Everybody loves a burger! Just when you thought you couldn’t please everyone, enter the Burger Bar. When you set up a Burger Bar, the only limitation is your imagination. From the kind of burger to the assortment of toppings, there is sure to be something to please even the pickiest eater. I like to have a basic plain burger and several kinds of gourmet burgers and a large variety of toppings. This is a crowd pleaser every time!

Making burger patties better – Some tips from the pros:
Fat’s flavor: Some chefs like lean-to-fat ratios of 80/20 or 85/15 percent.
Chill: Patty meat should be well chilled. So should ingredients you’re adding.
Go easy: Don’t overwork patty mixture. Shape; cover and chill until ready to grill.
Sear: Don’t move burger around the grill until first side is nicely seared

Blue Cheese Burgers

Ingredients:

3 pounds lean ground beef
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
12 French rolls or 24 slider rolls

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, chives, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat grill for high heat. Gently form the burger mixture into about 12 patties or 24 slider size patties.
Oil the grill grate. Grill patties 5 minutes per side, or until cooked to your preference.

Rosemary Chicken Burgers

Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
Chopped green onion
Burgers:
2 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Unseasoned bread crumbs

Directions:

For the mayonnaise:
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary; set aside.

For the burgers:
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, green onions, salt, pepper, bread crumbs and 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture.

Combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 8 patties or 16 slider size patties. Add more bread crumbs if mixture is too moist. Chicken will be stickier than beef.Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes.
Use the rest of the mayonnaise mixture on the toasted buns.

I use a Lazy Susan for the toppings so that they can be spun around and selected from to create each custom burger. Since the sliders are small it is fun to try a difference combination of toppings with each burger to discover your favorite one!

Toppings:
Grilled Onions                                                                   Roasted Red Bell Peppers
Raw Onions                                                                        Applewoood Smoked Bacon
Pickle Relish                                                                       Avocado slices or Guacamole
Pickle Chips                                                                        Spicy Mustard
Sliced Tomatoes                                                                Ketchup
Lettuce                                                                               Cheddar Cheese
Roasted Poblano Chilies                                                   Swiss Cheese
Sautéed Mushrooms                                                         Jalapeno Jack Cheese