Quick Bites: The Right Way to Make a Burger

I must admit that burgers have occupied a lot of my thoughts lately, due in no small part to the folks at A Hamburger Today. This blog focuses on nothing but burgers, and does an excellent job with an American classic.

I agree with many of the recurring themes of this site, specifically:

• Burgers need to be made from freshly ground meat. Nothing that's been frozen or pre-ground in a slaughterhouse or packing plant. I've got a grinder attachment for my KitchenAid that does the job.

• Burgers should be made from a blend of different cuts: sirloin, chuck, brisket, cheek, etc. This allows for the best flavor and proper mix of meat and fat.

• Burgers should be served on a plain white bun, steamed or lightly toasted. The griddle I have has ridges on one side so I can toast buns while I griddle the meat. This leads into the next point...

• Burgers should be griddled. You don't get the carmelized crust from the Maillard reaction any other way.

• Burgers should to the classic set of toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard, mayo, ketchup, cheese, and sometimes bacon. No truffle-infused prosciutto shavings or micro-arugula and endive salad on the bun.

Last night, I picked up 1 pound of boneless short ribs and 2 pounds of boneless chuck strips. So far, this is my personal favorite burger mix and will be a keeper.