Monday, February 09, 2009

 

Burger Analysis


Kendall Cockrell did me the favor of sending me a link to this fine evaluation of Waco's burger joints. I would disagree with some of the analysis-- for one thing, I would rank the Health Camp higher. I have never been to either the Waco Stockyards or Griff's, so now I have some plans for the quarter.

Some of you know that I love to make burger's, always following the three simple rules I learned from my Uncle Scott:

1) Use ground chuck rather than any leaner beef.
2) Season with salt and pepper-- nothing else.
3) Turn the burgers only once as they cook.

Comments:
Ok - I am assuming that because you are in Texas and you have good beef there and people who like to eat good beef that the burgers are better than adequate and cooked to order.

I don't recommend burgers here in Durham. I was raised in a family where we like our burgers to still have a little 'moo' in them and in Durham they cook burgers into hockey pucks. That is the law, wouldn't want anyone to get sick.

I will try your home recipe,; the only place I have control over the 'done-ness' of my burger.
 
You know I can NEVER find a happy medium! NEVER I cannot STAND them not cooked all the way through but then they are ALWAYS hockey pucks. Even in a restaurant I have never had like a reallllly great burger. Bill has a weird thing that he does - he like cuisinarts bacon with the hamburger and then forms the burgers - and its okay but still it is probably better when it is more rare. Cooked well done, it is hard and dry.

I know a trick you can use to make meatballs tender and I have always wanted to try it with burgers: you use breadcrumbs and MILK in the mixture, and they never turn all hard. But I have never tried it with a burger.
 
I made some turkey burgers and I added a packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix when I was making the patties. Pretty good and then I cooked it up on ths tove with a little Worchestershire sauce.
 
My buddy makes what he calls the "Juicy Lucy", where he takes the meat and mixes in Worcestershire sauce and tobasco, then he makes the patties. Then he puts grated american cheese on top of one patty, then puts another patty on top of that patty and folds the edges together to make one gigantic cheese infused flavor unit. Then it is grilled, more cheese is put on top, and served.

Eating a juicy lucy is truly a glorious experience.

I vote for either Dubl-R or Kitok's as best burger in town. Both are excellent.
 
Kitok's gets my vote, and they have awesome fries. Britt's is second. I never saw the big deal with Dubl-R.

I don't use chuck for burgers; the grind is often too coarse. Chuck's good for one thing, and that's chili.

Regular ground beef works great. First, mix a little of your favorite cheap lager (I use Dos XX) with some flour and bread crumbs. Put some this mixture, salt, pepper and worcestershire sauce into the meat as you fold the patties. Then, coat a cookie sheet with a little onion salt, paprika, cumin and coarse-ground pepper. Lightly pad each side of the patty on the tray.

Cook over a medium flame using charcoal. Gas grills are for weak nancy-men. If at all possible, using a smoking box with mesquite or pecan chips. Soak the chips in water first.

Because you're cooking over coals, the burgers are going to get a dark, wine-red on the outside rather than pure brown. The thicker the patties are, the longer you need to cook, but generally by the time you've cooked the fat off they'll be ready (and greasy!). Top with a strong yellow cheddar and crisp bacon, then serve dressed as you like them. I prefer mine with jalapeƱos, dill relish, lettuce, purple onions, mayonnaise and spicy deli-style mustard, on a whole wheat bun.
 
Ace local attorney Alan Nelson and I once sampled more than 180 hamburgers over a one-year period and kept meticulous notes. (To make sure everything was equal, Alan always ordered his the same way with the same fixings.)
This was several years ago. All but one of the places are now out of business. But the #2 burger then remains the #1 now -- The Double Lip-Locker with cheese AND the oriental fries.
rfdiii
 
1. Bill ALWAYS cooks over charcoal hates propane.

2. that cheese infused mess sounds really good
 
I used to mix blue cheese crumbles into the ground beef, then form the patties and grill. It was pretty delicious.
 
I hate to direct anyone to Cricket's in Waco, but I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised with the PIT Burger. A thick burger patty cooked to order topped with pulled pork and grilled onions. Take an aspirin first to thin the blood.....
 
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