The Hollow Leg Diner: Tasty burgers

It is hard to make a BAD burger. You really have to work at it to screw up something so basic, so fundamentally and inherently great as a burger. There are, however, lots of mediocre burgers out there. Now don't get me wrong. Even a mediocre burger is better than most things you could be eating. I mean, seriously.....a salad? No way any salad can compare to a burger. Even a mediocre burger tops a salad. If I go to McDonald's (like that's going to happen if I have a choice) I am getting a Quarter Pounder; not a McVeggie salad or cup of apples and nuts. Give me a break. Yeah, even a so-so burger is better than that junk.

What is so disappointing is that there are a lot of mediocre burgers out there. It is disheartening to see a burger, already superior to most food, just by the virtue of it being a burger, that isn't great. Eating a burger should make you happy. It doesn't take that much effort to make a really tasty burger. So why are there so many mediocre burgers? Laziness? Indifference? Contempt for the glory that is the burger? I don't know. I do know that I rate most restaurants by their ability to make a good burger. They might screw up the fries, the onion rings, the pan-seared squab served on a sunchoke puree, topped with bitter micro-greens and a persimmon puree, but if they mess up a burger they aren't going to get anymore of my business. No sir.

So, when I find a good burger place I know I'm going to be a repeat customer. A couple of large chains do it right:
In-N-Out: Tasty, drip-down-your-chin goodness
Five Guys: Pure, simple classic burger

More often than not, the best restaurant burgers come from small independent places. Watch Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and you'll see some awesome burgers. One of my favorites.....
Hodads: Beach burger Nirvana. For my money, best on the Left Coast

I watch Diners, Drive-ins and Dives every chance I get. I am guaranteed to see at least a couple of recipes that will be downright awesome. I have seen some great looking burgers that have either validated what I've been doing or given me new ideas. After watching a recent 'Triple D' marathon I found myself with a hankerin' for burgers. Not one to deny a hankerin' I went out and bought some ground beef and pork. Normally I would add some ground lamb to the mix, but I just couldn't find any at a decent price. Still, beef and pork makes for a nice combo. I actually toyed with the idea of adding ground bacon to the mix, but chickened out at the last minute.

Now I've been making cheese-stuffed burgers since I was a kid. It started with finely diced bits of sharp cheddar mixed in with the meat. Later I found that I preferred making a thick patty with a slice of cheese inside. I usually want a sharp cheese inside; something like cheddar, bleu or gorganzola. The sharp flavor nicely balances the rich fattiness of the meat. While I love American cheese on top of burgers (just about as classic a flavor as you can get), I have never tried it inside of one. After seeing a couple of places up in Milwaukee that make American-stuffed burgers, I decided to try it.

From The Hollow Leg Diner - images

There was about half a slice of cheese in each burger. The cheese melts while cooking and lubricates the inside of the burger. The burgers weighed in at about 1/2 lb. I season the meat when it is mixed. I like to get a lot of flavor into the burger, and I don't think just seasoning the outside does enough. Seasoning varies every time I make burgers, but will usually include salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Cayenne pepper and paprika.

From The Hollow Leg Diner - images

I prefer my burgers cooked on the grill. I really like the smokiness from cooking over charcoal. If I want a pan seared burger, I'll cook it in a really hot cast iron pan and then finish in the oven. My burgers are thick so just pan-searing is not an option.

From The Hollow Leg Diner - images

There's just nothing like the taste of smoky, melted cheese on top of a burger. In this case the burgers were topped with a mix of sharp cheddar and Swiss or American and Swiss.