Not So Plain Buns

Burgers on the grill are so much better than anything at Mickey D's. Tonight we had Angus burgers with black pepper and blue cheese. These juicy and flavorful patties came from the freezer section at Fry's (Kroger). Normally they run $6 for a two pound box (6 patties), but they were on sale last week and I had a coupon, so I brought them home for $4. Though, I think even at six bucks they're a good buy. These burgers were rich and tender with the added bonus of having other "stuff" (like the blue cheese) already mixed in. (Other flavors were available, too, but these looked the most exotic.) I have to admit that there was not an overtly blue cheese taste, but the burgers seemed better than others I've eaten with a smoother texture. Of course, more cheese only improves things, so we added a slice of provolone to each sandwich. Other standard toppings - ketchup, barbecue sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, baby dills - also enhanced the overall experience, but one aspect we changed was the bun.

At the grocery store interesting buns can run up to $4.50 a package. I have a hard time paying that for white bread shaped into sandwich rounds, so I bought the el-cheapo-deluxe off brand of plain buns for 88 cents and performed a little dinner doctoring. When we ate at Native New Yorker awhile back, Jeff had a sandwich with a bun encrusted (sort of) in kosher salt and caraway seeds. Rummaging through my cupboard I discovered kosher salt and sesame seeds - close enough for government work. I popped the buns in the toaster and when they came out slightly crisped, I brushed the top with melted butter and dipped them in a mixture of salt and seeds. This perked them right up. Although, I must caution you about the amount of salt. Jeff said there was quite a bit on his sandwich at the restaurant so I went with a 50-50 mixture, but found it just a little too much in the long run. I think 60-40 or even a 70-30 seeds to salt ratio would be better. Still, the topping added a lot of flavor with very little effort and is something I will try again.

Upon pondering that topping I think other tidbits might be good too. For example, I might skip the salt and use finely grated Parmesan cheese. I also think brushing the top with garlic butter and then dipping it in Italian herbs would be good. For a Tex-Mex burger, maybe a little fajita seasoning would be tasty. I like the idea of adding some different flavors to a burger or any other sandwich, but having the seeds and salt on the outside made it a little messy to eat. Perhaps the inside of the bun is a better choice than the top. It might also toast and taste better by applying the butter and seasonings to the bun before toasting and then running it under the broiler to crisp. Whichever way I choose, this is definately a technique I will use again.