lets the buns steam a little and soften.
Serve.
Five ingredients: beef mince, onion, salt, cheese, bun.
Great burger.
It needs something to provide crunch, as a textural counterpoint to the warm softness of the bun and patty. Lettuce, raw onion, potato chips each work, just pick ONE.
It needs acidic elements to cut the fatty richness. Mustard, pickles, fresh tomato, these you can double up on.
It needs a patty that holds together. I love a blackbean burger but most of them fall apart, might as well call it a blackbean sloppy joe.
It needs to fit in my mouth without squirting condiments out the other side.
It needs catsup, independent of all other requirements. You cannot leave off or replace the catsup.
