The Happiest Meal

Looking to make a restaurant-level burger? It's all about creating **fun flavor and texture combinations** that build up to a most memorable dining experience. Below you'll find nine custom burgers developed at ChefSteps HQ.

**Inspired by the regions we grew up in, the kitchens we've worked in, and the condiment combinations we loved as kids**—among other things—they're reasonably straightforward but unerringly delicious. Got your own favorite way to build a burger? Do please share it in the comments.

The ChefSteps Custom Burger Guide

Make Your Own Perfect Burger

The major issue with most veggie burgers? Texture. They're often mushy, and tend to break apart into messy chunks. Food falling out of your sandwich: never a good look when you're making small talk at a barbecue. But there's so much potential there—delicious beans or mushrooms all packed together into a puck and sandwiched between bread and condiments? That should top the list of favorite vegetarian meals, shouldn't it? 

To create snappy bean-based patties that stick together nicely, we begin with <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/03/the-food-lab-the-best-black-bean-burgers.html">a technique</a> borrowed from Kenji over at the Food Lab on Serious Eats, who dehydrates the beans in the oven to produce a meatier, firmer texture that ultimately makes a delicious burger. 

Good thinking, Kenji. Let's take this thing a step further. First, we divide the beans and dry about half of them, puréeing the rest and adding Activa and casein—to get an even better bind going—plus salt and MSG for flavor. The binders need time to work their magic, so we mold the mixture into a cylinder (or "torchon" in chef-speak) and chill overnight, then cook. The cool thing about the cylinder shape is you can slice it into patties with flat edges; perfect for achieving a gorgeous, even sear. Your guests will go straight to town on these snappy burgers, free from the fear of any falling-food faux pas.

Hi-Tech Veggie Burger

There was a time, not so long ago, when grilled portobello "burgers" were often the only vegetarian option at many a middle-range restaurant. And while no one wants to go back to those dark ages, there's a reason why mushrooms are often the go-to option for meat-free foods. Earthy, complex, and super-savory, they can be as satisfying as a juicy steak. And with so many varieties available, it's hard to play them out. 

With [link http://www.veggiechef.co.uk/Blog/files/pressed_mushrooms_transglutaminase.html some serious inspiration from UK-based vegetarian chef Eddie Shepherd], we used button mushrooms for this burger, but you can sub in any sort of mushroom that looks good at the market. [link https://www.chefsteps.com/ingredients/activa-rm Activa RM] helps form patties that hold their shape in the bun—vegans may want to sub in [link https://www.chefsteps.com/ingredients/activa-ti Activa TI], since it contains no dairy or animal proteins. We like to season our burgers with a mixture of salt and MSG, and pan sear them before serving.

Hi-Tech Mushroom Burger

Picture this: It's the first barbecue of the summer, and you've got 30 guests gulping beers in the backyard. And then there's you. An hour into the event and you're still stuck behind the grill, sweating beneath your novelty apron, flipping burgers a few at a time, and worrying about who is getting fed and who isn't. **We love grilling as much as anyone**, but it's an undeniable fact that if you're manning the Weber, you're often missing the party.

Don't call the caterer just yet—there's another option. You can cook those burgers sous vide. Now before you start freaking out in the comments, let's revisit that summer shindig: A half-hour before the first knock on the door, you mix some ground beef with egg, portion it out, and give each patty a quick sear. Then you drop your patties in a water bath for 15 minutes while you prep the toppings. Your first friends begin arriving, and you've got **a bunch of perfectly cooked, snappy-textured patties** ready to go, and nothing left to do but pop a bottle and start socializing. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? 

Look, we know some of you think we're excessive on the sous vide front—we read your feedback, and we take it to heart. And if you love spending your time at the grill, we totally respect that—in fact, we share your affinity. But here at ChefSteps, we are always looking for ways **to streamline the cooking process to yield delicious, predictable results**. The fact of the matter is, sous vide is the method that tends to deliver on those fronts. This technique makes a mighty fine burger patty, and requires far less micromanaging than traditional ones—leaving you time to relax and have fun with your nearest and dearest. Not convinced? Try it. We can't wait to hear what you think.

Beef Burger Patties

Recipes: World’s Best Patties

We'd like to meet the guy who first decided to put a big, juicy burger patty between two slices of brioche. It's a multicultural marriage made in culinary heaven: the French are responsible for the rich, eggy bread, and the Americans (with a little help from 19th-century German immigrants) lay claim to the ground-beef patty. If that's not international diplomacy, we don't know what is.

But while French babies are rumored to start cranking out unimpeachable brioche at birth, the rest of us can run into trouble. There's dry, stodgy brioche, cloyingly sweet brioche, and—perhaps the worst offender when it comes to burger building—the dreaded butter bomb. So what's the secret to the gorgeous, golden-brown buns that grace so many restaurant menus these days? Most chefs and bakers will evangelize their own formulas, and for good reason: different approaches work well for different reasons. We designed this simple, universal formula to yield a great result at home.

Our recipe calls for about 30% butter relative to the weight of the bread flour, whereas many recipes use as much as 75% butter and a few artisan formulas combine equal parts flour and butter. In general, as you increase the butter-to-flour ratio, the brioche will taste more like a cake, and less like a bread. We use a nice, lean "bread-like" formula, and tenderize the crumb with amylase, an enzyme that breaks starches down into sugars. Amylase is naturally present in wheat germ—and thus naturally present in flour—but only in small amounts. A small amount of pure amylase speeds the fermentation process by breaking the starch into sugars the yeast can consume (while enhancing flavor at the same time), leading to a softer product with none of that stodgy quality we’re so eager to avoid. 

Follow the instructions below and you'll wind up with a bun that's rich in flavor, moist, and eggy, while also durable enough to hold up to a juicy burger. As they teach the babies in France to say: Bon appétit.

For more insight into the development process for these buns, [link https://www.chefsteps.com/recipe-development/brioche-burger-bun#/brioche-buns-development-brief click here.]

Brioche Burger Buns

McDonald's burgers might seem unseemly in a post-Super Size Me world, but admit it: there's something delectably nostalgic about that super-soft, squishy bun. And it’s not just Mickey D's. Whatever fast-food joint you fancy—White Castle, In-N-Out, Five Guys—the common denominator is that crazy-tender, white-and-tan roll.

Ironically enough, this kind of bread is far more technically challenging than an artisanal, rustic bun, and you probably haven't ever seen a recipe for one in a baking book. So let's break it down: What is it about the squishy slider bun that makes it so delicious? And how can you recreate it?

For starters, the shape lends itself to a very pleasant eating experience. Unlike large, pillowy brioche buns or hearty kaiser rolls, the slider bun is shaped like a macaron cookie: flat on top, uniform in size from top to bottom, and much easier to fit in your mouth. It’s also soft and spongy, a perfect vehicle for a thin, tender patty. You can only get those kinds of results with a really wet, flowing dough. And while wet, flowing doughs are sticky and really hard to work with, they're easy to make.

The key to success is simple: keep it cold. Cold dough will feel less gummy, and will slack out more slowly on a work surface. Adding more flour to your hands or your work surface will only yield a harder, crustier, bun, so just refrigerate it periodically if it warms up too much, and be sure to work quickly.

Any questions? [linktocomments Ask here.]

Slider Buns

Recipes: Homemade Burger Buns

Japanese mayonnaise (and [link http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Kewpie-Mayonnaise-17-64-oz/dp/B0000WKU8K?tag=delvkitc-20 Kewpie brand] in particular) is beloved worldwide for its delightful spreadability, savory flavor, and sunny disposition. Why does it rise above the rest? It has a silky-smooth consistency and rich yellow color that come from egg yolks (most American mayos are made with whole eggs), and it takes on a deeply satisfying umaminess thanks to a little MSG. 

The most difficult thing about making our version at home is ordering the ingredients—and even that is freakin’ easy: just click the shopping cart icons in the ingredient block below and wait patiently for your packages to arrive. After that, it’s a two-step, ten-minute process for a 500-gram reserve of delicious mayo that you can keep in your fridge for weeks. Drizzle it on [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/au-jus-burger burgers], dip your [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/thin-cut-french-fries fries] in it, or smash it into a [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/warm-mustard-potato-salad warm potato salad]—the best thing about having a stash of homemade mayonnaise on hand is you can use it in hundreds of innovative ways. And when it’s Japanese mayo, you can count on it lending a deep, savory flavor to just about anything.

PSST: There are tons of ways to spice up this recipe. Try one of the variations at the bottom of this page, or get inventive with your own flavor enhancements. Regardless of which variation you choose, we think you’ll find this mayo a cut above the stuff they slather on your sandwich at the local Subway.

Japanese (Kewpie-Style) Mayo

This isn’t one of those flat-flavored “artisanal” ketchups they serve at gastropubs and upscale burger joints. Those usually leave us wishing we had a few packets of Heinz in our pockets. **Because Heinz ketchup is pretty hard to beat**—just ask the good folks over at Hunt’s. It’s tangy, it’s sweet, it’s got that great thick-yet-flowy texture. Heinz is it, man. Why even attempt to top it? 

Well, we didn’t. Instead, we tried to recreate it in our kitchen. Because [link http://blog.chefsteps.com/2014/07/homemade-recipes-for-storebought-foods/ making our own versions of store-bought stuff] is a favorite pastime here in the ChefSteps kitchen, and it’s a great way to develop both your **technical culinary skills** and your ability to work with modernist ingredients that modify texture and flavor. 

Here, distilled vinegar lends that distinct tang we seek in ketchups, while glucose syrup lends sweetness and helps achieve the aforementioned texture. Tomato paste brings intense, concentrated tomato flavor to the mix. **Clove, meanwhile, is the magical ingredient** that makes our DIY version distinctly Heinz-like. We like MSG in our ketchup, but we know some of you are against using this magical flavor enhancer, so adding it is entirely optional. Of course, you can also exercise your option of just going to the store and buying a bottle of Heinz, but where’s the fun in that, right?

Homemade Heinz-Style Ketchup

This tony cousin of guacamole is a rich, buttery spread of pure, savory avocado. Tacos, burgers, chips, and tartare will all benefit from this bright-green vegan mayo. Try pairing it with ceviche or [link /activities/salmon-tartare salmon tartare].

Avocado Purée

What smells better than onions browning on the stove? Nothing we can think of. Caramelized onions taste amazing too, lending rich, satisfying deliciousness to all kinds of meals: Use them to create killer dips, savory tarts, or rustic pissaladières. Serve them in French onion soup, steak sandwiches, burgers, pastas, seafood preparations, curries, omelets and scrambles, quesadillas, couscous, and pan sauces. Toss them atop steaks, pizzas, hearty salads, sauteed greens, grits, baked or mashed potatoes—we could do this all day, but you get the point, right? Caramelized onions are the ultimate augmenter, lending rich flavor and lovely texture to dishes both simple and refined. 

We like ours seasoned with some fresh minced thyme, though rosemary or marjoram would be great too. Before serving, we add water and champagne vinegar—the water helps cut down on oiliness, while the champagne vinegar rounds out and brightens the flavors. These onions serve as a topping to our decadent [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/au-jus-burger Au Jus Burger], but feel free to use them however you like—heaven knows you’ve got options.

Caramelized Onions

Enhanced with a vinegar-and-red-wine reduction—plus sugar, salt, and a bit of [link https://www.chefsteps.com/ingredients/malic-acid malic acid]—our **sweet, tangy, and bold** Red Onion Jam is a suitable match for even the richest red meats and most powerful cheeses. Try it atop a [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/beef-burger-patties beef] or [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/hi-tech-veggie-burger veggie] burger; serve it alongside your [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/sous-vide-steak favorite steak]; or layer with brie and arugula inside a baguette. It's totally versatile and fairly easy to make—the trick is to allow the onions to cook slowly over low heat until they're purged of moisture, while not allowing them to brown or burn. It takes some vigilance, but trust us, **your patience will pay off.** Once you've worked this jam into your condiment repertoire, you'll wonder how you ever got by without it.

Red Onion Jam

Though the French canon does not technically categorize a demi-glace as a “mother sauce”—those sauces from which numerous others are derived—this sauce is, in fact, the springboard for many recipes and is commonly considered fundamental. A demi-glace, or “half-glaze,” is made by cooking a rich veal or beef stock down until its volume has reduced by upwards of 90%, which results in a viscous, highly flavorful liquid perfect for drizzling over meat, vegetables, burgers, or [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/new-school-poutine poutine]. But as the natural gelatin cooks down and creates that characteristic sticky, viscous texture; it also zaps a lot of the flavor. We solve this problem by adding confectioners’ glucose syrup to a sauce we reduce by 85%. It adds hardly any sweetness, and yields a sauce with just the right mouthfeel, without the stickiness.

Beef Demi-Glace

Many an American childhood involves processed cheese—there's just something about a warm grilled cheese, filled with gooey, melty Kraft American, or a big bowl of creamy Velveeta Shells &amp; Cheese, that appeals to kids' tastebuds. As adults we still crave the comforting texture and unctuousness of processed cheese, but most of us also crave cheese that's a little more nuanced in flavor—the nutty, earthy notes of Gruyère, for instance, or the wake-you-up funk of Roquefort or Stilton. 

Enter melting salts. A cornerstone of the commercial cheese world, salts such as sodium citrate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and sodium caseinate allow manufacturers to create sterile products that don't "oil off"—an industry term that refers to the tendency of the fats in melting cheese to separate from the proteins. In the modernist kitchen, chefs have taken advantage of these additives to alter the texture of great cheeses, creating slices that have that great melty, creamy quality of the plastic-wrapped stuff you find on supermarket shelves, while retaining the wonderful complex flavors of the best fromages.

Here, we walk you through the steps for creating such a product using sharp cheddar. After combining the cheese with milk, salts, and clarified butter, you'll heat the mixture and blend it together until it reaches a smooth consistency. You can use the cheese right away, but if you want firm slices you'll need to cast it in a mold and chill it for eight hours. We made a round mold—the perfect shape for topping burgers—but you can opt for any shape you like. 

The process works differently for every cheese. Below, you'll find directions for working with a number of popular cheeses; these represent the best results in our kitchen. In general, younger cheeses such as mild cheddars and pepper jack tend to work very well for this application. Fresher cheeses, cheeses with less protein content, and older cheeses will require more manipulation. Basically, you're going to have to do some trials of your own. If you find the process tricky, tell us what's up in the comments and we'll help you troubleshoot. Hey, that's what we're here for.

Melty Cheese Slices

In Texas, beef barbecue is king. And many purists discourage sauce—in the central part of Texas most barbecue joints don't even put it out. The pitmasters of Eastern Texas are more permissive with the use of sauce on their 'cue, but it still ain't no gloppy red sauce. Beef barbecue, in all its succulent flavor and smoky goodness, calls for something simpler. Something that will coat and complement the meat, not mask it. 

Some of the best pitmasters dab a thin, sticky mop onto the meat as it smokes, improving the bark’s texture and deepening the color, with the added bonus of an extra flavor kick that doesn’t overwhelm the natural beef flavor. With plenty of whiskey and some extra spices, our tangy, tomato-based glaze adds deep character and a touch of sweetness to any beef barbecue.

NOTE: This recipe was designed as a mopping glaze. If you plan to serve it on the plate as a sauce—a dip for ribs, say, or a spread for sandwiches—we suggest using less whiskey. Twenty-five percent of the total amount called for here should be about right. (So, if you're following the yield below, about [g 20]). Otherwise it will taste very, very boozy. Then again, if very, very boozy is your thing, go ahead and use the full amount. We're not the boss of you.

Sweet and Sticky BBQ Glaze

DIY Toppings

When done well, French fries are truly remarkable—crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside. Here, we use a triple-cooking process made famous by British chef Heston Blumenthal. This approach to preparing French fries has set a new standard by which other fries are judged.

First, [carefully selected potatoes](https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/finding-perfect-french-fry-potatoes) are blanched until they are almost falling apart. This is the most important step to ensure the fries will have a fluffy interior and a crisp exterior. Then the potatoes are cooled and dried before before being parfried, which forms a protocrust. At this point it's possible to chill or freeze the thick-cut fries so that they can be stored until needed for serving. Finally, the partially prepared potatoes are fried until they have a golden-brown color, a remarkably crisp crust, and a delicate interior. 

We've made a few tweaks to the triple-cooking technique, including providing [an easy way to find the ideal potatoes for frying](https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/finding-perfect-french-fry-potatoes) and brining the potatoes in a solution that includes glucose and baking soda (to elevate the pH slightly) to ensure a deeper golden-brown crust. We do the brining step sous vide, both for convenience and to avoid having the potatoes entirely fall apart before they can be fried.

Thin-Cut French Fries

Potato chips are delicious—plain and simple. (And if you make them yourself, they're not really junk food, right?) We cut ours nice and thick so they can hold up to dipping sauces and still have a firm crunch. From aioli to tartare, these chips can do it all—and they're pretty good on their own as well. We cut them lengthwise so you can spend more time dipping and eating, and less time refilling your hand.

Potato Chips

Fresh dill pickled cucumbers are hard to come by these days. Though Americans consume 5.2 million pounds of them annually, most of the ones we buy in the grocery store are canned in a jar—nothing like the fresh, sweet-and-sour homemade delicacy we used to enjoy. 

Pickling cucumbers likely started thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia and became popular across the ancient world. (Legend has it that Cleopatra credited her good looks to a pickle-rich diet.) Americans adopted the tradition in earnest in 1659, when Dutch farmers living in Brooklyn sold their cucumber surplus in brining liquid to various farmers’ market stalls in Manhattan. 

Though pickle purists argue that true and traditional pickles are made without vinegar (they are instead naturally fermented through lactic acid fermentation), there’s nothing as easy and refreshing as a “quick pickle”—made in a brining liquid of vinegar, sugar, and salt—that mimics the traditional fermented taste. Though there are many different pickling methods, we opted to offer this quick and simple version of the classic American snack: start with a fresh cucumber and fresh dill, and 90 minutes later, you’ll have a pleasantly crisp, refreshingly acidic homemade treat that’s much tastier and crunchier than its canned counterpart.

Dill Pickled Cucumber

When you make [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/bbq-beef-short-ribs Beef Short Ribs] or [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/smokerless-smoked-chicken Smokerless Smoked Chicken] as mean as ours, it’s easy to see why plain ol’ potato salad is rarely the star of the barbecue show. Here, however, **we treat spuds like the leading ladies they are**, dressing them with a supporting cast of delicious condiments, eggs, and irresistible crunchy stuff.

It starts with cooking baby Yukon Gold potatoes sous vide to highlight their firm texture. From there, we use some our favorite homemade fridge items, including [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/japanese-kewpie-style-mayo Japanese (Kewpie-Style) Mayo] and a pickled trifecta of [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/pickled-mustard-seed mustard seeds], [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/pickled-onions onions], and [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/dill-pickled-cucumber cucumbers]—all stuff that can be made days ahead of time.

Along with the yin and yang of creamy mayo and crisp pickled ingredients, this dish is big on texture. We amp it up even more by adding hard-boiled eggs, plus blanched celery for snappy bite. With those dense, creamy potatoes setting the stage, every ingredient adds something to the party, creating what we humbly think is the perfect side dish for barbecue.

Potato Salad

French fry lovers, consider yourselves warned: these crispy treats are a category-shattering work of wonder. And once you’ve tried them, the oil-soaked sogsters at your local diner may no longer pass muster. Fat Duck chef Heston Blumenthal and his team put serious elbow grease into developing a technique that changed the fried potato game, achieving a crisp, almost glasslike crust that conspires with an ethereally fluffy interior to make sure you’re never satisfied with ho-hum fries again. But truth be told, making Chef Heston’s [link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Cooked_Chips Triple-Cooked Chips] is a complicated and time-consuming proposition.

Here, we simplify things with the aid of a brine and a sous vide bath. After [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/finding-perfect-french-fry-potatoes carefully selecting] and peeling our tubers, we combine them with the brine (water, salt, and glucose syrup or granulated sugar, plus baking soda to slightly elevate the pH) and gently cook the combo in the bath for 25 minutes. This helps create those super-soft insides and also helps ensure the potatoes don’t fall apart. As with most things sous vide, it’s also quite convenient, allowing you to cook up some <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/classes/burgers/landing">burgers</a> as your side dish softens. Remove the potatoes from the bath, cool and let dry, then “parfry” to form what’s known as a “protocrust.” (Geeky, we know. Go ahead and steal our lunch money). After that, you can store them for later or fry ’em up on the spot. Finally, get ready to freak out as you experience the marvel that is a perfect fry. These bad boys may make a mockery of the “chips” you once loved, but you’ll add a seriously spectacular side dish to your repertoire. Seems like a fair trade, right?

Thick-Cut French Fries

Salty Sides

Ambitious cooks love nothing more than recreating their favorite commercial foods at home, then lending their own special touch to the mix. If you've been dreaming of honing a homemade recipe for vinegar-y tomato dip that rivals globally beloved Heinz ketchup, you've come to the right place. Grant's got a few simple tricks to help you create a condiment that's fun and easy to make and bound to impress your guests. (Don't worry, it requires far fewer than 57 ingredients.) You can use the [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/homemade-heinz-style-ketchup ChefSteps recipe], or tweak here and there for your own signature twist. Just picture your next party: guests ooh-ing and aah-ing over two-bite burgers, served in homemade [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/slider-buns Slider Buns] along with adorable mini-squeeze bottles full of your sweet-but-tart ketchup and [link https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/japanese-kewpie-style-mayo Japanese Kewpie-Style Mayo]. 

Sounds pretty cool, right? So let's get started.

Simple Tips for Homemade Ketchup

Toasting buns: a controversial topic. On one hand, toasting imparts that nice crispness—plus the sexy grill marks—that discerning guests will expect when you have them over for a backyard meat party. Trouble is, while the outside gets nice and toasty, the rest of the bun becomes dry, crumbly, and stodgy.

So what to do? Fear not, all ye meat folk. We've got a method for toasting buns that delivers **not only a crazy-crisp exterior, but also a soft, supple interior**. And to achieve this winning combo, all you need is your trusty grill, a wet rag, a lid or bowl, and a little science. Break out this hack at your next barbecue, and your guests will beg you to reveal the secret behind those seriously spectacular sandwiches. Tell them or don't—that's up to you. Just promise us your days serving crumbly rolls are counted. 

**WHAT YOU'LL NEED:** 
A grill 
A bowl or a grill lid 
A dishrag or towel 
Buns, hon

*Wondering what's up with the tips &amp; tricks? Our new kitchen tips are all about empowerment: simple, game-changing takeaways, short-and-sweet videos—no recipes required. These little bits of wisdom were revolutionary for us, and we hope they will be for you, too.*

Love burgers? So do we. That's why we made [link https://www.chefsteps.com/classes/burgers/landing#/ a whole freakin' class about them]. (And psst: it's free!)

Tips & Tricks: Toasting Buns on the Grill

Tips and Tricks for Better Burgers

Burger Geekery

Hit the (Burger) Books

Burger Discussion

Nerd Out! Learn More About Perfect Burgers

Need a break from the run-of-the-mill yellow or Dijon mustard? Try making this double malted mustard. Malting usually takes time, but by using malt vinegar and barley malt syrup, this mustard comes together quickly: **No malting required.**

Malted mustard is a little different and may not look like any mustard you are familiar with because of its jet-black color. Don’t be fooled—it is mustard to the core—sweet, tangy, and full of umami. 

Serve this up with your favorite grilled food this season, alongside cured Virginia ham or other salumi and cheese.

Double Malted Mustard

The smash burger has been around a long time. The core principle is this—take a pile of loosely packed ground beef, lay it onto a very hot griddle, press it down flat as a pancake, and then let it cook almost all the way through on one side. This creates a maximum surface area for a crispy bite and for Maillard reactions to run rampant. But if you want maximum flavor and texture, you’re also going to want a patty that can stand up to all that high heat. 

We will share some basic and some not so basic ideas, along with a few new hacks that will help you cook up the best smash burger around. Get ready for a new recipe favorite with a very high flavor return on work investment.

The Ultimate Smash Burger

What’s the difference between sausage and hamburger? It’s pretty simple. Sausage is what you call hamburger once you add seasoning, mix it up, and emulsify. 

Hamburger should be pure and simple—perfectly ground, loosely packed, and seasoned after you shape the patties. You can cook them sous vide, smash them, or even slice them for super sliders. 

We’ll walk you through how to get the best results when making your own patties—what meat to use and how to grind, shape, and cook. 

**Dig in!**

The Ultimate Burger Patty Guide for Purists

Tomatoes make great ketchup because of their umami flavor properties. But mushrooms also make fantastic ketchup—they naturally contain MSG which makes them an umami powerhouse. 

This super umami and super silky mushroom ketchup ticks all the boxes that make a great condiment. It’s sweet, acidic and super savory. Did we mention that it’s savory? Chock-full of toasty umami-rich mushrooms and onions from the grill and balanced with brown sugar and apple cider vinegar, it’ll be the secret ingredient hit of the summer!

Umami Mushroom Ketchup

Extras

We’re guessing you’ve made a burger before. In fact, we’ll bet you’ve made a damn good burger and have a solid argument about why yours is hard to beat. We’ll bet you have a favorite burger joint, a favorite ground beef, and a better-than-average topping combo. But let’s get one thing straight: this class isn’t about how to make burgers. It’s about leveling up and designing your very own chef-quality sandwich, with professional-style condiments, fresh burger buns, and homemade fries to match. Whether you’re making a snappy mushroom patty augmented by caramelized onions or a beefy burger topped with ChefSteps’s Homemade Ketchup and Kewpie-Style Mayo, this class will walk you through each step of mastering a restaurant-level burger. You’ll bone up on the science of making Melty Cheese Slices and learn how we ran trials to come up with our perfect patty. You’ll re-create classic commercial condiments in your own kitchen. And in the end, you’ll wind up with a whole new appreciation for this most American sandwich. Best of all, we designed the techniques here with predictability in mind—meaning you can plan your next party knowing your guests will get a memorably great sandwich. No, the ChefSteps Burger Class is not about making ordinary burgers. It’s about developing the culinary know-how to create a true gastronomical experience of your very own. Who knows? You may discover something so groundbreaking that you’ll quit your accounting job to open a burger joint. And if you do, please invite us. We kinda love burgers.

Cook smarter with ChefSteps classes.

Buy this class à la carte or unlock access to all classes with a Studio Pass subscription.

Already a Studio Pass member? Sign in