The Perfect Burger (?) This is an issue worth tackling.Another great article from the NYTs about burgers, they are as obsessed as me. This one is more about how to make the perfect burger rather than who makes it. The only thing I disagree on is the bun issue. This trend of lightly toasted brioche buns is getting out of hand. I mean, they work sometimes (with delicious results), but a plain good quality sesame bun adds something more by being something less, you know? But then again, I am a burger man who cares about the meat’s representation more than anything else.
but so often a sesame seed bun is a dry tasteless crumble - why not enhance the experience with a hearty but not overpowering quality bread? i don’t actually like brioche, but i think devoting energy and focus to the roll is not mis-placed.
I say good quality for a reason. My issue is that this is not a sandwich, where a hearty roll plays as important a part as the rest of the ingredients. A burger for me, is a symphony of flavors, with the meat holding the bass notes and having the deepest impact on the “sound” of the burger. The bun is simply an oboe or a flute, not doubt playing a crucial role, but when you replace that flute with something too strong, the delicate nature of the piece (and the burger) is destroyed. This may just be me, and I’m okay standing alone on the issue, but the importance and emphasis of a burger begins at the center and radiates outwards. Again, I do not advocate a poor quality bun, but the other ingredients are their to support the meat, for them to outshine it, would be a crime. And very often brioche steps over that line.
