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Grill/Barbecue

The New Englandah Burgah

by:
July 19, 2010
5
3 Ratings
  • Makes 2 large burgers
Author Notes

This came from my mind when I was a student at The Culinary Institute of America. We had to create a menu item based on where we lived. Since I am from New England I created this burger with ingredients that you can find or originate in New England. This was a hit at both the CIA and at the restaurant I worked at. - Chef Jason —Chef Jason Royal

Test Kitchen Notes

We were intrigued not only by the name of this burger, but by the juxtaposition of savory and sweet. This could easily go too far, but Chef Jason manages to rein it in, inspiring harmony rather than a cacophony of flavors. The burger themselves have a faint sweetness from the maple syrup, and this is enhanced by the grilled apples; the salty crunch of the bacon and the tang of cheddar provide the perfect counterpoints. This is a burger that requires a ravenous appetite and begs to be eaten in generous mouthfuls, each including all of the different components. - A&M —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 1 pound 80-85% lean Black Angus ground beef
  • 1/4 cup Pure New England maple syrup, plus more for basting
  • 4 thick slices applewood smoked bacon
  • 1 MacIntosh apple
  • 4 slices Vermont cheddar cheese
  • 2 Bulkie rolls
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 bottles blueberry beer
Directions
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the beef, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well using your hands. Form into 2 8-ounce patties. Set aside in the refrigerator.
  2. Cook the bacon on the grill, in a skillet, or in the oven. Peel and slice the apple. Place in small bowl and sprinkle lemon juice over the slices to prevent browning.
  3. Place the apple slices on grill and cook for about one minute on each side. Remove and set aside.
  4. Grill the burgers over high heat, turn after 3 or 4 minutes and move to a cooler part of the grill. Drizzle some maple syrup over the burgers as they cook. Toast the buns as the burgers cook.
  5. When the burgers are cooked to your liking, take two slices or more of bacon and place on top of each burger. Arrange some apple slices on top of the bacon.
  6. Place a slice of cheese on top of each burger, cover the grill and let melt for about a minute.
  7. Place the burgers on the buns.
  8. Serve with blueberry beer.
  9. Enjoy.
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100 Reviews

Write a Review
Mithra February 9, 2017
I loved this burger ...It looks beautiful, I have to try!! Have a nice day.
FoodMonkey March 4, 2015
I wasn't sure about this one but they were great!
Jackie September 17, 2014
Such a simple and great recipe. Can't wait to try it!
Herb N. July 27, 2014
This is an excellent and imaginative recipe to try on a staple of our diet. Good for you Jason!
Gotowanie G. February 28, 2014
This is a great recipe, thank you for sharing! We live in an apartment in the city so my burgers happen on a grill pan in the oven but this was still delish. I have made regular burgers and sliders using this recipe and they were a hit. Simple ingredients deliver great flavor.
lyncucu November 30, 2013
This burger is perfection! My daughter sat and ate in silence, and when she was done, told me that was exactly the way a burger should taste. Thank you for such a marvelous recipe.
Chef J. October 23, 2013
I am not against building from a recipe. I do it. What I am against is people who don't even make this or make it with ingredients that aware not even close to what the original has and then comment. You can't build from a recipe if you don't include the base ingredients. I instruct people how to cook and be creative. I encourage people to try new things.
Bigjim October 23, 2013
Chefs through the ages have taken an "idea" for a dish and molded it, transformed it, enhanced it. There will always be a class of cook who will always believe the written recipe is gospel. There will also be a group that love to take the essence of a recipe and add/subtract based on what is on hand, personal preference, of a belief that the chef presenting the recipe may be just a bit off his game.
What I find particularly obnoxious is a chef who thinks none of her presentation can be built upon. Great chefs encourage those with less training or skill, not berate and belittle.
This may be a great burger, but I can find better from chefs who aren't quite so full of themselves.
Amber L. July 4, 2013
Well, look, I made this burger tonight, eyeballed the syrup, salt, and pepper, and it was fantastic! Loved it! My fiancé loved it, too. Excellent, juicy, easy, and very flavorful. Thanks for sharing! Almost wish I could share pictures of mine. It was a huge hit on IG and FB.
ktchndstryr June 27, 2013
~I'm going got make this with turkey instead of beef, honey instead of maple syrup, cherries instead of apples and pancetta instead of bacon and definitely us brie... do you think that will affect the recipe any?~

Man, you just have to ignore the people sitting around looking for ways to feel better about themselves. I wasn't going to try this, but now I must, as written, in solidarity! Trolls be damned.
food M. June 8, 2013
Risking being thrown out of this "forum", I must say that this recipe is, well, to be polite, nothing much. There is nothing to loosen the meat - no bread crumbs, no egg, no nothing, just meat.
No spices. Oh, wait, salt & pepper. Nothing else.
My sainted mother has had 5 children, and still cannot cook to save her life. This would be one of her "gourmet" recipes.
Just because you slap on some maple syrup and an apple doesn't mean "gourmet". And, when you rant about others using your recipe as a base, seems to me that you need your diaper changed.
Chef J. June 8, 2013
Ok, that is your opinion. But I don't understand. To "loosen" the meat? You mean "tighten". Sounds like 1. You either put way too much syrup, or 2. Never made this at all and are commenting in spite of my prior comment. The maple syrup replaces the egg and I left the breadcrumbs out because when I experimented, it caused the burger to fall apart. You seem to be the only person to have a problem with it. I have never had any problem neither did Amanda and Merrill. No spices? why would it need it? why mask flavors with a bunch of spices? People who can't cook use tons of spices. Who ever said this "gourmet"? You want to make it gourmet? Go ahead and add some white truffle or foie gras. I rant about the people who don't even make it, don't use some of the ingredients or any of the ingredients and then comment. Example, the person who talked about picante and onions. if you make it and then add to it, fine, I don't care. You seem to be one of the few who think that this is nothing much. Last time I checked this was a first place winner in more than one contest, including food52, was featured in Whole Foods seasonal magazine, as well as Gourmet Magazine. You can think what you want and have you opinion.
PatB July 4, 2013
Good beef doesn't need to be loosened, in fact, most people overwork meet used in burgers, he is not making meatloaf. Ask your butcher for meet that is ground once, large grind.
anne December 19, 2013
STFU. Bread and eggs make meatloaf. Stupid.
Ian S. June 8, 2013
Truly excellent, Chef. We followed your recipe exactly, only cooking the bacon on the grill directly instead of in a frying pan. It was a bit risky with the grease, but the flavor was extraordinary! (You could also just cook the bacon on some aluminum foil, so you can cook everything in one place) Excellent recipe!
Chef J. June 8, 2013
You can also cook the bacon in the oven prior to cooking the burger. When I cook bacon I cook the whole thing and refrigerate it until I need it. then it's heat and eat.
Chef J. June 7, 2013
here is the thing, if you dont want to make this burger (which if you dont you are missing out) please dont comment on how you make your burgers. Dont tell me that you are going to do it one way. I created this burger to be made the way it is written to get the full effect and experience. By changing it, you are not getting what I created. If you want to create your own and post it on food52.com then go ahead. I created all the items in the burger to compliment each other. granted you can do what you want, but dont comment about it. cause at that point you are not commenting on my burger, you are commenting about your own. Oh and dont go telling me how much better your burger is. Thats awesome. I dont think of anyones burger as better, i think they are all good. (of course unless it tastes like crap) thanks.
dymnyno June 7, 2013
You have definitely hit on one of my pet peeves. I know that for a variety of reasons cooks change ingredients, methods, etc. but they should either post their own recipe or be polite and NOT boast about how they made your creative, contest winning recipe better.
krusher June 7, 2013
Hooray! Good for you! Glory hallelujah.
Laura B. September 29, 2013
Thanks for articulating one of my long-time irritations. I understand sharing substitutions for diet concerns (i.e. vegan, gluten-free, etc.), but not entire ingredient changes - seems to stray from the ethos of the original meal. Kudos to you for standing behind your recipe.
anne December 19, 2013
I couldn't agree with you more.
Chloe8 June 7, 2013
This photo looks divine with melting cheddar. It's on my list for the weekend's lunch menu.
Chef J. June 7, 2013
This photo was taken by the folks at food52 when they make it for the video. the ones I have taken look a little better (sorry) i use 2 thick slices of cheese and put a metal bowl over it so the cheese melts over the bacon and apple evenly. but either way you do it, it is good.
Mrsbonvivant May 30, 2013
Made this tonight (AS WRITTEN). Absolutely fabulous. Okay, well I did make them smaller... . Really delicious burger. We don't eat beef much so our meat meals must be really special -- and this certainly was! Thank you, Chef. BTW, please don't review if you change the ingredients and/or recipe. Doesn't help the community OR the Chef!
krusher June 7, 2013
Amen sister to that!
Luvtocook May 22, 2013
I disagree with cutting the apples into cubes...grilled slices sound terrific and not hard to eat. I feel sure a thick slice of cheese (maybe white cheddar) will "glue" the slices to the meat...and I think I'll substitute ground turkey (light & dark, mixed) for the red meat. Do they have "Canadian bacon" in New England? I plan to use that instead of what's called for, too, to make the "burgah" even easier to eat...sweet turkey, bacon & apple (and cheese) in every bite. Not your burgah, Chef, but maybe good, too. Will let you know. Oh, and I'm a whole wheat bun gal, too. Healthier. Thanks for your inspiration!
Chef J. May 28, 2013
no no no no. lol canadian bacon is not bacon. down here we call that ham. not even close to flavor. of course when you make your burgers you can do what you want. the burger is easy to eat if assembled correctly. i put 2 slices of cheese on top of the apple and bacon. When i melt it, i put a metal bowl over the burger and it creates a wonderful "lock".
Sashinka April 26, 2013
This sounds fantabulous!!!
ocmaribel January 23, 2013
Can i make the patties ahead of time? A few hours? Will golden delicious apples work? or what is the most similar to a McIntosh Apple? Thanks. making these for dinner tonight :)
Chef J. January 23, 2013
you can definitely make patties ahead of time. it might even cause the meat to marinate with the syrup. I would really try to stick to a McIntosh because the Mac is a New England based apple. If you cant get Mac's, Macoun, Empire or Cortland would be the next best thing.
COOK ". August 20, 2012
We use our syrup on Flap Jacks here in Texas we would use Picante sauce and onions in place of the apples we use onion (apples we use to bob at Haloween or to candy or to make pies but on a Burger, no thanks) Look forward to your next creation(s) however.
Chef J. August 20, 2012
Be daring and try the maple syrup and bacon. using picante and onions dont come anywhere close to what I have created. It really creates a wonderful flavor. Try something new, you might like it.
COOK ". August 20, 2012
We use our syrup on Flap Jacks here in Texas we would use Picante sauce and onions in place of the apples we use onion (apples we use to bob at Haloween or to candy or to make pies but on a Burger, no thanks) Look forward to your next creation(s) however.