PrintI Like Flat Buns and I Cannot Lie
Does the bun make the burger?
We were just talking about patty melts in the Serious Eats offices yesterday, but what do you think: Is a patty melt a burger? Serious Eats overlord Ed Levine weighed in on the "no" side. He likes them, he said, but they're not burgers.
I'm on the fence. I know purists howl at the replacement of bun with toast, but how far from an actual bun do you have to get before the patty plus bread product is no longer a burger?
Is an English muffin an OK vehicle? What about pita bread? What about buns that are buns in look and shape but are made from brioche? What about ciabatta buns?
As the years wear on, I find myself more open to variance in patty-delivery methods (and toppings). But where do you draw the line?
The question is prompted by a new commercial I just saw. Looks like Carl's Jr., pioneer of raunchy and freakily annoying burger commercials, has a new one, this time for its new patty melt, in which it riffs on the old Sir Mix-a-Lot tune "Baby Got Back." [via adblog.msnbc.com]
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16 Comments:
Great ... yesterday, the "Hamster Dance" song was running through my head ... now it's Eddie Murphy doing "Big Butts" thanks, Adam ... and no, I don't mean that ... ;-)
I think a burger is a burger no matter what it's served on, be it a restaurant bun, two slices bread, and English muffin, etc. Even stuffed burgers on a plate with no breads of any kind is still a burger. But no cinnamon rolls or raisin bread, ok? That would just be wrong.
LunaPierCook at 12:58PM on 09/18/07
They have a "patty melt" burger at Hardee's which for some bizarre reason I had a terrible urge to try last week.
No, no, no. It was not a burger. It was more like underdone Salisbury Steak centered on a hockey-puck-like sourdough-ish bread. It was unsettling, actually.
I do, however, consider a burger served in pita a burger ever since the first one I ate at the Broome Street Bar about a thousand years ago. Even though there was cucumber salad served instead of french fries as a side.
Didn't one of the Top Chef contestants recently get slammed by a guest judge for serving an invented "burger" without a "bun", the judgement being that a burger simply could not be a burger without some sort of bun, even if it were a veggie burger?
Karen Resta at 1:40PM on 09/18/07
@LPC: Sorry!
@KarenResta: The Hardee's patty melt is the same thing as Carl's Jr., since they're both owned by the same corporation. I usually only get patty melts at diners and such, but I don't know why Hardee's would have such a hard time with one. I'd also draw the line at "no bun." At that point, you have no burger.
Adam Kuban at 1:45PM on 09/18/07
don't share your comments with any of the surly employees over at louis' lunch!
goodbyeohio at 2:05PM on 09/18/07
There really ought to be a Hamburger Avenger superhero who flies around pounding his fist into All Bad Hamburgers around the universe. He should wear a jumpsuit that says "No Bun?" with a big red "X" marked across it.
Karen Resta at 2:21PM on 09/18/07
I agree that a burger is a burger, no matter what the covering. I believe the qualities of the meat, and the shape and size are more important. I will concede that a traditional one will be served with a bun. But in this day and age of creative cookery, we must expand our horizons.
Mich23 at 3:39PM on 09/18/07
No ciabatta. No pita. English muffin is grandfathered in, but I will usually pass if that's what's on offer. Frankly, Krispy Kremes probably qualify, but in a horrible way.
outsidecounsel at 4:17PM on 09/18/07
No ciabatta, no pita. I don't agree with English Muffins but I'll defer to Chumleys (RIP) on that one and accept it. Patty melts I also accept although I'd rather called them a grilled cheese with burger. If the originator of the hamburger (arguably) uses toasted bread then who am I to argue with them. If you considering using a lettuce wrap, then may god have mercy on your soul.
Goblue at 4:31PM on 09/18/07
I know you don't have these in the US, but in Canada at a national grocery chain they sell a hamburger bun (PC or President's Choice Burgers First bun) that is really like a very sturdy pita. I like it, it let's me concentrate on the meat part of my burger, the bun just being a means to hold my meal in one hand.
Sweetie at 5:04PM on 09/18/07
I realize I may be going out on a limb on this one, but I've enjoyed a "cheeseburger club" sandwich at a diner near Rockefeller Center. Three slices of toast, melted cheese, typical burger patty, bacon, lettuce and tomato. Somehow, the toast brings something to the party that the usual diner bun doesn't.
I wouldn't eat ALL or even MOST of my burgers this way, but it's a nice change of pace and definitely still a burger in my book.
shred at 6:48PM on 09/18/07
I think the big problem with patty melts is cheese. For me authentic patty melt is swiss. These days, especially at chains, you see american. I also, love it cut into diagonal and dipped in ketchup.
Also, not a burger but a ground meat sandwich.
coolname at 7:16PM on 09/18/07
Saw an earlier post about tortilla burgers and had to agree they can be tasty, but they aren't really burgers. But as for patty melts, the swiss/grilled onion combo is what makes this burger special, and I can see why toast is traditional for them. I'd guess any diner would sub a bun for the toast, if that keeps it "pure" for you. But you might regret the choice if the bun turns soggy. Plus, you can request wheat toast in any hole-in-the-wall, but rarely can you find a wheat bun, even in hoity-toity places.
pattyplus at 7:52PM on 09/18/07
Actually, I prefer a burger on toasted sourdough bread to a bun. However, buns are good, english muffins too small, I think pita is right out! Ciabatta good, crispy creme bad.
madawc at 3:10PM on 09/19/07
You can't be serious. A burger is a burger regardless of your means of conveyance. Frankly, I think that buns are overrated. They are nice and all, but I actually prefer using a couple of pieces of toast instead of a bun; it's less bread to get in the way of the meat. Don't get this statement misconstrued, I won't turn down a bun, but I'll choose a couple slices of toast if I have the option.
acespeed at 4:49PM on 09/19/07
I should also note that patty melts are delicious and my favorite diner meal. Hit it with the side of mayo and the ketchup dipping pool and everything's good.
acespeed at 4:50PM on 09/19/07
To me, a hamburger needs to have two qualities to be justified as one: being made from hamburger, and having something to turn into a sandwich. If that's a bun, or toast, or lettuce doesn't matter to me.
You can't really split hairs on the patty melt if you accept toast but not sourdough. It's an accepted bread item holding a hamburger.
Jack In The Box had a patty melt a few years ago, but I never had the courage to try it as I actually do love patty melts, and I think I'll stay away from Carl's Jr.'s attempt as well.
jamburglar at 1:33AM on 09/25/07