May marks National Burger Month and what better way to celebrate than with these extreme burger recipes.
1. Miso Hungry Burger
Looking for a little Asian infusion in your burger? The Japanese-inspired Miso Hungry Burger is the burger for you. It starts with a 6 oz burger patty, topped with Monterey Jack cheese and a Miso Russian dressing, made with White Miso, Dijon Mustard and a touch of Sriracha hot sauce. Add to that some mushrooms flavored with soy, ginger and Thai chili and finish the burger off with tempura-battered deep-fried onion rings. The key to this recipe is in the Soy Ginger mushrooms, Chef Crooks says. "Be patient," he said. "Let all that water come out of the mushrooms so they start to caramelize."
2. Ultimelt Burger
The Ultimelt burger was inspired by Chef Clifford Crooks' love for grilled cheese on rye: "I thought, how can I take a rye grilled cheese and turn it into a burger?" Crooks is the corporate executive chef of ESquared Hospitality, which includes BLT Steak, BLT Prime, BLT Bar & Grill, BLT Burger, GO Burger and Casa Nona. Make your own Go Burger sauce by combining mayonnaise, ketchup and relish. The result is an extreme burger, with two grilled cheese sandwiches serving as buns for a 6 oz burger, topped with balsamic caramelized onions and Go Burger sauce.
3. Breakfast Pork Burger
Renowned Los Angeles-based chef David Myers makes a belt-busting burger-for-breakfast concoction at his Comme Ça restaurant. Who doesn't love an egg-over-easy with your pork?
4. Mac n Cheese Burger
What's more extreme than macaroni and cheese on a burger? This burger features a fried mac 'n cheese patty, bound together with a creamy bechamel sauce, then placed on top of a burger and smothered with balsamic caramelized onions and smoked ketchup.
5. Naked Veggie Burger
Here's an extreme burger for the non-meat eater. This veggie burger is packed with flavor. The patty has a chickpea base, combined with tons of parsley and spices for a bright green center. Next comes a layer of hummus and a Tzatziki-style yogurt sauce. "This is a light vegetarian option that doesn't leave you as weighted as the other burgers," said Crooks.