This was a tough vote - going over the options.
Voting against 1010's smash burger was hard. ( I mean, c'mon. That's my bag!) Heat + CI + Beef = gud. But Hot Stuff's burger had me really interested to find out how all those flavors went down together. That prosciutto is what really tied to room together for me. Great flavor interface between the beef and the scampi. And that po' boy bun! Good job!
I don't know what to say about JHP's entry. Asian influenced pork belly and shrimp patties?! Really creative and expertly executed. I will be making those at some point. Thank you for enlightening me! And, SoS, your gorgeous cheese stuffed pork patties made your entry very difficult to vote against! Well done, both of you.
Ozzy's brunchburger never spoke to me at first, but then I just kept coming back to it. It was getting into my head and telling my taste buds how much fun they could me having. It really grew on me. Fire roasted peppers always get me in the feelz. When Scovie presented his entry, the decision became that much harder. Thin beef/chorizo patties with all that surface area for browning? YES, PLEEEEEAZ!!! And those grilled gorgonzola sammich buns?! You guys made this one really hard. Thank you both for going bonkers!
gm's murderburger didn't speak to me at first, either. I admit I am very intrigued by a burger that employs vichyssoise as an onion (well played!). And that black tar really sounded good on paper, but the appearance was hard to reconcile. I would love to try that one in person and put my mind at ease. Wheebz brought it in full force (as best as be was capable of at the time...). That one really came together well. And it was serendipity that you ended up with tater tot buns - a definite plus in by book. This one was tough vote. Good job, guys!
And now, extreme. D3, D3, D3... What can I say.
BOOYAKASHAA!!! That burger just blew me away, and not just in an extreme way. You pulled all the punches. You threw a brioche bun on that burger! That's like putting corinthian leather seats in a dumptruck. The relish and the bacon jam were good choices for condiments here. Very complimentary flavor profiles with plenty of meat in-between. And let's talk about that choice of meat. Just brilliant!
It kills me to vote against that beautiful gift of burger perfection JayT with which JayT graced our humble thread. Your patty came out perfect. You put the care into that that a mother gives her firstborn. Primo technique, sir!
And for the throwdown? I never thought I'd see the day when I vote for a veggie burger against real beef burgers (especially those of the caliber y'all were droppin' in here,) bud damn. I had my doubts when I saw the ingredient list. But once I saw you get to work, you schooled me. Hard. Buddy, it takes some real, serious skill to turn those humble veggies into the masterpiece you brought here. As soon as my wife and I saw it finished, we looked at each other, cried a little and I knew this vote's fate was sealed.
No dis to any other contestants intended. But Given the choice, I would've opted to take a bite out of Ryme's creation before my own. And mine was, without question, the best burger I've ever made/eaten. That pic of the freshly fried patties put a tear in my eye. Every piece of that burger was perfect for its place. Even the yogurt on the top, I imagine that really rounded out the flavors and added a tangy creaminess that just set it all off. Much respect, Rymperpt.
This one was hard. Bacon wrapped onion rings? popper stuffed elk patty? Chicken and fire roasted hatch pepper empanada buns? Blackened f**king Lionfish?!!!
You people brought a crazy A-game. A very tasteful, crazy A-game.
If THP was in a burger throwdown against
any other cooking website, we would embarrass them.
to everyone. 
