Easy Gourmet-Style Burgers for Your Holiday Cookout

Planning a burgers and dogs cookout for the holiday weekend? Step up your game and seal your reputation as a goddess of hamburger bliss with a variety of gourmet-style burgers that won't break the bank.

I will admit to leaving the grilling duties to my boyfriend while I try not to chip a fingernail while raising my glass. When it comes to the creativity, we share the brainstorming and prep duties. While he's getting the patties ready for the grill, I prepare the toppings.

Start with a good burger
It's tempting to save money on the cheapest ground beef or pre-made patties you can buy, but it will make a difference you don't want to be remembered for. While I don't recommend using ground sirloin for grilling due to shrinkage, you shouldn't use a ground beef that is less than 80 percent lean.

My boyfriend won't even tell me the exact spices he puts into our hamburgers. I know that we use one-half cup of dried bread crumbs and one egg per pound of ground beef. This will help the hamburgers hold their moisture and stay together on the grill. Add seasonings to your heart's desire and shape into four-ounce patties.

Gouda-Bacon Burger
There's nothing wrong with a plain bacon-cheeseburger. But, take a step up in the cheese for your guests with buttery-tasting Gouda. Once the burgers are grilled to your tastes, top them with a slice of Gouda cheese, then top with a strip of fried bacon, cut in half. The Gouda-Bacon burger is a nice balance to toppings including lettuce, tomato, fresh sweet onion and dill pickle slices. Hold the ketchup, though. A final topping of mayonnaise is perfect.

Barbecue Burger
As soon as you flip the burger, baste on a little of your favorite sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. The heat from the grill will set the sauce into a thicker glaze. Turn once more and baste the second side. Top with about one tablespoon of lightly sauteed sweet onions and a slice of horseradish cheddar cheese. This burger doesn't need much of a topping. We use a bit of shredded romaine and mayonnaise. The sweet onion and barbecue sauce will mellow the sharp horseradish taste of the cheese.

Surprise Burger
This tasty treat is also perfect for freezing ahead for camping trips. It takes a few extra minutes to assemble before grilling but the taste is worth it. Press two ounces of ground beef into a normal size patty. Top with fresh minced onion and a small squeeze of both yellow mustard and ketchup. Top the filling with another two ounces of ground beef to complete the patty. Grill as you normally would and the condiments are already built into the burger! You only need to add the bun.

Spicy Southwest Burger
This burger should come with a warning label! We started with a patty made of a mixture of one-half ground beef and one-half chorizo sausage. Once they are properly grilled, add a tablespoon of sauteed onions mixed with canned green chilies and top that with a slice of jalapeno-Monterey Jack cheese. Once the burger is on the bun, spread it with about a tablespoon of your favorite guacamole.

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