A Burger to Believe In: Recipes and Fundamentals

by Chris Kronner, Paolo Lucchesi

A deep-dive into the art and philosophy of making the perfect hamburger--with recipes for game-changing burgers and all the accoutrements--from the cult favorite Oakland restaurant KronnerBurger.

Chris Kronner has dedicated his creative energy, professional skills, and a lifetime of burger memories to understanding America's favorite sandwich, earning rave reviews and legions of fans for his achingly delicious, perfect-in-their-simplicity hamburgers. In his debut cookbook, On Burgers, this trusted chef reveals the secrets behind his art and obsession, and teaches you how to create all of the elements of a perfect burger at home. Including tips for sourcing and grinding high-quality meat, a meditation on what makes a good bun, creative ideas for toppings (spoiler alert: there are more bad ideas out there than good, and restraint is the name of the game), and more than 40 non-burger recipes--from perfect onion rings to seasonal salads to Fish Fillet-inspired Crab Burgers--this book is not only a burger bible but a lens into the mind of one of the best rising star chefs.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking

240 pages, Hardcover

Published May 22, 2018

Reviews

[roxi Net · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's rare that I read cookbooks solely focused on one item. However, when I saw "A Burger to Believe In", I totally started drooling. I love simple burgers and I was excited to get ideas -- and I did. It's helpful to go through the types/quality of meat and the age of the animal (a bit TMI for me, but all good). I have vegetarian friends and I'm so excited to try making the Earth Burger for them (myself, I'm all about the meat!). The recipes for deep-frying (and how to) is mouth-watering. This book could be a bit on the brainer side for me, but definitely a resource to have on the shelf.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kronner's A Burger to Believe In: Recipes and Fundamentals got me to buy a meat grinder and grind my own chuck into hamburger. It also argued for the eating of "antique beef" which is in essence allowing dairy cows to grow old and ennormace before they are harvested for steaks and hamburgers. I must confess I went to a restaurant in Seattle that served antique beef and it was well, really beefy. Next project is to dry age my own steaks which Kronner's tome gives step by step instructions to do.

[Magila · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for burger lovers.

My favorite part of this book was its mix of self-deprecation and fussiness. The author seemed to be aware of how it can come off a bit over the top and embraced its pomposity comedically.

While it’s solely focused on burgers, condiments, sides, and even buns are included. It could stand for a few more photos, my wife for instance doesn’t get drawn to many recipes if they don’t include foodporn - but there are plenty overall to inspire the reader on their burger journey.

I don’t believe you have to embrace the authors social messages and such, but the book includes his philosophy. It’s not really distracting and I appreciated how he avoided it being simply ringing a bell about how awesome his popular burger.

In a nutshell, this book is part personal reflection and part cookbook celebrating the journey to creating one’s perfect burger.

[TISHA · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love burgers, wings, finger foods and sweets, then this is the book for you. I happen to love all of the above, so into my favorites it goes. I haven't made anything from this book but the recipes seem simple enough to make and items seem within range to buy.

[Ietrio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the perfect recipes. A bit too much sugar. Too much salt. But the theme is good and the structure is excellent. Some mix ups like Cheddar Mayo not being quoted with the the rest of the mayo recipes is compensated by the well done index at the end of the book.

[Joseph Tepsic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly it’s more of a cookbook but does offer some insight on the industry and related stories.

What I do appreciate is that most recipes aren’t created with base ingredients but homemade, which is exactly what I look for personally.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Visually stunning

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

specialty ingredients a normal cook could never find and make; the patty melt was the only thing that I even felt interested in

[Ryan Juno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it but didn’t finish because this is a more intensive book that you own and go through step by step

[Douglas Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very interesting burger recipes. I want to try many of them.

[Brad]

AoM podcast 6/30/21

[Alicia Herrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The fact that I was given the book did not influence my review.

A carnivore's guide to ethical eating. As always I'll review this as both a librarian and a reader.
Librarian: I won't be buying this book. Not because it isn't good. If I were still working Adult Reference I would almost certainly buy it. But I'm a school librarian, and our 600 section already has more than enough books on this topic.

Reader: This book is excellent. Not only does it provide a wide variety of excellent tips and tricks toward making your burger better, but it also goes into a lot of detail around ethical and sustainable meat, and organic gardening. Admittedly I doubt that most people who come into this book are actually looking for this information (most probably just want tips on making better hamburgers.) But it is interesting (if slightly impractical) information.

[roxi Net · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's rare that I read cookbooks solely focused on one item. However, when I saw "A Burger to Believe In", I totally started drooling. I love simple burgers and I was excited to get ideas -- and I did. It's helpful to go through the types/quality of meat and the age of the animal (a bit TMI for me, but all good). I have vegetarian friends and I'm so excited to try making the Earth Burger for them (myself, I'm all about the meat!). The recipes for deep-frying (and how to) is mouth-watering. This book could be a bit on the brainer side for me, but definitely a resource to have on the shelf.

[Lisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher. and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. Anyone can make a burger but this book will tell you how to make an AMAZING one.. I liked that they showed a vegetarian burger that was not made with "frankenfood vegan meat" but it looked so complicated and had so many ingredients that I am sure I would never make it.
The sides ... everything from fries to salads to chicken wings t drinks and dessert were a neat thing to find in a burger book- I cannot wait to make the pimento cheese.

[Kelleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was on display in my local library and caught my eye. It was a fun read about age-ing meat, and giving recommendations for cooking.