These chefs wrote a cookbook of centerfold-status burgers and each recipe is more to-die-for than the last.
Chefs Samuel Monsour and Richard Chudy set the tone for the American Burger Revival cookbook in their introduction. This book, they write, “is not for lazy motherfuckers … This book is for the highly motivated, flavor-obsessed, red-blooded, red-meat-loving home cooks across this great land.”
Cover of American Burger Revival by Richard Chudy and Samuel Monsour
Which does not mean the book, published by Union Park Press in Boston, is for the kitchen hoi polloi. (The KFC Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip recipe, for instance, starts with leftover pieces of KFC extra-crispy chicken tenders “preferably purchased in shame.” Yield: “About 4 cups of cheese and fried chicken regret.”) Yeah, these guys can cook and write.
That recipe aside, Monsour and Chudy — both award-winning cooks — make it clear that fresh, high-quality ingredients are the only place to start. The book examines how to grind your own meat blend and what choices to make about grilling and smoking, and gives specific tips on cooking times, among other pointers.
Richard Chudy and Samuel Monsour | Photo by Tara Morris
And yet, American Burger Revival is decidedly inspirational rather than dictatorial. Yes, it includes specific recipes for 12 kick-ass burgers that Monsour and Chudy cheekily call “Centerfolds.” But the authors make it clear that they hope readers will craft their own concoctions too. Indeed, Union Park Press (@unionparkpress on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) is encouraging folks to post their own creations on social media using the hashtag #MyBurgerIsACenterfold.
The book’s chapters — 120 recipes in all — are set up as elements in the stack of a tasty burger — Going all the Whey, for instance, for the cheese chapter. The result is an arsenal for creating your own dream burger, using the authors’ recipes for craft condiments, homemade buns, and cheese concoctions. Lowcountry Cornbread, Vermont “Velveeta,” Fried Ketchup, and Hushpuppy Battered Rellenos are just a few of the options. You don’t have to go this route of course — but why wouldn’t you?
The Filthy Pilgrim | Photo by Katie Chudy
Some author details: Samuel Monsour is the co-creator of the nationally renowned pop-up series The Future of Junk Food and has appeared on several reality cooking television shows. A third-generation chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Samuel has won numerous awards for his food, including “Best Burger” by Boston Magazine.
Richard Chudy is a chef, food writer, cooking instructor, and co-owner of the personal chef and catering company The Skinny Beet with his wife, Katie. He is the creator of Boston Burger Blog, which chronicles his ongoing quest to find the best burger in Boston and beyond. He co-hosts the podcast The Skinny Beet Dinner Party. He is a graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.