Burger Bliss; the Labor Day Guide to Deliciousness

Labor Day is a week away and I’ve got some of the best and most unique burger ideas for you to leave your family in awe of your cooking prowess, to leave you standing like a god above the grill, to provide you the confidence that you could, in fact, Beat Bobby Flay at everything in the world, and to prove that you are actually the major and key-holder to Flavor Town. Well, maybe not, but these are some delicious burgers. Also, make sure you have lots of paper towels or a body of water on hand because things are going to get messy.

**Double Down, Animal Style**

**Takes:** 20 minutes
**Makes:** 2 Giant Burgers
**Mise:** 1/4 c Mayo, Ketchup. Sriracha, Pick Relish, Salt, pepper, Garlic Powder, Vinegar, Sugar, Cumin, 1lb 80/20 ground beef, Brioche Buns, Onions, Pickles, Tomatoes, Lettuce.
**Make Animal Style Sauce:**
1. Combine 1/4 c mayo, large dash of ketchup, large dash of Sriracha, dollop of pickle relish, salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1 tsp white vinegar, pinch of sugar, dash of cumin. Set Aside.
**Make the Burgers:**
0. Portion a pound of 80/20 ground beef into 4 balls, let come to room temp.
1. Heat skillet or grill to medium high
2. Prep preferred burger veggies - slice onions, wash lettuce, cut pickles, etc
3. Toast Brioche buns
4. Once grill pan is hot, grease with butter. Grab a beef ball, heavily season with salt, and smash on skillet until thin patty. Cook until caramelized, season with salt and pepper, flip, cook until done.
**Assemble:**
1. Bottom bun, sauce, pickles, burger, sauce, burger, onion, tomato, lettuce, sauce, top bun.
Devour.

**Southwestern Bison Burger**

**Takes**: 35 minutes
**Makes:** 2 Giant Burgers
**Mise:** 2 Large Haas Peppers, 1 Lb Bison, Butter, 1/4 c flour, 3 cups milk, 1 cup sharp cheddar, 1 cup pepper jack cheese, Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Lettuce, Onions, Pickles, Brioche Buns.
**Make a Fire Roasted Pepper Queso:**
1. Fire Roast two large Haas peppers (place over fire on gas stove or grill until skin is completely blackened), cool, remove charred skin, half, remove seeds, dice.
2. Portion a pound of Bison into 4 balls, let come to room temp.
3. Make a Béchamel sauce by melting 4 Tbs of butter in a pot then add 1/4 cup of flour, whisk to combine and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes to start flour cooking.
4. Slowly add in 2-3 cups of milk, while stirring constantly. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until there is no taste or grit of flour. Add more milk if it gets too thick.
5. Add in 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup of pepper jack cheese. Stir until combined. Heavily season with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Add peppers. Stir. Set aside on low heat
**Make the Burgers:**
1. Heat skillet or grill to medium high
2. Prep preferred burger veggies - slice onions, wash lettuce, cut pickles, etc
3. Toast Brioche buns
4. Once grill pan is hot, grease with butter. Grab a bison ball, heavily season with salt, and smash on skillet until thin patty. Cook until caramelized, season with salt and pepper, flip, cook until done.
**Assemble:**
1. Bottom bun, lettuce, burger, onion, pickle, 1-2 Tbs Queso, burger, onion, pickle, queso, top bun.
Devour.

**The Ultimate Crab Burger**

**Takes:** 1 Hour
**Makes:** 4 Crab Burgers
**Mise**: 1 Lb Fresh Crab Meat, 1 Egg, Panko Bread Crumbs, Mayo, Mustard, Wustecherier Sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, Celery Salt, Parsley, Lemon. Brioche Buns, 1 Yellow Onion, Sriracha, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Butter Lettuce, Tomato.
**1. Make the Crab Cakes:** Combine drained crab meat in a bowl with 1/4 cup mayo, 2 Tbs mustard, a few healthy dashes of W Sauce, 2 Tbs chopped fresh Parsley, a squeeze of lemon, Salt, pepper, Celery Salt, 1 Egg, Old Bay Seasoning. Add Panko a little bit at a time until mix just comes together and can be formed into cakes.
Note- This isn’t an exact recipe. I go by feel a lot so if you make this on your own, go with your senses.
**2. Carmelize Onions:** Thinly slice onion. Add to pan with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Cook on medium until a deep brown.
**3. Make Sriracha Mayo**: Combine Mayo with salt, pepper, sriracha, cumin, and garlic powder to taste and spice preference.
**4. Pan Fry Crab Cakes:** After you form cakes into a mold, melt 2 Tbs of Butter in a Large skillet on medium heat. Once hot, gently place cakes in skillet. Cook until golden brown on bottom. Flip and repeat. Place on paper bowl after and season with salt.
5. While Cakes are Cooking, **toast buns.**
**6. Assemble**: Butter Lettuce on bottom bun, slice of tomato, crab cake, camerlized onion, sriracha mayo.
7. Serve with salad or oven fries and enjoy

**Crispy Skin Salmon Burger**

**Takes:** 30 minutes
**Makes:** 2 Servings
**Mise:** 2 Square 4 oz cuts of Salmon, skin on. 2 Brioche Buns, sunflower shoots, Mayo, Sour cream, 1 cucumber, Fresh Dill, Lemon, Salt, Pepper, Oil, 1 Ripe Roma Tomatoes, 1/2 small white onion.
1. Heat a non-stick pan to medium. Season Salmon heavily on both sides with salt and pepper. Then, place skin side down in pan and cook for about 10-12 minutes.
2. While Salmon is cooking, make sauce: Combine 2 Tbs of Mayo, 4 Tbs Sour Cream, 1/2 cored and peeled cucumber, minced. 1/4 white onion, minced, salt, pepper, juice of one lemon quarter, and 2-3 Tbs of minced fresh dill. Set aside
3. Thinly slice rest of onion and cucumber. Then, slice roma tomatoes. Combine all three in medium bowl. Drizzle of oil, salt, pepper, squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside.
4. Slice Brioche buns in half, toast.
5. Once Salmon skin is very crisp, flip salmon to finish cooking, 2-3 minutes.
6. Place salmon, skin down, on bottom brioche bun. Then add generous dollop of sauce, sunflower shoots, and top bun. Serve with salad on side.