Like most people interested in food, I read the highly influential perfect burger article in the nytimes a few weeks ago. I took the tips seriously, incorporating them into a 4th of July cookout at my friend Bridget and Joe's house. Among other things, the article noted the importance of fat content in the meat patty and baking a worthy bun. Even though ground hamburger with high fat content scares the heck out of me, I bought meat that was 27/73. Yes, you heard that right, 27 percent fat. And this was no grass-fed meat (Big Food: score 1,843,98,94) because let me tell you, grass-fed isn't available in these fat ratios at your typical supermarket.
I also suggested that my friend Joe, a terrific cook and host, make the buns featured in the article. He did, and, oh man, were they were delicious. The bun definitely made a difference in the overall hamburger experience, and the fatty beef, with a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper, purposely under handled, and carefully formed into a loose patty, made a difference in taste too. Add some blue cheese and you have a hamburger that is off the hook. Observe, there's no final photo. What can I say, I was so enthralled with eating this masterpiece that taking the time to take a photo was the last thing on my mind.
