Chefs tinker with beef to find the secret of better burgersChefs tinker with beef to find the secret of better burgers

Bret Thorn

There’s no question that Americans love burgers. And though it may be hard to believe that they could eat more hamburgers than they do already, consumption of the nation’s favorite sandwich is, in fact, on the rise. Research firm Technomic Inc. said about 48 percent of consumers currently eat a burger at least once a week, up from 38 percent in 2009.


But ask what makes a good burger, and every response will likely be different. Some people like a thick, juicy burger in the style of Five Guys Burgers and Fries; others like the flat Smashburger.


In the quest to create the most flavorful burger, chefs are getting back to basics, carefully considering the art and science of what really makes or breaks the classic dish — the meat.


“There’s research that shows the beefy, buttery flavor that you come to expect from a fatty, chuck hamburger is primarily due to a compound called oleic acid,” said Joseph Jacobson, chef de cuisine at Oak Steakhouse in Charleston, S.C.


Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fat that, according to current science, is good for the heart and can help improve blood cholesterol. 


Jacobson said short ribs, chuck flaps and brisket cuts in beef have higher levels of oleic acid than tenderloin and also happen to grind particularly well for hamburgers.


“Intramuscular fat of these cuts make more flavorful burgers than even taking the beautiful white subcutaneous fat of, let’s say, a prime New York strip.


“So a $4-per-pound brisket makes a better burger than a $15-per-pound strip,” he said.


John Hogan, executive chef of Keefer’s in Chicago, came to a similar conclusion and uses short ribs, ground chuck and brisket in his three-beef burger, which he mixes with caramelized onion and garlic and serves on a pretzel bun with horseradish crème and watercress for $13.


So did Rick Gresh, chef of David Burke’s Primehouse in Chicago, where he dry-ages beef-chuck roll for 40 days before grinding it, grilling it and serving it on a potato bun with bacon mustard, garlicky spinach and crispy shallot for $23.


At Flip Burger Boutique, chef Richard Blais’ three-unit chain with locations in Atlanta and Birmingham, Ala., the burger is a blend of hanger steak, brisket and short rib. Customers can get it with a variety of toppings for around $8, or a grass-fed one for $11. They can also get it topped with seared foie gras, wild mushrooms, fried shallots, red-wine jam and truffle aïoli for $21.


Many of the big quick-service chains have also reworked their burgers in recent years or added premium varieties, which is what CKE Restaurants Inc.-owned Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s did in September with their Steakhouse Burger. 


That burger is made with Black Angus beef, steak sauce, Swiss and crumbled blue cheeses, onion rings, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, starting at $3.99.


That rollout came days after the Dublin, Ohio-based Wendy’s chain launched a premium burger named after founder Dave Thomas.


Dave’s Hot ‘N Juicy Cheeseburgers, starting around $4, have thicker patties and are served on toasted and buttered buns with upgraded ingredients such as crinkle-cut pickle chips and red onions.


A spokeswoman said the thicker patty makes a juicier burger, and added that the patty is formed loosely into a “natural” square, rather than the previous rigid squares.


“We tested dozens of patty shapes,” she said. 


Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected].