Anatomy of a Burger

Classic, Gourmet or Smash? With Mike Puma!

95% of this post is free. The 5% is behind a paywall to protect the innocent 🤣

So - last week I published a guide to the world’s best burgers and got grilled for not listing the criteria. Ok - fair enough, I have recruited a reknowned burger meister from New York City to help breakdown the (highly Opinionated) anatomy of a great burger.

Mike Puma: I am the founder and owner of Gotham City Social Club, New York Cities favorite smash burger.

Mike Puma

Jeffrey Merrihue: I’m the founder and owner of XtremeFoodies and have had the honor of trying the world’s best burgers from around the world. Here is an article I wrote on the subject last week.

Mike on the bun: The bun is as important as the beef. It should be soft and flavorful and that's why we use a fluffy potato bun. We have a signature toasting we use on top to add flavor and texture.

Jeffrey on the bun: Off to a boring start…I 100% agree with Mike on the bun. Toasted, squishy and tasty. Never brioche!

Mike on meat: We use a brisket, sirloin, short rib blend. The beef should have a higher fat content to develop a great crust while remaining juicy inside.

Jeffrey on meat: Blends work great as you can tune the beef to your liking. The two poular extremes are 100% grass fed but those can be a bit dry and 100% wagyu but those can lack beef flavor. A nice blend “A la Puma” with a thick grind, loosely packed fits the bill.

Mike on Cheese: I believe American Cheese on a smash burger is perfect. The creamy texture melts best.

Jeffrey on Cheese: I love cheese and indeed think that plain hamburgers should not exist. I admire American Cheese and the way it clings to a burger but like it when someone gets other cheeses right without being greasy or overpowering. We can pass on all manner of blue cheese. Andrew Gottlieb advocates for shredding and blending cheeses with more flavor - I’d like to try the Gottlieb burger the next time in New York!

Mike Puma on Bacon. Bacon is a great side dish and not necessary on a burger.

Jeffrey on Bacon The purist in me agrees with Mike but the glutton in me can’t resist crunchy bacon on just about anything. I apologize “bring on the bacon”.

Mike on lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion.. I love grilled and raw onion on a burger. At Gotham we cook the onions into the beef for a nostalgic flavor. And pickles add great texture and acid to cut thru the fat. As for lettuce and tomatoes, we don't add salad to the Gotham Smash.

Jeffrey on lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion: Flabby tomatoes and limp lettuce are not for me. I do love a fresh salad on the side - I also love pickle spears on the side.

Mike on Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Mustard and those “special sauces” I love a hint of mustard, ketchup and we are known for our Club Sauce which is more savory than most sweet burger sauces.

Jeffrey on Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Mustard and those “special sauces” - I can live without the sauces. Maybe a smear of mayo to wet the bun? Even better is alioli. As to special sauces? Yes - on the side or a light background smear. Let the burger shine through.

Mike on other stuff like Chile, Avocado, Fried Egg etc.. Less is more. But I do love pickled jalapeños or a hot chili pepper.

Jeffrey on other stuff like Chile, Avocado, Fried Egg etc…Less is more. I dont need any of it although I do like spicy everything🌶️

Mike on Smash Burgers and single vs double vs triple vs quads etc…Most smash burgers are apparently 3oz. I think doubles hit best.

Jeffrey on Smash Burgers and singles vs doubles vs triples vs quads etc…I like classic and (double) smash equally. Andrew G. Talks about a hybrid that is smaller than a classic to get the char but thicker than a smash to permit medium rare. Here is a version of the cast iron pan griddled Brindle Room NYC burger:

Brindle Room

Mike Puma’s final musings on burgers:

I think nothing tastes better than memories and the burgers we grew up on will remain our favorites. In a world of over the top gimmicky burgers that are created for Instagram, I will take a simple cheese burger all day long.

The Gotham Smash.

Jeffrey Merrihue’s final musings on burgers:

I enjoy fancy burgers from time to time but view them as another category. I like condiments in moderation but prefer them on the side. My dream burger? A classic cheeseburger with caramelised onions - no sauce.

Oklahoma Burger

All the interesting content is above but..if you would like to hear from NYC burger meister Andrew Gottlieb or see Josh Josephson’s nighmare cheesebureger - you will have to upgrade to paid. Consider this as me protecting you guys from these guys rather than me trying to make money 🤣