Burger

This is the “house” burger at Bobby’s Burger Palace. It’s a basic burger (I like it garnished with red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce, and horseradish mustard) with CRUNCH. The crunch factor comes from a big handful of potato chips layered between the burger and the bun. Some of you may have added chips to your sandwiches as kids, and if people ever told you that you were nuts, I’m here to say that you’re not! Oozing melted cheese becomes a part of the chips and those crunchy chips become a part of the burger—delicious. I love getting a mouthful of juicy burger and salty, crispy potato chips in one bite; it’s a way to get a true contrast of textures into your cheeseburger. In fact, I make it an option to have all of the burgers at Bobby’s Burger Palace “crunchified.”

More and more people are cooking with ground buffalo meat because it's lower in fat than beef chuck. That very asset can turn into a liability if the meat is cooked too long, so here, sautéed chopped portobello mushrooms contribute additional moistness and flavor. Don't reach for the ketchup: A crisp slaw of celery and apples in a mustardy dressing is a piquant surprise.

Even self-described mushroom haters are surprised by how much they love these burgers! Because there’s no use trying to improve perfection, I just had to include this recipe, a slightly modified version of Dreena Burton’s from The Everyday Vegan.

Even folks in the South, where pimiento cheese is lovingly called the "pâté of the South," will give you a quizzical look when you mention this burger. I always thought its true home was around Columbia, South Carolina, and the lower upstate area. But then I saw a pimiento cheeseburger on the menu in a wonderful burger joint and restaurant called Litton's, in Knoxville, Tennessee, so I guess a good idea can cross state lines. So here's how to do it, complete with a little pimiento cheese recipe, but the burger's not bad even if you have to use a good-quality store-bought pimiento cheese.

A simple Moroccan-spiced aioli is mixed in with the ground turkey to keep the burgers moist and give them tons of flavor. Smoked paprika is available in the spice aisle of most supermarkets.

Freshly ground coffee adds a depth to the spice rub and brings out the flavor of the meat. Be sure to keep the rub recipe handy. The spice rub would also be great on steaks and chicken.

These kid-size burgers have the cheese on the inside. Serve with your favorite burger accompaniments.

Unless you're shopping for "meatloaf mix," it's easy to overlook ground pork. Smoky pork burgers topped with melted Muenster and creamy avocado will broaden your horizons. Don't skip the sliced tomatillo—its crisp tartness really perks things up.

Grinding skirt steak at home—using either a meat grinder or a food processor—is the key to this intensely flavorful, juicy burger.

Okay, you caught us: There's no sliced bread here, and you'll need a knife and fork. But this bulgur and grilled-vegetable salad has so much gusto that it simply cries out for a daring presentation to match.

Later in the summer, you can use eggplant in place of the portobellos.

The burger's undeniable appeal and infinite flexibility have inspired culinary luminaries like Bobby Flay and Laurent Tourondel to devote entire restaurants to the humble sandwich. And despite what purists might say, some of today’s best burgers aren't even made with beef. Patties made of lamb, bison, or seafood (like the crab burgers here) are increasingly popular. Toasted bread, a pita pocket, or even a lettuce leaf are fun standins for the traditional bun. In our homage to the modern burger, the crab patties are served open-face with a spicy red pepper dressing.

There are lots of meatless burgers in the world, but this Latin American-inspired recipe is especially satisfying without being stodgy. It's pantry-friendly to boot.

Bison meat is very lean and is best served rare or medium-rare.

A bacon Swiss burger embellished with ripe tomato and avocado: delectable! In this burger, I've spiced up the meat with thyme and Worcestershire sauce, which hint at the Mediterranean and at the steak house. In this case, a soft white bun is the best choice—any other type of bun and the burger might become too huge to eat. But of course, that's what helps to make it delectable. Serve your favorite condiments alongside.

Also great made with ground lamb.

Some Australians add grilled onions to this burger—feel free to make it your own.

The combination of tuna and olives is reminiscent of a salade niçoise.

Spain's famous piquillo peppers add a sweet-spicy edge to the aioli. Idiazábal, a smoky sheep's-milk cheese from the Basque region, is great with the portobellos. If you can't find Idiazábal, substitute smoked Gouda.