As backyard barbecue season approaches, the opportunity to enhance grilling skills and plan memorable cookouts emerges. While cleaning off grills and preparing menus become focal activities, elevating one’s burger-making expertise can add a delightful twist to summer gatherings. In Colorado, a hallmark of this culinary exploration is the Denver Burger Battle, known for drawing talented chefs from around the Mile High City to showcase their innovative approaches to classic burgers. Although the beloved event is taking a hiatus in 2025, its influence on the local food scene remains significant.
Over the years, the Denver Burger Battle has inspired a variety of exceptional creations, from the Juicy Lucy, a Minnesota favorite featuring molten cheese at its core, to burgers topped with green chile, paying homage to the Pueblo, Colorado-originated “slopper.” To uncover the secrets behind crafting an extraordinary hamburger, insights were gleaned from Chef Manny Barella, a former contestant on Season 21 of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” who served as a judge in last year’s competition. Currently the culinary director of Camp Pickle, which is slated to open in Denver and Tulsa in 2025, and Jaguar Bolera in Raleigh, Barella shares expertise that is both insightful and practical.
Additionally, Cherry Cricket, a renowned Denver-based burger bar and multiple-time Burger Battle winner, provides valuable lessons from its own success. Their French onion soup-inspired burger captured the People’s Choice award in 2024, following the celebrated Cricket Royale, which boasted braised short rib and bone marrow, among other gourmet ingredients, in 2023.
According to culinary experts, here are essential tips for crafting an award-winning burger:
- Focus on the Burger Itself: Many American burgers rely on basic salt and pepper seasoning, resulting in similar flavors. Chef Barella advises enhancing the meat by cooking down vegetables like onions and garlic and folding them into the patty with spices. This method ensures the burger is flavorful throughout, not just on the outside. For those using a flat-top grill, an extra pepper seasoning can add depth, though caution is necessary when cooking over open flames.
- Follow a Strategic Topping Formula: While layering toppings is customary, Barella recommends a specific sequence: bun, onions, lettuce, tomato, burger patty with cheese, topped with the final bun. This order prevents toppings from becoming overwhelming and maintains freshness, particularly in the lettuce.
- Keep It Simple: While inventive toppings can enhance a burger, simplicity often wins. A minimalist approach reduces the risk of over-complicating flavors and enhances the burger’s core appeal.
- Toast Your Buns: Toasting buns adds an extra layer of texture and flavor. Using brioche buns, when toasted, release their inherent buttery richness, creating an appealing crispiness.
- Strike a Balance: Cherry Cricket’s experience underscores the importance of balancing innovation and comfort. Their latest creation, “The Cry-Baby,” incorporates elements of French onion soup into a burger, tickling the taste buds of adventurous eaters while appealing to those who favor traditional flavors. This balance is key to winning over diverse palates.
Cherry Cricket prepares rigorously for burger competitions, with each of its locations developing and refining potential winners. Employees then partake in a blind taste test, selecting the burger with the greatest promise. This meticulous process contributes to their repeated success and underscores the dedication required to create a crowd-pleasing masterpiece.