The important thing to the right burger toppings, based on a golf membership chef

The summer time is sort of upon us, which suggests grilling season has arrived. For many individuals, that additionally means an inflow of yard burgers, which is usually a superb factor as long as they’re expertly grilled and — of equal significance — they’re garnished with the proper mixture of toppings.

Developing a scrumptious burger patty and grilling it with confidence is simpler than you suppose. Our beforehand revealed column on making excellent sliders supplies all of the steerage you want. In the case of choosing the proper toppings, nicely, that’s a bit extra difficult.

“An important elements of a burger are the meat and the bun, however an especially shut third place is how the burger is constructed,” says Ben Harris, the chief chef at The Sea Pines Resort.

In Harris’ opinion, the commonest pitfall that each beginner {and professional} cooks could make when topping a burger is an absence of restraint. You’ve probably seen these “kitchen sink” burgers on menus, the place a dozen or so condiments and toppings are crammed in between the meat and the bun. What seems like a concoction of indulgent extra on paper in actuality eats like a sandwich the place too many flavors and textures overwhelm the palate and go away the diner unhappy.

To keep away from falling into that lure, Harris likes to work with teams of three — a creamy aioli, for instance, which is balanced by an acidic aspect (suppose pickles, jams, or chow chows) and contrasted by a “enjoyable ingredient” that introduces a definite texture.

“We attempt to deal with three toppings that complement one another and in portions that don’t make the burger disintegrate,” he says. “It’s crucial that you just don’t find yourself with an unstable burger.”

There’s a motive that the basic mixture of lettuce, tomato and onion is simply that — a basic. However not all lettuce-tomato-and-onion pairings are created equal. High quality, specifically, must be your primary focus. “Use a pleasant heirloom tomato and a domestically grown purple onion,” Harris suggests, “and ignore the leaf lettuce and go along with iceberg for some good texture and freshness.”

For extra artistic combos, Harris advises at-home grillmasters to consider regionality. Being a North Carolinian, he likes to lean on native flavors from his house state — mustard, chili and onions. As one other instance, he factors to a Hawaiian burger served at Fraser’s Tavern that options grilled pineapple, teriyaki-smoked pulled pork, and a ginger aioli.

Probably the most outlandish — however profitable — mixture of burger toppings that Harris has encountered was additionally born at The Sea Pines Resort. Extra particularly, it was created by the chief chef at Hyperlinks, An American Grill and served in the course of the week of the RBC Heritage match in 2023. The Champions Burger, because it was known as, featured a Wagyu beef patty accented by foie gras and topped with aged muenster cheese and shaved Perigord truffles, all of which was complemented by a truffle-and-roasted-garlic aioli. “The burger was a kind of once-in-a-lifetime culinary experiences,” Harris recollects. “Whereas it was undoubtedly on the heavier facet, it was one nice burger. The flavors have been so complementary to 1 one other.”

Extra just lately, the resort has created the Defending Champion Burger, which spotlights a number of toppings chosen by the winner of the RBC Heritage. The burger that at the moment graces the Fraser’s Tavern menu (and can stay there till subsequent April) was conceptualized by Scottie Scheffler. It options an Previous Bay aioli, in addition to crispy Applewood bacon, pepper jack cheese, onions and fried jalapenos. “Scottie chosen some toppings that basically complement one another nicely,” Harris acknowledges. “You get some great texture and spice from the jalapenos after which a pleasant hit of creaminess with the Previous Bay aioli.”