From French onion soup to pork rinds, the flavorful garnishes on these burgers make them surefire crowd-pleasers. Plus, find out which beers pair perfectly with each and get foolproof tips on how to cook a juicy burger.
Filipino Chori
Hapa Food Truck
Stamford, CT
Toppings: Sweet chorizo patty, caramelized onions, sous vide egg, crumbled pork rinds, pickled heirloom tomato and spicy banana ketchup
Pair with: Cold Bruce Cost ginger ale
“My burger memories growing up are of eating chori burgers from street vendors in Manila. This burger was inspired by those memories but escalated with favorite ingredients.”
—Chris Gonzalez, chef and owner of Hapa Food Truck
The Buffalo Billy
Coals Pizza
Port Chester, NY
Toppings: Vermont cheddar, Coals’s classic buffalo wing sauce, and a mound of housemade guacamole
Pair with: A juicy, hoppy IPA
“The sharpness of the cheese and the heat in the sauce are perfectly tempered by the creamy guacamole.”
—Billy Etzel, chef and owner of Coals Pizza
French Onion Soup
Darien Butcher Shop
Darien, CT
Toppings: Apple wood-smoked bacon bits, sherry caramelized onions and shredded 2-year-aged Gruyere
Pair with: Pliny the Elder pale ale
“The potato bun is spread with our French onion soup butter.”
—Peter Crawford, owner of Darien Butcher Shop
Greek Freak
Bareburger
Stamford, CT
Toppings: Spiced lamb, halloumi, garlic-lemon aioli, baby spinach and marinated cucumber slaw
Pair with: Schofferhofer grapefruit Hefeweizen
“This burger is a tribute to the founders of Bareburger; it’s light, spicy, and packs a punch.”
—Jonathan Lemon, director of Culinary Operations at Bareburger
FIVE TIPS FOR THE PERFECT BURGER
Celebrity chef, cookbook author and culinary partner at Main Entrée, Kevin Des Chenes, shares his best advice for grilling a juicy burger, every single time.
Use 80 Percent Ground Beef
“This is just enough meat-to-fat ratio for a juicy burger!”
Be Liberal with Seasoning
“I prefer straight Kosher salt and pepper, but garlic salt or Montreal steak seasoning are great for adding flavor.”
Don’t Mess Around
“It will compromise the integrity of the meat if you poke, flip or turn it too much.”
Cook on Medium to High Heat
“This will ensure properly caramelized grill marks.”
Apply Butter—and Grill Both Sides of the Bun
“This will add another layer of flavor and help it stand up to a big juicy burger.”
Photos by: (Hapa) Greg DeMatteis
