To be sure, there is NOTHING better than a hamburger, when both properly seasoned and cooked to our liking.
Choosing the right meat to fat ratio for your preference is one of the VERY important things to consider (and we have a whole Blog on that topic alone), and then, there’s the bun, which again, can make or break the entire eating experience.
However, what we want to focus on here is that space BETWEEN the meat and the bun. That blank canvas of space just waiting for your artistic expression to fill it with whatever else suits your tastes.
American palates have been somewhat conditioned to accept that the only crayons in the “toppings box”, are ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise or some secret sauce combination, and the usual vegetable suspects, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion.
And of course, bacon and American or Cheddar Cheese.
And they’re are great, but if you haven’t colored “outside the lines”, you may be missing out on some pretty amazing burgers.
If you step back for a moment and consider a cooked beef patty as simply “beef”, then, think of all the things you enjoy made with some beef, you become free to imagine all sorts of “natural” flavor combinations that just go with the flavor of beef.
And the traditional combinations of flavors that are paired with beef in other cuisines.
Hispanic: Beef Tacos, Nachos, Fajitas, etc.
Asian: Beef Teriyaki, General Tso, etc.,
European: Swissed (Mushrooms, Sour Cream & Onions), German (Sauerkraut), Irish (Corned Beef), Italian, Pasta Sauce, Pepperoni (instead of Bacon) and perhaps some Provolone and Parmesan Cheese….and so on.
At the end of the day, it’s beef and bread with a space for a lot of creativity.
With that in mind, we’d like to get your creative juices flowing with the list of some flavor combinations.
You may have even seen some of these ideas featured in a few of the ever-popular contemporary American bistros whose Chef’s enjoy exploring these many delicious combinations. With rave reviews!
We’ll start with some sauces for you to experiment with, such as:
- Ranch Dip.
- Teriyaki Glaze (w/ Grilled Pineapple.)
- General Tso Sauce.
- Basil Pesto Crème / Mayo.
- Make your OWN DYI “Special Sauce” w/ (Mayo/Ketchup/Pickle Relish/Chili Powder.)
- Chimichurri Sauce.
- Honey Mustard & Mayo Sauce.
- Tahini Sauce w/ a touch of Cumin added.
- Or, adding a Coney Sauce w/ Onions & Mustard too!
- Chopped Caprese Salad Salsa (Fresh Mozzarella, Red Onion, Fresh Basil, Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil.)
- Guacamole with Jalapeños.
- Tzatziki Sauce, w/ added Cucumber, Feta Cheese & Fresh Mint.
Or, how about these creative cheese toppings?
- Goat Cheese w/ Grilled Onions and Bacon.
- Feta Cheese w/ Kalamata Olives, fresh chopped Rosemary and Chopped Roasted Garlic Cloves and, how about adding some Baby Spinach instead of lettuce?
- Blue Cheese w/ Buttery Buffalo Sauce.
- Cream Cheese, w/ Dill, Garlic & Green Onion.
And here are some substantial additions to your burger!
- Chili Powder Fried Crispy Onion Strings (Add 1 TBSP dark chili powder to ½ cup flour. Soak thinly shaved white onions in buttermilk & fry in hot oil until crispy)
- Fried Mozzarella Stick! Yum!
- Sauteed Poblano Chiles or any Chile Peppers.
- Top with some Pulled Pork and Smoked Gouda Cheese.
- How about some Grilled Pineapple / Mango with Spicy Mayo?
- Or, Guacamole with Honey Grilled Tomato & Cilantro
- Fried Eggs are an EVER-popular topping nowadays.
- Pickled Red Onion.
- Mashed Black Beans marinated in a bit of Cumin / Chili Powder & Lime.
- Fried Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers with Sriracha Sauce add a unique and provocative topping.
- Add some Fried Pepperoni with Provolone Cheese & a splash of Pizza Sauce.
- French Fries or Tater Tots with some A1 accented Mayonnaise.
- Hey!! Don’t forget that Mac & Cheese is another great idea for a burger topping.
- Corned Beef with Grilled Sauerkraut & Russian Dressing and maybe add some Cole Slaw to that burger?
And last but not least, why not go ALL out and really impress with some Homemade Ketchup & Mustard on your special burger patty.
