We’re often admonished to upgrade our bread choices by ordering whole grain or sourdough instead of the usual, plain old white-flour-based sponge. But I’ve researched some much tastier and/or healthier Burger Bun alternatives…
French Toast Sliders: A bun upgrade makes even the most basic burger special…
The deepest depths of winter is a time when even one’s ultra-favourite dishes can start seeming stale. Folks who looked forward all summer to the next backyard BBQ for a beloved burger have become tired of the same old Fast Food and homemade oven-baked or pan-fried patties…
Change-up the bread!
The solution to the boring-burger problem might just be not to change-up the patty (as suggested a few day ago in this space). All it might take to refresh your fave burger is a change in he ‘bread’.
There are some far-out suggestions online for alternatives to the conventional burger bun. One, for example, involves ditching the conventional altogether and going with appropriately-trimmed leaves of crispy Iceberg or Romain lettuce to hold a ‘standard’ patty and all its trimmings. Another (barely novel at all) idea posits going with a bagel or croissante. Or even a potato, oat or Brioche bun.
‘Advanced’ suggestions…
You might not have considered…
French Toast
Use two slices of french Toast rather than dun halves to stack your burger. But consider carefully whether that option is completmenary to the parry and toppimgs you want to use. You might even want to add complementary flavours to the French Toast – or echo the flavours of the fillings – to coordinate the pairing.
Sourdough Bread
Simply swapping out the usual bun in favour of slices of Sourdough bread or round slices of sour-dough such as some Fast Food joints have been known to use for specialty sandwiches can make an enjoyable upgrade to your favourite burger.
Again… You might want to consider how complementary (or not) Sourdough might be to the flavour of the patty and toppings you’re using. I can tell you from personal experience, Sourdough pairs beautifully with any cheeseburger – especially if you’re using a sharp cheese like old cheddar or a Bleu cheese.
Caraway Rye
Another bun option I’ve used – to the applause of family and guests – is Caraway Rye bread. I’ve even made my own Caraway Rye rolls specifically or use as Burger Buns. Caraway goes pleasantly with conventional toppings such as mayo, ketchup and mustard – and especially with sweet pickle ‘Ham-burger’ relish. And it’s a natural with all cheeses, but especially with nutty flavoured ones such as Swiss, Edam, Gruyere, Emmental or Gouda.
Foccacia
The classic Italian flatbread, topped with rosemary, olive oil, and coarse salt. And even sun-dried tomatoes or olives if you wish. It’s probably the easiest-to-make bread there is, and has a perfect tex-ture for use as a burger bun… Pat it extra thin and/or form bun-shaped rounds, if you’re making it expressly as a Burger Bun alternative. This option is especially suited to upgrading an otherwise plain burger filling. Or complementing a zesty Mediterranean one.
My take
The above are just a few of my favourite alternative hamburger bun choices.
DO try lightly toasting any of the above bun alternatives for a brilliant extra dimension of flavour!
And DO try the French Toast option at least once. Remember, as the Egg Producers are always re-minding us: “They’re not just for Breakfast anymore!”
~ Maggie J.