At chef Hubert Keller’s Sleek Steak House, the Kobe beef and black truffle "Fleur Burger" paired with a bottle of 1995 Château Pétrus commands $5,000.
Photo: BILL MILNE
Burgers — from humble to hauteBy Carole KotkinFour-star chef Daniel Boulud was the first to do for the hamburger what chef Wolfgang Puck did for the pizza — he took it to another level and launched what was to become a gastronomic phenomenon. Boulud was inspired to reinvent the burger when an American journalist asked the French expat to comment on the protests staged by French farmers outside McDonald's locations in France. "The French are just jealous they did not invent the hamburger themselves," he quipped.
He introduced his now-famous signature burger in 2001 at New York's db Bistro Moderne, where it's still on the menu for $32. (It also headlines in Vegas at Daniel Boulud Brasserie.) Its succulent interior oozes the high-ticket ingredients of foie gras and bone-stripped, red wine-braised short ribs; served on a homemade, toasted Parmesan-and-poppy seed bun, it's dressed with a touch of fresh horseradish, oven-roasted tomato confit, sliced tomato, red onion and frisée; penultimate pillows of pommes soufflé stand in for the more mundane pommes frites (if you choose). Boulud suggests pairing his "db" burger with either a relatively youthful Haut Médoc or a Rioja Riserva with a bit of age on it.
Chefs have been tweaking the hamburger almost since its inception — thought to be in 1904 at the St. Louis World Fair — yet these calibrations have now taken an upscale turn. Many top toques have even opened bona fide burger joints. Factoring in the economy, rising food costs and the trend away from white-tablecloth dining, this counter-chic movement could be here to stay.
The cult-like success of places like Shake Shack in New York City, Five Guys on the East Coast and the longer-established In-n-Out in Southern California has clearly set off a boom. Even the new administration craves burgers. President Obama and Vice President Biden recently startled observers with an unofficial visit to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, Virginia, for premium, aged 10-ounce burgers. Similarly, First Lady Michelle Obama caused a buzz at Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill. Reportedly, her entourage noshed on free-range turkey burgers and the "Prez Obama" beef burger, which sports horseradish mayo, red onion marmalade, crumbled blue cheese and bacon.
Further west, Hubert Keller, host of PBS's "Secrets of a Chef" and author of Burger Bar: Build Your Own Ultimate Burger, is fueling the craze. Along with owning non-burger restaurants Fleur de Lys (San Francisco and Las Vegas) and Sleek Steak House (Las Vegas and St. Louis), Keller is the founder of Burger Bar, also located in Las Vegas and St. Louis. He conducted most of his research by frequenting two meccas of fast-food culture: McDonald's and Burger King.
"I didn't grow up in the U.S. and had never really visited these chains before," the French-born Keller explains, "so I wanted to see what they do with their burgers to make them so popular." He set his burgers apart by adhering to a few gourmet ground rules: "Burger greatness begins with fresh ground meat, hand-shaped and paired with the best quality ingredients — simple and clean flavors — all coming together [under] a delicious bun."
Patrons of his classy Burger Bars, each furbished with marble counters, elegant sconces, wood paneling and a glassed-in butcher shop, can truly have it their way, building their sandwiches by selecting meat type (beef, buffalo, lamb, turkey, salmon or veggie), cheese choice (including blue, Cheddar, mozzarella, Provolone and Swiss) and bun preference (ranging from whole wheat to ciabatta). Toppings from the garden (traditional fresh tomato, onion and lettuce) and the grill (peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, caramelized onions and more) further enhance the final product. For a splurge ($65), Keller offers the composed "Rossini," a Kobe beef burger with sautéed foie gras and shaved truffles lavished with Madeira sauce and slipped into an onion bun. He suggests pairing this luxe assemblage with a Pinot Noir (his wine lists generally include California, Oregon and French versions). At the soon-to-open third Burger Bar in San Francisco (inside Macy's at Union Square), Keller will lay in about "300 labels from nearby wine country," he notes. For an even more extravagant pairing, look to the menu at Sleek: $5,000 buys the "Fleur Burger," an impeccably grilled Kobe beef patty garnished with earthy truffles, pickled onions and baby greens, drizzled with Ruby Port sauce and paired with a bottle of 1995 Château Pétrus.
Chef Michael Mina, whose award-winning name is associated with 16 restaurants, began his glorification of the lowly burger at high-end Bourbon Steak at the MGM Grand Detroit. Introduced at the casino to attract high rollers, the burger bar menu is now standard at all Bourbon Steak outposts.
Mina also embraces the build-your-own burger concept. Diners pencil in their personal preferences — how the burger should be cooked, choice of trimmings, etc. — on a clipboard form that goes straight to the grill chef. In addition to Mina's notable, wood-grilled U.S. Prime and American Kobe beef blend, which he likes because he says the sum yields a more complex flavor profile than its parts, patty options include lamb, salmon, turkey and a vegetarian falafel version borrowed from his mother. An extensive list of cheese, vegetable and sauce add-ons are collectively gourmet, but most of all, Mina believes a champion burger deserves heroic fries. His version, cooked in duck fat, are downright addicting and perhaps even more widely known than his burgers.
Sommelier Matthew Turner, who stewards the Bourbon Steak wine list at the Aventura, Florida, location, offers a substantial selection of "Little Gems" (375-ml bottles or by the glass) custom-matched to the burger menu. He says guests often select a wine first, anything from a Patz & Hall Pinot to a Tommasi Amarone or a Guigal Côte-Rotie, and then create a burger around it.
Chef Govind Armstrong shares a haute background with Mina, but boasts a slightly more modest "empire." He oversees Table 8, which originated in Los Angeles before debuting in Miami Beach and, just a few months ago, New York (the L.A. location has closed). Also recently, he opened 8 oz. Burger Bar in the same three cities: New York, Los Angeles and Miami Beach (where there are two locations). In contrast to hip, ultra-chic Table 8, all four are casual, neighborhood hangouts.
The most popular selection is the namesake "8 oz." "It's a house blend of humanely raised, hormone-free, Black Angus sirloin, tri-tip, short rib and chuck that makes for a nice balance of juiciness and flavor," says Eric Fried, a co-owner at Miami Beach's Alton Road spot.
To age and season the burger, Armstrong cures all of his meat in a Himalayan, salt-tiled locker before grilling it over oak. The only thing that can beat a big, juicy hamburger served on a brioche bun is a little, juicy slider, sometimes called a "bar burger." These lilliputian noshes are perfect for grazing. Armstrong offers a sampler plate of three two-ounce patties comprising Niman Ranch natural lamb, Texas bison and Texas wild boar. His sides include truffle-flavored fried potato skins, roasted baby broccoli and a whole steamed, marinated and grilled artichoke with aïoli. Toppings, such as cave-aged Gruyère, house-cured bacon, red onion marmalade and wild baby arugula, are equally elevated. Though the red wine list is abbreviated — seven affordably priced choices ($8.50 per glass, $32 per bottle), four of which are organic — it is thoughtfully composed.
Restaurateur Danny Meyer owns some of New York City's best restaurants (Tabla, Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe, Eleven Madison Park and Blue Smoke among others), yet he, too, hopped on the burger bandwagon in 2004 with the founding of Shake Shack. Now numbering three, these outdoor cafés routinely draw throngs of customers who queue up for elemental fare. Randy Garutti, Shake Shack's managing partner, says, "The Shake Shack burger is four ounces of beef, freshly ground daily, loosely packed and hand formed, cooked on a griddle and served on a buttery potato roll. It's not a haute burger — no foie gras or Kobe, but modestly appointed and unassuming." It is accented only by American cheese, tomato, lettuce and "Shack Sauce," and is served in an old-fashioned, wax paper wrapper. "We wanted to create what was the best part of the old roadside burger stands — a place where people hung out together in the name of delicious food."
Remarkably, Garutti says his Big Apple clientele don't mind the wait. "[They're] happy to slow down from the hectic pace of the city," he notes. While shakes get top billing, and customers can order "Shack Shiraz" by the glass, Meyer contends that you don't have to have a serious meal to enjoy a serious wine. Half-bottle selections include Sanford Pinot Noir, Shafer Merlot and even Opus One.
Likewise, the quick-food Burgerville chain in Vancouver, Washington, has upped the ante by pairing well-crafted American wines with its new gourmet and traditional menu offerings. Burgerville sommelier Christine Tran says there is no such thing, however, as a "burger wine." She advises, "When choosing a wine for your burger, apply the same principles as you would with any other type of food: You need to match the flavors and textures of the burger and the wine or create a contrasting effect." For example, she suggests pairing a Washington Syrah with Burgerville's award-winning "Tillamook Cheeseburger" or its "Pepper Bacon Cheeseburger." Oregon Pinot Noir, she notes, would make a better companion for the "Seasoned Turkey Burger."
Making a custom burger at home can be almost as effortless as ordering from a menu. Specialty markets are increasingly offering time-compressed shoppers an array of no-muss, no-fuss gourmet burgers for a fraction of the restaurant price. Scott Chansky, meat coordinator of the Florida Division of Whole Foods Market, says the chain's very popular, eight-ounce "Black Angus Sirloin Burger" is ground fresh several times daily from top and strip sirloin trimmings. "In keeping with customer demand, our patties are 90 percent lean, [yet] the sirloin has an unmistakable, full-flavored steak taste and makes a very juicy burger despite its leanness."
Other meat choices include lamb, pork, buffalo and veal. Whole Foods makes its pre-shaped burgers more flavorful by blending in various ingredients. For example, the "Cowboy Burger" is chock full of jack cheese, bacon and jalapeño pepper. For those with no time for grilling, the butcher will cook to order on the premises. Wine choices at Whole Foods Markets range from 700 to 1,100 bottles, and a knowledgeable staff member is always on the floor to help winnow the choices.
Whether eating in or out, the burger has evolved from fast to fashionable food. And few other dishes of such modest origins offer its range of pairing possibilities. By slowing it down and topping it off in infinite gourmet ways, wine lovers can capitalize on carte blanche matchmaking with this versatile patty. Still, when it comes to a perfect marriage, nothing is quite as reliably companionable with a smoky, juicy burger as a bold, quintessentially American Zinfandel.
Hamburger helpers
- To achieve optimum results, coarsely grind the meat of your choice at home; alternatively, place a custom order with your butcher.
- Assemble the patties and grill them the same day the meat is ground.
- Make sure the grill (or grill pan) is hot enough to sear the burger and seal in its juices.
- Stuff a slice of compound butter into the middle of the raw patty. The butter will melt during cooking, making the meat extra juicy and succulent.
- A compound butter can be as simple as an assemblage of butter, chopped herbs, roasted garlic, salt and pepper, or as complex as making a red wine reduction and puréeing foie gras to add to the butter.
- Prepare condiments and toppings as close to serving time as possible.
- Lightly butter and grill bun of choice.
Maytag Blue Burgers
From Carole Kotkin's Kitchen
- 1 pound sirloin, coarsely ground
- 1 pound chuck, coarsely ground
- Maytag Blue Butter (recipe below)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 buns
- Roasted Garlic Aïoli (recipe below)
- 2 Hass avocados or 1 Florida avocado, sliced
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced
- 16 slices Nueske's bacon, cooked
- 1 pound baby arugula, washed and dried
Light grill. When fire is medium hot, grill patties, uncovered, without touching them until well seared, about 21/2 minutes. Flip burgers with metal spatula and cook until well seared on second side, about 21/2 minutes for medium rare and 3 minutes for medium.
Meanwhile, butter and grill each bun. Spread grilled bun tops with Roasted Garlic Aïoli.
Place grilled burgers on bun bottoms. Layer burgers with evenly divided avocado, tomato, bacon and arugula. Cap with bun top and serve immediately.
Makes 8
For the Maytag Blue Butter:
- 3/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 pound Maytag Blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup Zinfandel
- Pinch sea salt
For the Roasted Garlic Aïoli:
- 2 medium heads garlic, left whole
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cut off and discard tops of garlic heads to expose cloves, then brush each head with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Wrap heads together in foil and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool.
Squeeze garlic from skins into a food processor and purée with mayonnaise, vinegar, pepper and salt.
Food Editor Carole Kotkin manages the Ocean Reef Club Cooking School in Key Largo; is a syndicated columnist for McClatchey Publishing; is co-author of Mmmmiami; and co-hosts Food & Wine Talk, which can be heard on www.southfloridagourmet.com.
