If you want to know how to stack a burger, then read on! We’ve got some hot tips for you, from selecting the perfect bun to the best order for layering your ingredients.
What’s the best burger bun?
When it comes to putting together the perfect burger, the icing on the cake, so to speak, is undoubtedly the hamburger bun sandwiching it all together – and they’ve certainly come a long way in recent years. No longer content with a regular, bog-standard bread bun, food-lovers have been going crazy for toasted, butter-rich brioche alternatives, and most recently, bagels.
Choosing a burger bun is down to personal preference. If you like a touch of sweetness, it’s brioche all the way...but enriched bread can detract from the taste of the burger itself.
You want something spongy and soft you can sink your teeth into, without fear it’ll fall apart under the weight of your fillings and toppings. A floury baker’s bap is usually the way to go.
Make the perfect burger patty
When it comes to burger patties, keep it simple. High quality ingredients are key. If you use British grass-fed beef to form your burger, all you really need to add is a little salt and black pepper.
Of course, it’s always fun to jazz it up a bit, and try new tastes and flavours. There’s a lot to be said for increasingly popular street food favourites such as pulled pork, or seafood burgers packed with salmon or prawns.
What's the best way to layer a burger?
You’ve got the all-important bun sorted, but in what order should you stack your ingredients? And at what stage should you add your condiments? After all, adding sauces too soon, or leaving them to the end, could result in a sloppy, stodgy bun.
Patty & Bun say every decent burger should have between five and seven levels. “First, you should start with the bun, then add the ketchup and the lettuce to catch the juices from the burger,” they suggest. “Next, add your choice of patty, then any cheese, and finally, some sort of pickle and then mayo on top.”
The best cheese for burgers
Whether you like yours squeaky, smoky or oozing through the bun, cheese is a must-have. American cheese might be popular, but we love a strongly flavoured Cheddar that melts well, or a tangy blue such as Colston Bassett’s Shropshire Blue. Cheese also features heavily in many veggie burger options – halloumi is a real favourite.
Choosing burger sauces and condiments
Move over ketchup and mustard – these days it’s all about pimping your burger with an assortment of vibrant sauces and dips, including different flavours of BBQ sauce, hot sauce, beetroot mayonnaise, and even wasabi hummus. Vegans are also well catered for with regards plant-based condiments these days – we particularly love Ruby in the Rubble’s aquafaba vegan mayo.
What toppings to put on your burger
To be fair, you could fill your burger with just toppings alone; think fresh lettuce, caramelised onions, mac ‘n’ cheese, onion rings, crispy bacon, dill pickle planks and more. Plus, one can never say ‘no’ to avocado in all its guises: guacamole, deep-fried, sliced – you name it.
