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Top This: A Burger Contest

By Elizabeth Smith, April 29, 2012  |  Meet the Blogger  |  More Posts by Elizabeth Smith

A few months ago we had an unseasonably warm Sunday. It was the sort of spring day when I open as many windows as possible in hopes of airing out the stale winter air that inhabits the house from fall through winter.

By midafternoon, the beloved scent of barbeque wafted through the open windows, tickled my nose and ignited my appetite. With simply a hot grill, some meat and veggies, my neighbors had officially kicked off grilling season.

Hurrah!

Read on to find out how you could win a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card for your next homemade hamburger dinner.

One of many reasons I’m an ardent fan of grilling is because you can make a fuss-free meal and it doesn’t have to be boring or bland. Take the hamburger for example. Over the years, my husband and I have experimented with lots of different recipes in hopes of creating the best burger ever.

During this quest for perfection, we’ve tried (and enjoyed) lamb, grass-fed beef, portobello mushrooms, turkey and black bean patties. But where we’re able to truly elevate our burger is in our choice of topping. Roasted red peppers. Goat cheese. Savory and sweet relishes. Bacon. Chipotle-spiked mayo.

Surely the world’s perfect burger must include some of these. At my house, we haven’t discovered the ultimate burger topping but we have enjoyed the search and are looking forward to another grilling season of tasting our way through more potential winners.

If you too are on a quest to build a better burger, here are a few of our favorite recipes to inspire you.

Wow your dinner companions with beef burgers topped with cherry-spiked mustard, sweet grilled onions and tangy blue cheese.

Portobello and Pineapple Teriyaki Veggie Burgers offer a delicious family-friendly option without the meat.

Fans of cheese and bacon step forward and try these hearty and flavorful Gorgonzola and Smoky Bacon Burgers.

Raita, a cool cucumber and yogurt sauce, makes an ideal complement to the spicy patties in this lamb burger recipe.

The touch of finely chopped habanero pepper may be just the thing to make Turkey Burgers with Roasted Pepper and Avocado Salsa a star at your table.

Enjoy the fresh flavor of a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich straight from the grill with this burger version.

Do you shake up the standard condiment rundown? Share your best-dressed burger in the comments below by June 30 and you could win a $50 Whole Foods Market® gift card.

Let the grilling begin!

Category: Food & Recipes, Meat, Value - Whole Deal
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460 Comments

Comments

Matt says ...
1. Grass-fed and Dry Aged ground beef 2. Mix beef with conservative amount of Sea Salt, Cumin, Nutmeg, Ancho chile spice with a dash of Turmeric - remember, the flavor of the beef is most important! 3. Mix, roll and press beef into 1 inch thick patties (about 4oz each is perfect). Don't play with the beef too much. Slightly press, don't smash. 4. Sear on grill for about 2-3 minutes each side and move to top rack for a few minutes more for medium pink deliciousness in the middle of the burger. 5. Schmear with silky smooth bleu cheese, bacon jam and a 1/4 inch thick and halved fried sweet potato slice 6. Envelope with home-made bun or eat bun-less if you want to go PALEO! 7. Enjoy beyond belief! You deserve it. 7.
05/10/2012 12:42:36 PM CDT
Kelly says ...
Blueberry Lavender Lamb Burger. Sounds weird, but very good! Top with carmelized onions or shallots, spinach, tomato, avocado, and choice of sauce/condiment.
05/10/2012 12:43:58 PM CDT
TXEdie says ...
A purist hamburger -- a grass-fed ground beef paddy on a fresh toasted bun, topped with a sweet Texas onion slice, dill pickles, and slathered with a good mustard. Can't be beat!
05/10/2012 1:04:23 PM CDT
Joy Crouch says ...
Mayo, bacon, mushrooms, avocados, 80/20 ground beef and sesame seed bun.
05/10/2012 1:07:17 PM CDT
Krystle says ...
grass fed beef, goat cheese, portobello mushrooms, truffle oil
05/10/2012 1:35:12 PM CDT
KellyMackenzie says ...
My favorite burger starts with either salmon patties or chicken breasts that I marinate in a mixture of soy sauce (mixed with a teaspoon of water) about two tablespoons of pineapple juice, fresh pressed or chopped garlic, fresh grated ginger, and a generous squeeze of srirachi chili sauce. Before I marinate the salmon or the chicken, I put a small about of sauce aside for serving. I grill the salmon just long enough to keep it juicy (obviously the chicken would take a bit longer) and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. While the salmon was grilling, I toast whole wheat buns in the oven. I place th burger on the toasted bun and drizzle just a tiny bit of the teriyaki sauce on the burger to keep it moist. I serve each burger with a ring of pineapple (canned would be okay) and a generous amount of red onion. So delicious and simple! This can be made with a soy burger easily without sacrificing flavor.
05/10/2012 3:05:44 PM CDT
Ashley says ...
Grilled buttered sweet onion slices, swiss cheese, tangy ranch sauce, lettuce, and tomato have been what I recently started adding to my grilled burgers at home. Tastes amazing and now what I always want on a burger when I have one. If you want a little crunch, it is not as healthy, but batter onion pieces and fry instead of grilling and put them on the burger :)
05/10/2012 3:38:51 PM CDT
Fran Bates says ...
Here is a delicious way to top a burger. Start with your favorite ground beef burger on thick sliced sourdough toast add a slice of tillamook cheddar cheese, grilled onions and your favorite bar-b-que sauce. Can't beat it!
05/10/2012 3:24:24 PM CDT
Dorothy B says ...
Carmelized onions Tomatoes Green peppers Mustard
05/10/2012 4:44:52 PM CDT
Gary B says ...
How about a vote for no topping? Let the flavor of the burger be the taste treat.
05/10/2012 4:46:50 PM CDT
Kenneth says ...
Simple, yet tasty: melted Beechers Marco Polo cheese (pretty much their flagship w/ lots of peppercorns), sun dried tomato mayo, 2 leaves fresh basil all on a grilled torta. Enjoy!
05/10/2012 5:12:51 PM CDT
Lissa Probus says ...
If its not brie and a grilled ring of tart apple, then a soy marinated eggplant round is nice, grilled where its hot, by the burgers, so its smooth like butter inside.
05/26/2012 9:07:30 AM CDT
June says ...
Beef, medium rare patty with a TB of butter stuffed in to the middle (it will change your world, trust me) Topped with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and a little blue cheese.
05/10/2012 6:12:09 PM CDT
Amorette says ...
A little taste of Italy...quality produce, keep it simple with lots of flavour. Grass-fed premium beef mince, pancetta and pesto seasoned with salt and pepper in a food processor for patties, topped with: rocket/arugula red onion bocconcini vine-ripened tomatoes Whole egg mayonnaise All on an Italian bread roll - bon appetito!
05/10/2012 6:48:34 PM CDT
Jaimee says ...
I like avocado and grilled vegetables and fresh herbs on a black bean burger
05/10/2012 6:49:36 PM CDT
Sarah says ...
My favorite burger to make: turkey patty, topped with lettuce, tomatoes and one large portobello mushroom cap that is stuffed with a mix of cheese (Gouda is a good choice :) ) then rolled in eggs and bread crumbs and deep fat fried. Its a double decker! A good sauce to top this is a spicy mayo, with a little cracked pepper and mustard mixed in.
05/10/2012 7:28:49 PM CDT
Paul Giefing says ...
I use organic 80/20 patties (1/2)lb. But before I cook them, I create a white wine, pear reduction with heavy whipping cream added at the end. I inject this reduction into the burgers at the end of a medium-rare cook and top with cracked pepper bacon, tomato, course sea salt ....and serve on a croissant. Sweet, salty, creamy, ...I must go make them now... Enjoy!
05/10/2012 7:53:55 PM CDT
Charlie says ...
I grill up a mean chicken breast burger. First I marinate the breasts in a mixture of oranges, chicken broth, honey, and soy sauce overnight. After grilling them to perfection they get stuffed into pita pockets with red lettuce, grilled shallots, Gorgonzola cheese, bean sprouts, and mayo!
05/10/2012 8:33:24 PM CDT
Sheena says ...
Texas brunch burger. WF's cowboy burger, grilled, Soft poached organic egg. WF's Italian boulle bread, sliced and toasted Serve burger on toasted bread with egg. on top, have the other slice of bread on the side so The egg will flow down through the sandwich . Yummy!
05/10/2012 10:03:19 PM CDT
Lee says ...
Sauteed onions and mushrooms along with bacon and pepper jack cheese
05/10/2012 10:07:02 PM CDT
Elyse Sheppard says ...
Gluten free hamburger buns toasted, with melted mozzarella cheese on top bun. Spring lettuce, tomatoes. Bottom bun with homemade garlic pickles, and honey mustard! yum!
05/10/2012 10:59:57 PM CDT
N. Silva says ...
we like to mix the ground beef with sea salt, ground black pepper and one egg. after bbq-ing, dress the burgers as you like (cheese, dijon, tomatoes, onions, avocado, etc.) but the best part- top it all with a FRIED EGG. mmmmmmmmmmmmm...... slightly-runny fried egg is our favorite burger topping.
05/11/2012 1:06:16 AM CDT
Sarah Coffin says ...
I love a curry turkey burger. I mix curry powder, cumin,fresh garlic, diced red onion, and a tsp of olive oil into the burger. Then top with a mango chutney or peach salsa and some cilantro. Sometimes some munster cheese or other mild one. It is marvelous with a whole wheat bun, but it almost doesn't even need one. So delicious!
05/18/2012 5:54:26 AM CDT
Mary says ...
I LOVE chicken burgers, with fresh herbs like parsley and parmesannio reggiano cheese running through it. Then I top it with lettuce and tomatoes with a mustard-y dressing....Its called a chicken Caesar burger! delicious!
05/18/2012 7:42:25 AM CDT
shoshana says ...
meti roti(indian spiced flat bread) with cheese melted. Alreddy baked in a large cassarole covered in the oven; half a head of cauliflower, eggplant peeled/cubed and 1 cup of cooked chick peas. Add 3Tbs.olive oil, 3Tbs.water, 1/2tsp.blk pepper, 1/2tsp.sesame oil, 1/2tsp.cayenne pepper, 1/2tsp.cummin pwd, 1/2tsp.curry pwd. Mix well, cover, preheat oven to 400', cook 30 mins. Carefully take off cover, cool, place in roti w/melted cheese, roll like a burrito place in oven to get crispy. OMG-yum!
05/11/2012 2:23:08 AM CDT

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