# Grilled or Griddled Burgers?



## joe b (May 22, 2011)

I am always tossing around ideas for restaurant concepts. My favorite one has got to be a burger joint. Nothing crazy just simple ingredients but all house made - curing/smoking bacon, baking bread, fresh cut fries, etc.

In sake of consistency and ease of training, I think a flat top is the piece of equipment for a burger place. But alas, something about the grill marks and charring of a flame grilled that just screams summer and outdoors to make it appealing but in a different way. I think both pieces of equipment have their benefits and drawbacks.

So just looking for some people's opinion to which they prefer, grilled or griddled burgers, and why.


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

I like both, sometimes I just want a nice crusty burger cooked in it's own fat and I will cook one on the flat top, but I prefer char broiled, that's what I do at my place. You can't beat the flavor of a nice juicy burger cooked on a char broiler.


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## highlander01 (Apr 30, 2010)

I will eat both but given the choice I prefer grilled ... they just seem to taste better to me .. for example my wife and I went to a burger place near our house a couple of days ago that we had never been to before and I ordered a double bacon cheeseburger with everything ... it was ok .... and that was the problem it was just ok not even OK the main problem that I had with it is I could tell that it was cooked in it's own fat and for me that was just a big turn off, I think the problem was it was cooked in a big pool of it's own fat instead of being cooked in a way so that it's own fat could drain away.

But again I have eaten burgers fixed both ways and if done PROPERLY both are good but I do prefer grilled over charcoal simply due to taste.


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## deacon (Jan 13, 2011)

Good question, both have their befits and shortcomings...It is funny to me that places I have worked in, some did them on the flat top and some on the grill. But whichever one I was at at the time, I wanted the other. Now I work in a place that doesn't even have burgers on the menu but I have two cooks that work at Five Guys (different locations) in the day time and I harrass them everyday to bring me a burger when they come in. And wouldn't you know it, they both braught me one on the same day and yes, I ate both of them. I'mnot even a big guy.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

The two best burgers I've had came from a flattop.  Chuck 'n' Freds and Five Guys.  BUt I like grilled ones too. My third place burger is grilled, Crown Burger.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Although I don't qualify for a free burger. 350+

The triple bypass burger from The Heart Attack Grill/img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif


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## chrose (Nov 20, 2000)

I think if I had a choice I would go for grilled. If a burger is going to be loaded with strong toppings it may be pointless to try and toss in a grilled flavor too. Like a chili burger with onions etc. Too much overpowering for a grill, use a flat top. Otherwise if you are going to complement the flavor then I would definitely prefer the grill. If you can why not have both? Both are very useful tools to have. Me, I would love the choice.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Like mine on a good flattop. Not a fan of char broiled as it alters  taste of burger.


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## rgm2 (May 28, 2011)

As the grill cook where I work, I actually have access to both... I have not had one person ask me to cook their burger on the flat top. I normally use it to make grill cheese, reuben, or to quickly finish cooking a steak sandwich special when we have it, or to steam melt the cheese faster during the rushes. That and half the grill is dedicated to vegetarians so it is used for reheating those nasty vegetarian patty things the granola's eat.


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