Recipe: Crunchburger (aka the Signature Burger)
Description: This is the "house" burger at Bobby's Burger Palace. It's a basic burger (I like it garnished with red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce, and horseradish mustard) with CRUNCH. The crunch factor comes from a big handful of potato chips layered between the burger and the bun. Some of you may have added chips to your sandwiches as kids, and if people ever told you that you were nuts, I'm here to say that you're not! Oozing melted cheese becomes a part of the chips and those crunchy chips become a part of the burger -- delicious. I love getting a mouthful of juicy burger and salty, crispy potato chips in one bite; it's a way to get a true contrast of textures into your cheeseburger. In fact, I make it an option to have all of the burgers at Bobby's Burger Palace "crunchified."
Ingredients: [{"text": "1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80 percent lean) or ground turkey (90 percent lean)"}, {"text": "Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper"}, {"text": "1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil"}, {"text": "8 slices American cheese, each 1/4 inch thick"}, {"text": "4 potato hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired (see Cook's Note)"}, {"text": "4 slices beefsteak tomato (optional)"}, {"text": "4 leaves romaine lettuce (optional)"}, {"text": "4 slices red onion (optional)"}, {"text": "Horseradish Mustard Mayonnaise, recipe follows (optional)*"}, {"text": "4 handfuls of potato chips"}, {"text": "1/4 cup mayonnaise"}, {"text": "2 tablespoons Dijon mustard"}, {"text": "2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish"}, {"text": "Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper"}]
Instructions: Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in the pan or griddle over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Cook the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes for beef and 5 minutes for turkey. Flip over the burgers. Cook beef burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the second side, 4 minutes for medium rare (3 minutes if topping with cheese) or until cooked to desired degree of doneness. Cook turkey burgers until cooked throughout, about 5 minutes on the second side.
Add the cheese, if using, to the tops of the burgers during the last minute of cooking and top with a basting cover, close the grill cover, or tent the burgers with aluminum foil to melt the cheese.
Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and, if desired, top with tomato, lettuce, onion, and a dollop of horseradish mustard mayonnaise. Pile on the potato chips, top with the bun tops, and serve immediately.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The sauce can be prepared 1 day in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.
