Burger Bliss

There is no doubt hamburgers have become one of the quintessential food favorites in the U.S. By definition a hamburger is a piece of ground meat, usually made of beef, and served in a bun. They can be cooked using several methods, of which I prefer a flat-grilling and condiments adorning them are numerous. From the least inexpensive fast food sandwich feasts to the super-expensive, ultra-decadent $5,000 Fleur burger created by Chef Hubert Keller at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, everyone has a meal cheat day and a messy burger always fits the bill. I'll keep my 5 favorite burgers in the modest price range. Here is my list of perfect burger bliss.

Port wine and Stilton cheese pair beautifully together. Use the 2 together to make this lip-smacking luxury burger. As you may know Port is an aged fortified wine originally produced in Portugal. It is very full-bodied, slightly sweet, with mild alcohol notes. Stilton is a strong, creamy, salty cheese produced in England. These flavors, as mentioned, pair together very well, and with ground beef in the mix, it's a home run. To make yours, reduce 1 cup of the Port to 2 tbls. Sear your hamburger patty on a hot griddle for 2 minutes on each side. Place a layer of crumbled stilton on the patty after flipping it. Place it on a brioche bun and top with the port syrup. No other condiments needed.

Smashburger's have become all the rage in the states. So popular, a chain of burger joints bearing the same name is popping up everywhere and not just in the United States. Smashburger's are also in Canada, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. Since the burger is flattened while cooking the meat will have less moisture and flavor so it is important to add condiments. A cheddar and onion burger is my favorite. Place a whole sliced red onion wheel on a hot oiled griddle and cover with a rolled ball of ground beef. Flatten the patty with a spatula until thin and cook 2 minutes. Season, flip then add a layer of cheddar cheese. Serve on a toasted potato bun.

Short rib and brisket are 2 flavorful cuts of beef. Both cuts have a good amount of fat associated with them and fat means flavor. Short ribs are cut from just about the middle of a side of beef towards the belly. The brisket is located forward just above the front legs. Curing it yields a slice of great lunch meat known as pastrami. To make this burger at home grind equal amounts of both cuts together. If you don't have a grinder use a food processor. Make into patties being careful not to pack the meat too firmly. Place on a hot griddle to develop a nice crust and flip. Season and place on a brioche bun. I use the most traditional condiments lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, and ketchup.

Bleu cheese is another great cheese option to adorn and add flavor to a hamburger. A sweet red onion jam does a wonderful job of balancing out the robust cheese. Originally Bleu cheese was created in France. Today it is made in many countries. The flavor profile is salty, creamy, and mature. It has become a very popular melting cheese and makes a great mac & cheese too. The red onion jam is made by caramelizing red onions. Next, add ¼ cup of brown sugar, 2 tbs. of balsamic, and a cup of red wine. Boil and simmer to reduce until the mixture is jam-like. Grill off your meat and top with the cheese after flipping. Place on a Kaiser roll and top with the onion jam.

Pastrami or corned beef are used to make one of my favorite sandwiches, the Reuben. The sandwich is an American classic. It was created by Arnold Reuben in 1914 and is still proudly served at the infamous Reuben's Delicatessen in New York City. One of the fastest-growing burger trends pairs this great deli product with ground beef. After you flip your burger meat work quickly adding thin slices of pastrami and sauerkraut to the grill. Turn both and then begin construction. Place the hamburger on a pretzel roll, top with the deli meat, sauerkraut, and finally swiss cheese. Serve with a side of Russian dressing and a couple of crisp dill pickle spears.

This food option is believed to have originated in Hamburg, Germany around 1869. The largest consumers were emigrants on their way to America. Eventually, these beef sandwiches made their way to the states in 1900. Restaurateur Louis Lassen is credited with the birth of the burger in his New Haven, Connecticut based establishment called Louis' Lunch. The small unassuming dining destination is still open today and utilizes the original vertical gas-burning grills to cook the meat. Nothing fancy for a bun either, just toasted white bread and if you like ketchup your out of luck they don't have it. Give one of these a try or as Burger King would say "Have it your way".