When I say Barbecue, you say: Burger!  

Yeah I love steak too, and chicken, and pork tenderloin and shrimp and pretty much any grilled meat in the world.  But nothing compares to the almighty burger.  I’m talking juicy meat patties gently tucked between 2 soft and crusty buns topped with a cornucopia of condiments!  Not only is the burger the most scrumptulescent of all barbecue foods, it’s also the most versatile.  (My Best Bubba voice) Beef burgers, Lamb burgers, Pork burgers, Chicken burgers, Veggie burgers, Pesto burgers, Double burgers, Cheese burgers, Stuffed burgers, Teriyaki burgers, Steak burgers…the possibilities are endless as long as you have an inkling of what flavours go well together.

Your standard burger is a lump of meat.  How you elevate it to gourmet status is up to you: onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, herbs and cheese make the base to any great burger, but why stop there?  Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, chili powder, curry powder, minced ginger, steak sauce.  You don’t have to put all of them in every burger, but feel free to mix and match.  Condiments range from ketchup, mustard and relish to the more exotic chutney, aioli (flavoured mayo), red peppers, guacamole, plus any fresh vegetable you can get your hands on.  NEVER discount the bun.  Bakery-fresh if you can, after all: the better the bun, the better the burger.

Finally the grilling.  Grill burgers over medium heat, due to their high fat content, burgers can burn easily.   Turn the burger only after the first side can be easily slid off the grill.  Don’t press the patty…you’re pressing out flavour!  Of course cooking time depends on the meat, size of burger and your own grill’s hot spots.  Any way you slice it…the barbecued burger is a true taste of Summer…so get grilling!

Yum.

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