Build a Better Burger

If you haven't been following this blog, you may not know that I am a burger fanatic. Because I am also health conscious and a fitness professional, I don't eat fast food (much!) and I rarely eat out. I don't cook burgers at home all that frequently, either. This meal is more of a treat for me, so when I do splurge, I want my burger to be phenomenal.

This is going to sound totally obvious, but to create the best burger, you have start with the best ingredients. Yeah, duh. But which ingredients are best? And why?

Let's start with the meat. Yes, I eat meat! Real red meat, which can be one of the most nutritious components of your diet. Skip the factory-farmed, feedlot-raised beef and go for the best: grassfed and grass-finished beef. Grassfed meat contains more omega-3 fatty acids and zero transfats. (Did you know that meats from animals raised on grain contain transfats???) I purchase grassfed, frozen burgers at Trader Joe's. Yes, this costs a bit more than regular ground beef, but the taste alone is worth it.

Next, we must discuss the bun. This is where almost all burgers fall down. I cannot stand wet, mushy bread. YUCK. So the bun needs some SUBSTANCE. It needs to stand up to the flow of juices. I like a variety of different rolls for a burger, such as challah, pretzel, and brioche buns. Lately I have been experimenting with using bagels. Trader Joe's carries pretzel bagels, which work fabulously. Walmart carries Finagle Bagels, which are authentic, traditional bagels with lots of heft. The only downside of bagels, and buns in general, is they are LOADED with carbs. And most are made from white flour. This is the main reason I only consume burgers occasionally, and as a special treat.

Last, but not by any means least, we come to the toppings. If you are going to all the trouble of selecting high quality beef and sturdy buns, you don't want to ruin your burger with less-than-stellar toppings.

Cheese is a must for me. Why bother eating a burger if you are going to leave off the cheese? The cheese can determine the direction you wish to take your burger. I like pepper jack because I love a kick. Cheddar is more neutral and traditional, but also fantastic. Brie is delicious on a burger, but very prone to over-melting and disappearing, so add at the last possible second. Don't hold back on the cheese. More is always better.

Once you have selected your cheese, you can move on to the greens. I like a lot of vegetation on my burger. Baby spinach is high on my list because it holds up well. The same for Power Greens, like swiss chard and kale. Arugula gives a nice peppery kick. Baby lettuces usually wilt quickly. Iceberg is traditional, but flavorless and free of any nutritional value, so basically worthless.

Tomato slices are optional. I skip these because I never buy big tomatoes, only baby ones. They can make a burger too wet--a mortal sin--but if you have home-grown beauties, go for it.

Pickles are another must-have on a burger. To add even more heat, I go for Trader Joe's Hot and Spicy Pickle Slices. These are not for the timid. Famous Dave's are sweeter, but also spicy. Homemade pickles also work!

Condiments go on the side so as not to make the bun mushy. I choose guacamole and a spicy ketchup. I make my regular Heinz ketchup spicy by mixing it 50/50 with salsa. Wholey Guacamole minis are the way to go: organic, convenient, and the perfect size container. No leftovers going brown in the fridge. If you want to push your burger in a French direction, add Dijon mustard. Talk about a kick!

For me, a spicy TexMex-style burger is the ultimate in burger perfection. What kind of burger do you prefer?