What is the correct layer order for a burger?

Raymond Lin · 3 Oct 2019 at 22:30

I made a burger for a colleague today and apparently it was ruined by the soggy bottom bun because I didn’t put the lettuce at the bottom.

So I tried it again and by putting the lettuce at the bottom causes the meat cook the lettuce and its not crunchy anymore.

personally ....

Top bun
Tomato
Lettuce
Pickle
Cheese
Patty
Ketchup
Bottom bun

what’s the correct order? I tried google burger image but it’s 50/50 split.

keenan · 3 Oct 2019 at 22:43

I always put "sauce" last, ie. under the top bun with crispy battered onions..

Also, the sauce is a mix of mayo, condenced milk and orange fizzy drink! Believe me it's the best thing you have never tasted!

Top bun
Sauce
Battered onions
Mushroom sause
Cheese
Patty
Cheese
Patty
Bottom bun

Saying that, I can tell you that there is no correct way.

Or maybe there is, but if my way is wrong then I definitely don't want to be right!

ttaskmaster · 3 Oct 2019 at 22:59

chroniclard · 3 Oct 2019 at 23:09

Makes little difference but

Top Bun
Whatever
Patty
Ketchup
Bottom Bun

Quartz · 3 Oct 2019 at 23:10

I'm a simple man:

Top bun
Optional melted cheese
Patty
Bottom bun.

The recipient adds whatever else they want.

Temujin · 4 Oct 2019 at 08:29

Changes dependent on the burger type i suppose but a rough outline.

Bun
Sauce with finely chopped onion and pickles
Cheese
Burger (however many patties you want)
Shredded lettuce of some form
Mayo or related creamier dressing
Bottom bun

Tomato has no place on a burger unless it's followed by the word sauce.

krooton · 4 Oct 2019 at 10:16

akaFonzie said:
Tomato has no place on a burger unless it's followed by the word sauce.

Word!

I find toasting the bun slices helps ward off soggy bottoms.

My usual structure is:

Bun
Mild yellow mustard
Caramelised onion
Cheese
Bacon
Patty
Mayo
Lettuce (optional)
Ketchup
Bun

The idea is to try and have 'adhesives' between layers to reduce fallout.

D.P. · 4 Oct 2019 at 10:25

Lettuce is pointless son a burger, it will go all soggy with the heat and wont add any flavor or texture element. Tomatoes also don't work - the juice makes the bun even soggier and the cold tomatoes stops cheese melting and cools the patty. The taste also doesn't go that well. Much better to make a real side salad.

Replace the lettuce & tom with condiments like caramelized onions, bacon/panchetta, blue cheese, cripsy fried egg plant, pickled zucchini, mozzarella+pesto.

HecFam · 4 Oct 2019 at 10:35

Personally:

Toasted top bun
Mayo/burger sauce/creamy esc sauce
Raw red onion
Lettuce/Rocket
Gherkins
Cheese
Burger patty
Ketchup/BBQ/Jerk Sauce
Toasted bottom bun.

I would typically only BBQ burgers and allow it to sit just off heat for a short while after cooking to allow some juice to run. Toasting does help with the soggy bun, and I could not disagree less with having no lettuce! Got to have a bit of crunch in there for me! I don't let it sit too long to become soggy, have to shovel it in your gob double time.

Nothing I hate more than going to GBK/Byron and having a burger absolutely ******* juice!

HoneyBadger · 4 Oct 2019 at 11:30

Toasted top bun
Mayo
Raw onion
Lettuce
Buffalo tomato (sliced thin)
Gherkins
Halloumi slice if we have it
Burger patty, with cheese melted over it
Mayo
Toasted bottom bun (Brioche)

cheesyboy · 4 Oct 2019 at 11:40

keenan said:
the sauce is a mix of mayo, condenced milk and orange fizzy drink!

WTF mate! Where did this witch's brew come from?

Randomface74 · 4 Oct 2019 at 11:43

bun
salad
sauce
burger
cheese
lettuce
bun

Scam · 4 Oct 2019 at 11:43

Now that I'm enlightened (

) I always ditch the tomato. It does nothing but give you watery mouthfeel that dilutes other flavours. And it makes the burger slippery to hold, and drips everywhere. Ditch it. Lettuce is only good for the crunch and to be honest in this day-and-age we have much better options for that. Crispy onions etc.

Marmot · 4 Oct 2019 at 16:48

keep the salad on the side and eat it separately...

top bun (brioche)
mild mustard
dill pickles
cheese
patty
ketchup
bottom bun (brioche)

so wonderfully simple, don't mess with it

keenan · 4 Oct 2019 at 19:22

cheesyboy said:
WTF mate! Where did this witch's brew come from?

It's a South African thing! Well, the original sauce is known as "Spur pink sauce", but over time people copied the recipe and I kid you not, the secret ingredient was Fanta Orange.. :confused:

It's great with fries as well!

Snookums · 7 Oct 2019 at 03:39

Top bun
burger sauce
Mushroom
Red onion
Pickles
Cheese
Patty
Lettuce
Ketchup
Bottom bun

Can sub red onion for onion rings. I'm making burgers this evening now.

b0rn2sk8 · 7 Oct 2019 at 23:36

As a general rule, anything that isn’t sauce needs to be buffered by a cheese layer between the patty and the filling, top or bottom or both, it doesn’t really matter.

spoffle · 8 Oct 2019 at 02:41

Scam said:
Now that I'm enlightened ( ) I always ditch the tomato. It does nothing but give you watery mouthfeel that dilutes other flavours. And it makes the burger slippery to hold, and drips everywhere. Ditch it. Lettuce is only good for the crunch and to be honest in this day-and-age we have much better options for that. Crispy onions etc.

I like cucumber for the crunch on a chicken burger.

Illgresi · 8 Oct 2019 at 05:29

Bun
Dijon Mustard
Dill Pickle
Sharp cheese
Burger (left to sit for at least 5 minutes)
Horseradish sauce
Bun

Scam · 8 Oct 2019 at 10:44

Illgresi said:
Bun
Dijon Mustard
Dill Pickle
Sharp cheese
Burger (left to sit for at least 5 minutes)
Horseradish sauce
Bun

Now we're talking. Maybe some smoked bacon as well.

At the end of the day a burger has to be relatively easy to eat as a whole. I always post on here about stupid overstuff burgers with pulled pork, copious salad hanging out, onion rings etc.. it's all nonsense. You should be able to take one bite of a burger without too much of a struggle and get a bit of everything in it. And now I'm hungry