Is there truly such a thing as a perfect burger? Everyone loves a juicy hamburger pulled straight from the grill, but what really makes the experience are the toppings that are added after the fact.
The challenge then becomes determining which of these toppings belong on your perfect burger. Many people may try and sway you in the direction of their favorite toppings, but it ultimately comes down to preference. While it’s possible that two people’s perfect burgers can be the same, more than likely they’ll differ in some way.
Regardless of these preferences, there is a classic list of toppings that you could never go wrong with when placing the finishing touches on your perfect burger. While it won’t necessarily be one of a kind, there’s a reason these toppings are considered classics. Making minor changes after these toppings have been added can truly make the burger your own.
Here’s a look at some of the ingredients that make up the perfect burger:
Pillars Of An Excellent Burger
- Delectable Bun: soft enough to the bite, but sturdy enough to handle the beef patty of your choosing and its accompanying toppings. Typically of the potato or seeded variety.
- Yellow Mustard: often overlooked for its sibling condiment ketchup, only a true yellow mustard can bring out all of the flavors of your beef patty.
- Fatty Patty: the best burgers consist of at least 20% fat, but you can get adventurous and go to upwards of 40% fat for an even better experience.
- The Finest Cheese: this is where you can let your imagination run wild. Take your pick of the best cheese you can source. Most commonly, people opt for cheddar or American cheese, but have you ever tried a fresh slice of gouda to accompany your burger?
- Pickle: truly an exemplary topping, that can accentuate your burger enjoying experience. Only sliced pickles belong on a burger.
- Onion: fine sliced red or white onions do a burger wonders in terms of bringing out all of its flavors. For a bit of flare, throw the onions on the grill before putting them in between the buns.
- Lettuce: for the sake of texture, a leaf or two of lettuce goes a long way. Adds a bit of crunch to the soft and juicy nature of the burger. Ideally, iceberg or romaine lettuce should be your choice.
- Tomato: sliced finely, never whole. You’ll want the ripest slice you can find as well, as anything less and you may find your buns to be much too soggy.
Crafting The Perfect Burger
You now know the ideal toppings for the perfect burger experience, but how should these toppings be stacked? Again, if you prefer any topping to the other, prioritize that topping over the others. One way in which you can craft the burger would be something like this: beginning with your buns, throw a nice lather of mustard on each underside of the bun. Slide the burger now covered in cheese in between these buns. The layering would then follow the order of pickles atop the patty, onions atop the pickles, tomato slice over the onions and pickles, and finally, a nice sheet of lettuce to top it all off. Delicious.
For more information on how you and your family can craft the perfect burger this summer season, be sure to check out the infographic accompanying this post. Courtesy of Big Deal Burger.