Burgers with pizzazz: Surf 'n' turf burger judged best in annual BBQ contest

Burgers and brats. That’s the answer during summers when someone asks what you're throwing on the grill. Weeknights for an easy family dinner. Weekends for gatherings with big groups of friends. 

While folks in Wisconsin can get touchy about proper bratwurst etiquette — seriously, did you just reach for that red squeeze bottle of ketchup? — the burger suffers no such restrictions. Patties are blank meat canvases to create culinary masterpieces. You could even toss them in ketchup without fear of judgment. Probably.

There are a few fundamental techniques that apply to flipping better burgers onto paper plates at your next backyard barbecue.

• Start with a raging hot grill.
• Season patties just before grilling.
• Grill on one side until about two-thirds done. The edges of the patty begin to brown.
• Flip and finish cooking. Look for the juices to run clear.

While the basics are worth mastering, without a dash of culinary creativity the excitement of burgers on the grill for Memorial Day can fade to “burgers again” sighs by Labor Day.

In an effort to shake things up, the humble hamburger was chosen as the meat of choice for the third annual USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin BBQ Recipe Contest. Run in conjunction with staff and students in the culinary arts program of Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, the contest asked readers across north central and eastern Wisconsin for their best burger recipe. Recipe finalists were selected and prepared by the instructors and students.

A burger topped by a shrimp spread and scratch-made shrimp cocktail sauce won this year’s contest.

Mike Abraham, Fremont, drew inspiration for his Biloxi Butter Burger during a trip to the Gulf Coast in the early 2000s. He liked the shrimp spread on crackers and began working on a way to adapt it as a burger topping. He says it draws plenty of fanfare from his tailgating buddies during Badgers games. This is a special-occasion recipe, says Abraham, who owns three grills and fires them up year-round.

Our contest judges scored the burger high for flavor and creativity. 

Originally named the surf and turf burger, Abraham changed the name because he liked the flow of Biloxi Butter Burger.

The recipe didn’t exist in writing — you know, with actual measurements — until Abraham decided to enter it in the contest. 

Abraham says the heat levels are toned down a bit in this version but suggests following the recipe the first time through then making adjustments. He adds a dash of hot sauce to the cocktail sauce and will amp up the crab boil seasoning when boiling the shrimp.

The Biloxi Butter Burger’s popularity with friends and family made it an easy choice for submission.

Judges scoring the finalists on originality, texture and flavor were Bob Stahl, owner of ZZQ’s and ZoZo’s Kitchen in Green Bay; Andrew Jordan, chef of Milwaukee Burger Co. in Grand Chute; Ryan Kraft, mayor of Seymour (“Home of the Hamburger”); and Bob Nelson, member of Chefs Gone Grilling competitive barbecue team.

Other finalists' recipes scored in the contest included the Boursin Burger (runner-up), Mess Around Burger (third place) and Spunny’s BBQ Burger (honorable mention).

RECIPES

Biloxi Butter Burgers (Winner)

Makes 4

• 1 or 2 celery ribs, including leaves
• ½ lemon, quartered
• Dash of crab boil seasoning
• 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (divided) 
• ½ pound shell-on raw shrimp (21 to 25 count)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• Garlic powder to taste
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• Dash of freshly ground black pepper plus ¼ teaspoon (divided)
• 1 ½ pounds ground chuck
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Bibb lettuce
• 4 brioche buns

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil with celery, lemon, crab boil seasoning and 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning. Add shrimp, cook 2 to 3 minutes, then drain. Peel and devein shrimp and finely chop.

In a medium bowl, mix shrimp with cream cheese, butter and garlic powder. Cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

In a separate small bowl, mix ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until it is time to assemble burgers.

To make burgers, mix ground chuck with remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper, the ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning. Form into four (6-ounce) patties.

Grill or fry to desired level of doneness.

Place slice of lettuce on bottom half of each bun, top with burger, then add shrimp mixture, a dollop of cocktail sauce and top of bun.

*****

Chipotle in the sauce. Chipotle and chili powder in the patty. This burger is big on being bold. 

The combination of sauce, Boursin cheese and burger seasoning scored high enough with the judges to make it the runner up in USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin BBQ Recipe Contest.

The recipe was submitted by Laura Ketelhut of Fond du Lac.

The Boursin Burger (Runner-up)

Makes 8

• ½ cup mayonnaise 
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce (divided)
• ¼ cup barbecue sauce
• 1 pound ground sirloin 
• 1 pound ground chuck 
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning 
• 1 tablespoon chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 tablespoon coarse ground mustard 
• 16 ounces Boursin cheese 
• 1 large onion 
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter 
• 8 kaiser buns
• 2 tomatoes sliced 
• 4 cups arugula 

Heat grill to medium-high heat. 

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, ½ cup chipotle sauce and the barbecue sauce. Let sit until you are ready to assemble burgers. 

In a large bowl, mix together ground sirloin, ground chuck, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce, Montreal steak seasoning, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and mustard. Mix with hands gently to combine. 

Form into 16 even patties (for a top patty and a bottom patty). 

Place Boursin cheese in a plastic baggie, and cut off one corner. Squeeze about 1 ½ tablespoons onto one patty. Place another patty on top and seal the edges. You will now have 8 stuffed patties. 

Slice the onion into thin strips. Place in a piece of aluminum foil with the butter. Tightly seal aluminum foil and place packet on grill. Cook about 30 minutes.

After about 10 minutes, place patties on the grill and grill about 6 to 8 minutes per side, turning only once. Remove burgers and place split kaiser buns on grill until insides are lightly toasted. 

On bottom of each toasted bun spread some of the mayonnaise mixture. Then place a patty on top. Top with grilled onions, tomato slice and some arugula. Spread another layer of mayonnaise mixture on top bun and set on top. 

Note: For judging, chipotle-mayo sauce that is spread on the buns was slathered on top of the burger instead. 

*****

This recipe came with “BBQ” in the title. Perhaps butter or onion should be added.

Some butter burgers call for buttered buns. Others slobber a knob of butter on top of the patty. This recipe calls for butter mixed right into the meat mixture.

Judges liked the onion flavor and scored it third place in the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin BBQ Recipe Contest. The recipe was submitted by James Spangenberg of Elkhart Lake.

Spunny’s BBQ Burger (Third Place)

Makes 8

• 1 pound ground chuck
• ½ pound ground beef
• ½ pound ground round
• ½ cup Russian or Western French dressing
• ½ of a 0.95-ounce packet of onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter, creamed
• 8 Sheboygan hard rolls
• Cheese slices (medium cheddar and Monterey jack or mozzarella)
• Baby spinach
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Brown spicy mustard

In a large bowl, mix together the meats, dressing, onion soup mix, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper and butter. Form into 8 patties.

Cook on hot grill until patty is three-fourths done. Flip and top with 1 slice cheddar and 1 slice Monterey jack or mozzarella. Then finish grilling until burgers are fully cooked.

Toast cut sides of rolls on grill.

Place burgers on bottoms of rolls. Top with baby spinach, red onion and mustard. Add tops of rolls.

*****

Homemade barbecue sauce adds a bit of zip, and a kick if you opt in for the whiskey, to this burger. The flavor of the burger earned honorable mention status in the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin BBQ Recipe Contest. It was submitted by Joel Pethan of Appleton.

The Mess Around Burger (Honorable Mention)

Makes 2

• 1 cup ketchup
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons whiskey (optional)
• 1 pound beef ground chuck
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 kaiser buns
• 4 slices cheddar cheese

Set up grill for direct high heat.

In a microwave-safe medium bowl, whisk ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and whiskey. Microwave 30 seconds, until sugar is dissolved. Whisk until smooth.

Form 2 large beef patties, and season both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Grill burgers, flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.

Toast cut sides of buns on grill.

Place burgers one at a time in bowl of sauce to completely immerse and cover patties.

Remove and place burgers on bottom half of buns. Top each with 2 slices cheddar cheese and bun tops.