Fantastic new alternatives join the tried-and-true for grilling up the summer’s best burgers
by Emily Worts photography by Kristie & Brenden Woods
A Black Angus chipotle bison burger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, cheese and a fried quail egg, with deep fried pickles on the side.[/caption]
Best enjoyed simply, under a setting sun, with a napkin to wipe up all the messy goodness, nothing says summer like a hamburger. As the delicious aromas of neighbourhood barbecues waft through the air it is hard to deny the craving for a tasty burger, nagging away in the pit of your belly.
But it seems the humble burger has gone a bit wacky lately. On local restaurant menus don’t be surprised to find burgers topped with fried eggs or onion rings, burgers covered in poutine or burgers finished on a cedar plank. Go a little farther afield, to a gourmet burger chain, and you can test out burgers topped with Kraft Dinner or peanut butter, bacon and banana.
Sean Kelly, owner of Black Angus Fine Meats and Game in Thornbury, attributes the burger craze to the 2008 economic downturn. And it wasn’t long before people started experimenting with burger madness at home.
“With the repression, restaurants had to change it up,” says Kelly. “That’s when we started seeing the specialty burger chains popping up.”
Not only are people getting crazy about burger toppings; the patties themselves are going exotic.
In addition to beef, lamb and bison, Black Angus handles requests for all sorts of unusual burgers, including prepared patties made from ground camel, elk, kangaroo, ostrich, rabbit, venison or wild boar. Kelly just filled an order of Moroccan camel burgers for a Halal restaurant in Toronto. “We are matching traditional meat with traditional spice,” he says. “For game burgers we add a spice block to them that adds a distinct flavour. It adds to the experience.”
Chris Rich, owner of Collingwood’s Blue Ridge Meats, prefers a more traditional burger: an all-beef patty made with nothing more than onion, garlic and a little salt and pepper.
“The problem, as I see it,” says Rich, “is a lot of burgers have a lot of filler and a lot of fat. You’re not getting a quality burger.”
Rich makes his burgers with lean chuck tenderloin and adds a little bit of blade chuck for fat; no fillers. It’s the perfect combination, he says.
Rich’s son Matthew makes a variety of burgers in house for Blue Ridge Meats, including lamb burgers mixed with dried mint, turkey; feta and spinach burgers; jerk beef burgers or burgers with chunks of cheddar cheese mixed in.
It seems anything goes when it comes to burgers, but one thing everyone can agree on: the best way to cook one is, hands-down, on a barbecue, preferably over charcoal.
Here are some tips to help create your perfect burger:
Mix It Up. Try new types of meat or mix two or more types together (my husband recently experimented with a lamb and pork mixture that proved to be his best burger yet).
Wing It. One of my favourite cookbook authors claims everything that goes on a burger can go in it. Try mixing ketchup, mustard and relish right in with the meat; it’s delish. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
Have Fun. When I was young and my taste buds were still warming up to the pungent flavour of blue cheese, my dad would hide tiny balls of this mouldy delicacy inside our burgers; out of sight, out of mind. With my first bite came a stream of rich blue cheese oozing out of its centre, and I was a convert.
Go Crazy. We used to call my mom the ‘condiment queen’ because whenever we would have burgers she would empty the shelves of our fridge, covering the picnic table with every possible burger topping. Some of my favourites include: caramelized onions, homemade chutneys, chili sauce, dill pickles, aioli, barbecue sauce, any type of cheese, avocado, tomato, greens, all sorts of mustards, mayo, and a good spicy pepper.
Flip Your Lid. Try different types of buns, from seeded to cheese or onion (most bakery rolls are perfect for burgers, and come in lots of different varieties). Brioche buns and even focaccia also work great. Dinner rolls are the ideal size for sliders, while Kaiser-size buns are sized right for full-sized burgers.
For some, nothing beats a simple beef burger on a doughy white bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard and relish. But for the more adventurous, the possibilities are endless. So fire up the barbecue and get your burger on! ❧
