Hamburger Saturday is a day that I made up twenty seconds ago where I make a kickass hamburger. As of now all I do is mix egg and bread crumbs into the meat, with the usual seasonings.
What I need are some ideas for toppings. I’m tired of just lettuce and tomato. I need something more. So what do you like?
I can have CHEEZBURGERS
Blue cheese specifically.
Bacon ‘n’ eggs.
Fry up some mushrooms in butter. Add some baby swiss.
Instead of ketchup, use A1 steak sauce or A1 bold.
Avocado! Either mash it up to spread on the bun (maybe with a little salt or lime, but don’t actually make guacamole unless you really want to), or slice it and apply it as a normal sliced topping.
Avocado slices or guacamole are great on burgers. They’re even better on burgers they share with crispy bacon slices!
(Speaking of bacon, if you grind your own meat, try grinding a few slices of bacon into the beef. Behold, the Squealer…)
All of those work!
First, stop making hamburgers like that! It isn’t meatloaf.
Then try a 75/25 mixture of beef and hot Italian sausage.
I would recommend not putting egg or breadcrumbs into the patty. You’re making a hamburger, not meatloaf!
First, start with good meat. 80/20. You can go with either ground chuck, or just “ground beef,” which is basically a mish mash of leftover pieces that were too small to make large cuts or steaks out of. It’s probably mostly things like chuck and sirloin, but you might end up with some pieces of strip, ribeye, and filet in there, so hey, bonus. 
Secondly, season all of the meat. Put it in a big bowl, and add some salt, ground pepper, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and maybe some garlic powder. Don’t go too overboard with spices, you just want to help bring out the natural flavors of the meat, not drown them out.
As for toppings, go hog wild! My favorite is what I call a “wing burger” I modify the above recipe slightly by substituting hot sauce (usually Frank’s) in place of the Worcestershire, and then when the burger is done I top it qwith blue cheese crumbles, some more hot sauce, and smear a little blue cheese dresing on the bun. Basically, the hot sauce takes the place of the ketcup, and the blue cheese dressing takes the place of the mayo.
I also heartily recommend the Cheese and Burger Society for great ideas (but don’t be fooled…you don’t have to use Wisconsin cheese.)
+1. That’s not a hamburger you have, OP. That’s a meatloaf sandwich. No bread or other stretchers in the hamburger.
Another idea is a 50-25-25 mix of lamb, pork, and beef, with a good bit of garlic and some hot paprika. That’s basically a Balkan pljeskavica. Even if you want to keep it simple, if you like lamb, adding ground lamb to your meat mixture is a sure way to amp up the flavor.
As to toppings, fried egg. Mmm…
Concur about the egg and crumbs, although if that is the taste you’re after, then by all means have at it. But if you’re going to make a meatloaf burger, add some ground lamb and some cumin, then brush it with a mixture of ketchup, honey and cumin during the second side cooking.
If you’re just using ground beef, 80-20 (20% fat) is okay. I prefer 75-25 for a really full-flavored, juicy end product. And cook it medium if it’s storebought, medium-rare if you ground it yourself. Chuck roast works very well for home grinding.
D’oh! Scooped on the lamb by Mr. P.
Buffalo burgers are really good too.
Avocado and bacon …Great Combo.
Bleu cheese and green olives.
If you use mushrooms,I highly recommend fresh baby bellas.
Two words - Kraft Dinner.
Good one. I don’t usually get around to buying buffalo, but they do add a nice beefy kick to the burger. I usually mix it with a good amount (at least 50%) of the fattiest chuck I could find, since buffalo tends to be quite lean.
Another burger I really enjoy is the simple patty melt, made with a healthy heap of caramelized onions and Merkt’s or Kaukauna’s cheddar cheese spread on caraway rye.
The only place for an egg in a burger is fried and as a topping… the only place for breadcrumbs is… well if they are still part of the bun.
I think we have now beaten this horse enough that it may be tender enough to grind up into burger meat.
Seriously… I find that I’m a fan of the basics. Everything top quality and fresh. A good fresh grind of roughly 80/20 beef. Good sharp chedar cheese. A bun fresh from the bakery and lightly toasted on the grill. Lightly season the patty (I like Lawrey’s and pepper) and grill on a hot grill to get a nice sear on the outside and a (gasp) medium final temperature. Melt the cheese, add a little bit of ketchup and good mustard and you are done. I prefer the pickle spear on the side. Sometimes I’ll add a slice of tomato picked from my garden, but that is all in the timing.
I’ve experimented with so many other topings and mixes into the meat, but I keep coming back to the basics.
If you’re not interested in mixing other types of ground meat in, try ground sirloin instead. They were the juiciest and richest burgers I had last summer.
Also, I’m surprised I’m the first to say this - get some flavored woodchips and soak 'em in water while you prep the burgers. Throw 'em in the base of of your grill and enjoy the smoky flavor.
I have to agree with The Basics – though I admit I prefer garlic salt to regular salt on my burgers.
I like Pattymelts. 100% Beef Sirloin Burger, a heap of sweet butter and hamburger grease caramelized onions, with a slice of swiss on Rye Toast. Just a really tasty classic.
Patty melts rock.