I must admit, I am not really in the know on the latest winners and losers of the chicken sandwich wars. Seems like every month, a new participant enters the unofficial national chicken sandwich war.

If you’ve been keeping up and sampling the chicken sandwich wars, who do you think is winning?

I think it’s high time to kick-off a national beef burger war!

Sure, there are plenty of great beef burgers available pretty much everywhere you go in the nation,- from small independent biker bars to national chains. But who’s got the nation’s best burger?

There’s a small café and bar in Sedalia, Colo., called Bud’s, that boasts they have the best burger in the world! The Cherry Cricket in Denver won the last round of the Denver Burger Battle in 2019 with its now-famous green chili-smothered all-beef burger. It’s really good.

As a meat industry insider, one who’s sold beef burgers for nearly 30 years now, I have to say I am still in the hunt for not only the best burger, but the best components of the best burger.

Many say the 100% chuck burger rules. But for me, an all-chuck burger can have too much gristle and a “chewy” mouth feel. Sure, the taste is awesome, but chuck burgers can also dry out. Some large food operators must cook their burgers in advance (like ski resorts, schools and amusement parks); 100% chuck burgers can taste too dry if held too long.

I think a blended burger is best. Using a combination of fresh beef brisket, chuck, top or bottom sirloin and some round, I find this burger has great taste, mouth feel, holds temp well and provides the best meat frame to build out the rest of the burger. What combination of beef cuts do you think makes the best all-round burgers?

I used to make a burger blended with USDA Choice briskets, boneless short ribs and chucks. It was really good, but cost too much for most operators.

What about fat percentage? Many operators use 80% lean. I like a 75% lean burger myself, but they can make too big of a mess on the grill or flattop and they can shrink too much. Many operators use a 4-inch wide bun, so the burger must not shrink down too much and be smaller than the bun, which can happen with a 75% lean burger patty.

Smash burgers are very popular now. My favorite smash burger is found in Colorado Springs at the Skirted Heifer. They were featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." They use a fresh beef burger puck, cook it on very hot stainless flattop and cover each burger with a lid to allow the cheese and onions to melt into the beef patty. They have a line out the door many days.

The best beef burgers cost more to make but I feel they are well worth it, if burgers are your business. Using fresh, grain-fed U.S. beef instead of imported frozen, then slacked out beef trimmings makes a big difference. I don’t think using USDA Choice or USDA Prime matters, because if the burgers are 80% lean, the grading of the carcass isn’t relevant. I don’t think the breed really matters either. Angus, Hereford, Wagyu and others — all make great burgers, if they are 30 months and younger grain-fed cattle.

The Denver Burger Battle 2021 competition is set for the first week in August in Downtown Denver. I already have my ticket and I’ll give you a full report of the event and the winners in mid-August.

Who do you think has the best burger in your area? Is it a local operator or national chain? Do you think the beef components matter, or can any plain beef patty get dressed up with all the fixings to become the best tasting burger?

Let the beef burger battle begin!

Join for free* to continue reading.