How Do Plain Hamburgers Stack Up To Gourmet Burgers? Meat And Toppings
Posted on: 13 July 2022
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What are gourmet burgers—and how do they compare to other types of hamburgers? The word gourmet sets some burgers apart from others. Whether you're planning a night out, hosting an event, or just want to add some flare to your family's regular meals, take a look at what you need to know about how each of these burgers stacks up against the other.
Are Both Types of Hamburgers Made From the Same Meat?
The answer to this question depends on the burger and where you buy it. Some restaurants and suppliers may call a burger gourmet. But this doesn't necessarily mean the meat is any different than what you would get with a regular patty.
To better understand what you're eating and the type of meat in any hamburger, you may need to learn more about the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) definitions and grading. According to the USDA, a producer may add beef fat to hamburger meat—but not ground beef. Any product called either hamburger or ground beef can have added seasonings. These products may not have more than 30 percent fat content, water, binders, phosphates, or extenders.
Beef grades are voluntary and include USDA Prime, Choice, Select, and Standard. They may also include Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner. Even though the USDA does grade beef, they don't grade most ground beef products. Ground beef often comes from less tender cuts of beef. A producer may add tender cut trimmings to the mix for extra flavor.
Both gourmet and non-gourmet burgers are made from a variety of hamburger, beef, and ground beef selections. Some chefs or home cooks prefer to use ground high-quality cuts of beef to craft moist, flavorful gourmet patties. These burgers rarely, if ever, use thin frozen patties.
Are the Toppings the Same for Both Types of Burgers?
The answer to this question depends on the chef or person hand-crafting the gourmet cheeseburgers. In general, a gourmet option would include different toppings than what you would find on a regular burger. Instead of the traditional iceberg lettuce, slice of tomato, ketchup, and mustard stack, gourmet options include a variety of upscale options.
Gourmet toppings range from microgreens and arugula (instead of iceberg) to gouda and other fancier cheese selections. They may also include cooked savory options, such as sauteed mushrooms, smoked thick-slab bacon, egss. Instead of a plain tomato slice, some people prefer to top these burgers with fire-roasted cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, or even a fried green tomato.
Reach out to a restaurant like Olive Burger to learn more.