Sunshine and burgers – the quintessential recipe for picnics, camping weekends, lunch at the lake or any out-of-doors meal. That’s a lot of burgers! Don’t get stuck in the rut of the typical cheese, ketchup, and pickles combo, otherwise you could risk burger burnout by mid-July.
Here are a handful of toppings and bun combinations to keep your burgers interesting all summer long. Each of these recipes calls for the same ground beef and seasonings base, making it easy to prepare a dozen or so and let your family and friends choose the type of cheese, toppings, and bun they prefer. Each recipe makes four burgers.

The Longhorn
Round up your ranch hands and grill up these hearty burgers topped with crispy bacon, a hunk of Swiss cheese, juicy caramelized onions, and homemade steak sauce, all piled high on a toasted pretzel bun.

1 pound ground beef
1/4 teaspoon each of salt, freshly ground
black pepper and garlic powder
8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion,
sliced into rings and caramelized
4 pretzel buns, toasted

In a bowl, combine beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Shape mixture into 4 patties and set aside.
In a frying pan, melt butter. Add onions and cook until soft and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
Grill burgers over medium-high heat until desired doneness. Add cheese the last minute or so before removing burgers.
Spoon steak sauce over bottom bun. Place burger on sauce and top with bacon and caramelized onions.

Steak Sauce
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
Juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

In a saucepan, combine onion, garlic and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the sauce through a mesh strainer over a bowl to catch the onion and garlic, using a spoon to press the sauce through. Wipe any excess off the bottom of the strainer and into the bowl.
(Sauce recipe adapted from simplyscrath.com)

The Santafean
The iconic green chile cheeseburger hails from New Mexico with its roots dating back to the late 20s and early 30s when Route 66 arrived in the states. Today, an annual green chile burger smackdown gives chefs and restaurateurs the opportunity to showcase their version of the classic New Mexican staple.

1 pound ground beef
1/4 teaspoon each of salt, freshly ground
black pepper and garlic powder
1-2 tablespoons green chiles per burger,
roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped, (or substitute a 4-ounce can of chopped green chiles)
4 slices colby-jack cheese
4 brioche buns, toasted

In a bowl, combine beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Shape mixture into 4 patties and set aside.
Grill burgers over medium-high heat until desired doneness. Add cheese the last minute or so before removing burgers.
Top each burger with 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm green chiles.
Serve on toasted brioche buns.

The Grecian
Similar to a gyro, this burger is topped with feta cheese, spinach, red onion, tomato slices, dressed in creamy tzatziki (cucumber-yogurt sauce) and stuffed into a warm pita pocket.

1 pound ground beef
1/4 teaspoon each of salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder
1 cup of feta cheese crumbles
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
Spinach leaves
4 small pita pockets, warmed

In a bowl, combine beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Shape mixture into 4 (or 8 small patties) and set aside.
Grill burgers over medium-high heat until desired doneness.
Slice pita pockets in half. Place one half of a large burger or one small burger in each pita half. Add spinach leaves, tomato and onion slices, feta cheese and top with a dollop of sauce.

Tzatziki
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and
grated
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a mesh strainer, push cucumber through to remove excess water.
In a bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, and the rest of the ingredients. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Try these combos next
Utilize the same recipes and cooking method as the others to create the ultimate Spicy Pizza Burger. Top burgers with a provolone-mozzarella mixture, spicy marinara sauce, sandwich pepperoni (available at the deli counter), and sprinkle with sliced black olives.
And finally, get your hula on with The Aloha Burger. Place burger on a sweet King’s Hawaiian bun and top it with barbecue sauce, a pineapple ring, and a scoop of tangy cole slaw.