Bourdain. The bad-boy of the culinary world and a true legend. Opinionated, gruff and unrelenting he brought an uncompromising honesty to a sometimes cluttered and confused landscape. Anthony’s brilliance lied in his ability to provide perspective to everything from the most complicated dishes to simple street food. A few years back TechInsider was able to capture Anthony’s opinions on what makes up The Perfect Burger.
What exactly makes up this American classic? Here is our take on his thoughts…
a few key ingredients
P.J. Clarke’s Cadillac Burger
Every good burger needs a solid base. And that base is a soft potato bun. Next we have quality ground beef (of course). Bourdain didn’t go into specifics on the makeup, but it is safe to say it should be about 70% lean and 30% fat. Now the cheese – if any, it has to be processed American Cheese that will melt nicely over your burger and complement the flavor of the beef. Toppings? Well keep it simple! Maybe some lettuce and a nice slice of tomato.
let’s talk condiments
Let’s face it, we have seen everything on top of a burger, from Mustard, BBQ Sauce, to Kimchi and Chili. In Bourdain’s eyes you should be just fine with a bit of ketchup, maybe a bit of mayo. We know this is a highly debated topic, but the man has spoken…and we feel he has spoken straight truth.
In our humble opinion we prefer Sir Kensington’s Ketchup if you are looking to try something new. With a great texture and a slightly peppery flavor you will be pleasantly surprised!
what about bacon?!
We love bacon as much as the next guy. But a point that Bourdain drove home was is it really making the burger better? This goes back to keeping it simple, clean and structured…which brings us to Anthony’s final criteria…
symmetry and structure
A great burger needs to fit in one hand. You should not have to cut your burger in half in order to enjoy it or have a ‘tectonic shift’ when you take a bite.
So there you have it. The burger according to Bourdain, take it or leave it. We have decided to wholeheartedly to take it!
JG Melon’s Bacon Burger
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