Politically, I am a raving anarchist. In the kitchen, I am William F. Buckley. I keep to classic and simple foods. A good conservative hamburger is dressed in a classic and simple manner. Onion, pickle, mustard, nothing that would cause a heart murmur in J. Wellington Wimpy. Now, then.
Last summer I found myself in South Dakota town of Custer, south of Mt Rushmore, at a burger joint called “Black Hills Burger and Bun.” There, I had a revelation called the “Hot Granny.” It had won awards west of the Mississippi for not only Best Burger, but Best SANDWICH. Bear with me here.
Lightly toast your roll. Grill your burger, medium rare, the way all the best people do. Now, you have already roasted a handful of jalapeno or serrano chilis, seeded, stemmed, and skinned them, and cut them into thin strips.
Hamburger onto roll. A heaping tablespoonful of salsa verde onto the patty. As many sliced roasted chilis as you can take onto the salsa.
Here’s the weird part. A SCHMEAR of cream cheese on the top half of the bun.
Slam together and eat. The cream cheese ameliorates the heat of the chilis. Ex-fucking-quisite.
At “Black Hills Burger and Bun” they also criss cross the burger patty with crisp bacon strips. I have always held that bacon on a burger is gilding the lily, and I don’t think it adds to this experience, but do indulge if you like.
Now, who’s come across other weird-ass hamburgers that are so good they would appeal to traditionalists? Recipes, please, if you have them.