"This is the “house” burger at Bobby’s Burger Palace. It’s a basic burger (I like it garnished with red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce and horseradish mustard) with CRUNCH. The crunch factor comes from a big handful of potato chips layered between the burger and the bun. Some of you may have added chips to your sandwiches as kids, and if people ever told you that you were nuts, I’m here to say that you’re not! Oozing melted cheese becomes a part of the chips, and those crunchy chips become a part of the burger—delicious. I love getting a mouthful of juicy burger and salty, crispy potato chips in one bite; it’s a way to get a true contrast of textures into your cheeseburger. In fact, I make it an option to have all of the burgers at Bobby’s Burger Palace “crunchified.”"
1½ pounds ground chuck (80% lean) or ground turkey (90% lean)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons canola oil
8 slices American cheese, each¼-inch thick
4 potato hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired
4 slices beefsteak tomato (optional)
4 leaves romaine lettuce (optional)
4 slices red onion (optional)
4 handfuls of potato chips
Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.
To grill the burgers, heat a gas grill to high or heat coals in a charcoal grill until they glow bright orange and ash over. Brush the burgers with the oil. Grill the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes for beef and 5 minutes for turkey. Flip over the burgers.
Cook beef burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the second side, about 4 minutes for medium rare (5 minutes for turkey burgers or until cooked throughout).
Top each burger with 2 slices of cheese during the last minute of cooking and close the grill cover or tent the burgers with aluminum foil to melt the cheese.
Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and, if desired, top with tomato, lettuce and onion. Pile on the potato chips, top with the bun tops and serve immediately.