How to choose the best cheese for a hamburger

yesterday, I read article Brie claimed to be the “best” cheese to put on a burger. Frankly, I was a little surprised. I’m a big fan of Brie cheese A big pot of brieBut the “best” burger cheese is not.

“The best” is a strange word in the first place. Many food writers claim that what they like is the “best” because it’s our job to generate clicks and nothing gets clicks like low stakes disagreements. To do. (I’m sure I’m guilty of this!) But favorites are a matter of taste and context, and it’s hard to prove the taste.

The author of this article tried a variety of cheeses, including Bree cheese, Cheder cheese, Blue cheese, American cheese, Mozzarella cheese, Provorone cheese, Swiss cheese, and plant-based “Gouda cheese”, each with a “Melting score”. “And” flavor score “was added. Apart from the fact that each of these cheeses has variations (there are many variations from block to block in cheddar alone), this is not enough cheese to call a complete study. There are no pepperjacks, godas (except non-goda plant-based ones), havarti, and low-moisture shrike. Not the full sample size. But that’s not important. The “best” burger cheese depends on the burger you make.Cheeseburger cheese complementDon’t compete with meat.

Cheeseburger vs. burger cheese

Before choosing cheese for your burger, you ask yourself a question. “Do I care about this meat or just put it in for cheese?” Or “Are you making cheeseburgers or are you making hamburger cheese?” Cheeseburger focus Is still a hamburger. In hamburger cheese, the meat is for substance and structure, but it fades into a supporting role and serves as the second fiddle of flavorful cheese.

Neither is a problem. Let’s be honest about our goals. If you spend a lot of time grinding your own beef (or bison, etc.), or spending a fortune on grass-fed and ethically-grown ones, shape it into a thick steakhouse-style patty and medium rare. If you cook in or grind it to get a brilliant crust, it’s a shame to cover everything that works well with bloomies, mushrooms, or other strong-flavored cheeses. But if the meat is a factory-A farmed chuck coming out of a tube, or a bland one like Turkey? In that case, it makes sense to use more flavorful cheese, as meat alone is not very effective.

Meat problem

For over 90% of the time, I make (beef) burgers cheese with some kind of American cheese, most often delicatessen white American cheese.Melts beautifully And taste Creamy, light and salty — not very impressive in itself, but a perfect complement to the beef smashburger with golden skin.

But let’s say you’re making a ram burger. Lambs are much more flavorful than beef, and some people like them more than others. If you like the taste of lamb but want a little softening, this may be a good time for stronger people-Blue-like cheese taste, or funky SBrie, or rustic mushroom brie. If you love lambs and want to emphasize it, we recommend reaching for something mild like Havarti or completely omitting (gasping) the cheese.

Turkey Burger is almost the opposite of Ram Burger.You can get some flavor out of them By smashing and browning One of them, they are one of the more bland burgers.Bree would be incredible with a turkey burger, and so is the super sharp cheddar cheese (you Blended with mayo To give a creamier texture). Add some flavor with spicy mustard and add a little more flavor with grilled onions, and Americans are good too. Maillard browning Therefore.It’s all about Balance When environment..

Think overall

When I first read the problematic article, I did what I always did, even when I had a mild emotional reaction to something. Tweeted about it.. Some people put brie cheese on the hamburger and said he was delicious. I have no doubt about this, but it doesn’t make Brie the “best” cheese for all cheeseburgers. A hamburger is a meal between two loaves and the best meal is balanced.

For me, the “best” cheese for a hamburger is one that knows where it is and acts as a powerful supporting player without focusing. It should also be fairly cheap (hamburgers should have cheap thrills), easy to find, and available in a variety of meats and styles. It should melt well and be at home equally to a thick steakhouse burger, or two thin, crispy crushed putties. For me, this cheese is American. Designed to melt well, And it tastes like what you would expect a cheeseburger to taste. (Medium cheddar cheese that melts well is just as acceptable as Havarti if you need something “fancy”.)

But if Brie or other funky cheese is part of your high-concept burger plan, be sure to use it. The best cheese for a hamburger is the best cheese for the hamburger you want to eat. Knowing what you want to eat will help you make that decision.