Burger toppings in the US are often limited to standard condiments, but there are many ways to vary them, such as adding grilled vegetables, different cheeses, or even jam. Experimenting with toppings and seasonings can create exciting new taste combinations.
In the US, burger toppings may not vary much. Some toppings heighten the taste, and many love variations on toppings like the bacon cheeseburger, or substituting standard condiments (mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup) with things like barbecue sauce. There are arguments about what toppings should exist in burgers, and also what other things a burger needs, like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles.
There are no hard and fast rules that require you to stick to the most familiar burger toppings. In fact, you may want to consider the hamburger, which offers a fairly empty palate, as a medium for culinary expression and the way to create exciting and new taste combinations by varying toppings. Alternatively, if you’re just sick of plain old burgers, there are plenty of ways to create unusual and revamped burgers by adding different toppings.
Some people argue that there is no need to mess with a good thing. Certainly if you like the standard burger toppings, you don’t have to change them. But if you make burgers often, you might want to create new routes and add variety. If you have picky eaters in the house, you can always make burger toppings optional, so more adventurous eaters can try newer toppings while “safer” eaters stick to the classics.
Do you like your burgers on the grillConsider grilling as a way to prepare hot condiments that can be added to a burger. Grilled tomatoes are great, but some people might prefer things like grilled greens, peppers, onion slices, or even pineapple rings, the latter giving your burger a delicious “Hawaiian” flare. There’s no reason a burger topping couldn’t include other vegetables as well, such as zucchini, cooked carrots, fresh spinach, grilled eggplant, tomatillos, portobello mushroom slices, or thin slices of cucumber.
One burger that is growing in popularity in the United States is the chimichurri burger, which has a kohlrabi-like seasoning in addition to the usual burger fixings. Another variation is to skip the ketchup and add guacamole and salsa to a burger, especially mildly spiced versions of both, for a Mexican-inspired taste. Alternatively, think Mediterranean and slather the burger with a generous dollop of hummus.
If you’re a fan of cheese in burgers, don’t limit yourself to cheddar, Swiss or American. Instead, consider the potential of hard or semi-soft goat or sheep cheese, Roman or blue cheese burgers, or burgers topped with a wedge of melted brie. With the variety of cheeses available, experimenting with different cheeses can really change the overall taste and texture of burgers. You might also want to consider what type of bacon you’re using — thick Irish bacon will taste very different than standard American bacon.
Another tip is to include additions to your burger like fried eggs, although this will definitely raise your cholesterol. If you like burgers for breakfast, you might want to try this topping. For the more adventurous, avoid the salty condiments and serve the burgers on toast with cherry, raspberry or strawberry jam.
Though the bun top tends to be the finishing topping of a burger, you don’t need to stick with plain white flour buns. Buns, panini-style sandwiches, pita bread, tortillas, or even hamburgers wrapped in lettuce or kale for those watching carbs can be fun variations. You should also consider how additions to hamburger meat can change the taste. Minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, grilled spices, various herbs, parsley, grated carrot or zucchini, diced onions, or a mix of different ground meats will all redefine your burgers, just as burger seasonings will change.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
