The Best Burger Condiments | America’s Test Kitchen (S24 E25)



Tasting expert Jack Bishop shares his favorite burger condiments.

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25 Comments

  1. A college classmate introduced me to Inglehoffer's coarse-grain mustard many years ago and I've never turned back.
    I dislike Heinz ketchup. It has a bitter initial taste and a chemical aftertaste.
    Give me Hunts! Add a drop of Inglehoffer's horseradish for a more complex kick.

  2. All that matters is a medium rare burger and soft bun. That’s the minimum taste and texture. Screw that up and the whole thing is trash. Don’t get me wrong I love adding flavors but the bun and burger are everything

  3. Almost, Jack … but, not quite. 😄
    — Take the "bun" out to the park, and feed it to the pigeons. They'll appreciate your generosity, as they have no discerning taste, and they seem to like "too much bread." Present your burger on sliced sourdough. It will keep the condiments in, without everything turning to bread mush. It will also add a touch of flavor.
    — Mix A BIT of Mayo (Best Foods/Hellmann's) with A BIT of Ketchup. And, add A BIT of garlic to the mixture. (No fair buying commercial "1000 Island.")
    — Add a thin layer of mustard-of-choice. (I like to let people make some of their own decisions 🤥)
    — Slice some SHALLOT paper thin.
    — Thinly slice a HOLY dill pickle. A "HOLY" dill pickle can only be found in a delicatessen, or at a butcher's counter, sold SINGULARLY. They are not available in jars, from the grocery shelves, with a commercial label.. (They can also be cured at home.)
    — ENJOY !!

  4. I make my own spicy and sweet (with a fruit included in the) sauce that I spoon over my homemade buffalo or venison burgers. Can’t say I would choose that butter option, especially not that much on a burger. Where’s the BEEF…flavor if you put all of that complex butter on both the meat and the bun???😉

  5. Preferences for condiments are so much of a personal preference. Not so much a condiment, but blue cheese crumbles are fantastic. Another consideration is a steak sauce like Heinz 47 or A1 sauce. You can get the same effect from the steak sauce by mixing it in with the hamburger meat. And I personally won't eat a hamburger without dill pickles!

  6. Your mayonnaise picks both contain sugar. Not to mention "modified food starch" and "xanthan gum", etc., in your #1 pick, Blue Plate, but I mentioned them anyway. I had to look that up, because I've never heard of it. I looked up Hellman's long ago. Mayonnaise does not contain sugar. Use a mayo that doesn't have sugar. Mayo should have a tiny bit or tartness from vinegar (or lemon juice or something) and there is no need to offset that with sugar. This is the Curse of Miracle Whip, which has afflicted most mayonnaise brands. I use Duke's.

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