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We recently purchased our family cottage in Michigan and split our time between suburban Chicago and the lake. Needless to say, the restaurant choices in Michigan are not what they are in Chicago! Sometimes you want a burger that is more than basic – and these 8 copycat burger recipes are sure to hit the spot! We do a lot of entertaining in the summer and since we live on a lake, we are mostly outdoors with our guests. Summertime + Lake + Outdoor Living = BBQ! Not wanting the same old boring burger weekend after weekend, it is time to look for some alternatives in hopes of finding the best burger recipe out there.
Red Robin’s Blue Ribbon burger is an amazingggg burger. Loaded with blue cheese and onion strings it is mouthwateringly good! Check out Big Oven for the recipe. I have not had a Red Robin burger in years! This looks really close to what I remember since this is my RR burger of choice.
Five Guys makes an extraordinary burger and Mashed.com shows us *exactly* how they do it. Load it up with your favorite toppings – I recommend grilled onion, grilled mushrooms, cheese, bacon, ketchup and mayo – and enjoy! I am pretty sure the key to this burger is the aluminum foil wrap at the end…
This TGIFriday’s copycat Jack Daniel’s Bacon Cheeseburger from Dinner Then Dessert, looks fantastic! The sauce has Jack Daniels and pineapple juice. Oh my yum!
Creative Culinary shows us how to make Smashburger’s Spicy Cowboy Burger. This burger has jalapeno, bacon AND onion strings?! Yes, please. We made these over Memorial Day weekend and they were a *huge* hit. So good! You can see everything we served with these burgers in our Take Your BBQ to the Next Level with this Awesome Menu post.
If you’ve been to Texas, you’ve probably been to Whataburger- and what a burger it is! Away from the Box shows us how to make a copycat Monterey Melt burger and it looks like a mound of gooey, melty goodness!
And if you’ve ever been to LA, you’ve probably been to Shake Shack! Throw these delicious Shake Shack Cheeseburgers on the grill and your friends will swoon.
Another west coast favorite- In and Out Burger! The Burger Artist teaches us how to make a copycat In and Out Burger, complete with special sauce, that will have you wanting seconds!
Applebees Brunch Burger is loaded with hash browns and a fried egg! I guess that’s why they call it a “brunch burger.” This seems like a lot of effort for the morning, but breakfast for dinner is always an option!
Looks Like Happy’s Favorite Grilling Goods:
- How awesome is this grill? Since we entertain a lot, a huge 8-burner grill like this is on my short list. Our current grill is old (and unfortunately working too well to replace!) but I definitely want an open, 8-burner style “pro” grill like this.
- Dishwasher friendly grill tools are a must! They get so greasy and grimy, being able to throw them in the dishwasher is the key to easy cleanup. I like this 4 piece BBQ tool set because it boasts the tools will never rust (gross- definitely don’t want rusty burgers!) AND the spatula has a bottle opener on it. Weekend forecast: Grilling with a chance of drinking.
- Just like grill tools, a *serious* grill brush is a must. This stainless steel grill brush has nearly 2000 great reviews. Gotta keep that beautiful grill clean!
- No one likes overcooked (or undercooked <ack!>) meat and one way to guarantee that won’t happen is with a digital meat thermometer. If you don’t have one, be sure to get one that works for the grill and the oven. I use mine all the time to be sure pork tenderloin, whole chickens and even bread is cooked to perfection.
- And last, but not least, a grill apron. Save your shirt from grease-spraying bratwurst with a heavy duty grilling apron. We have this Weber apron, and my husband actually keeps one in his car as well. It is super thick and he is super messy when he eats in the car. After several ruined shirts, shorts and pants, I bought him the apron to keep clean when he’s driving back and forth from IL to MI. <sigh>
Ready for more recipes? Check out these related posts:
5 Must Have Drinks for Hot Summer Days
12 Super Quick Diners for Crazy Weeknights
Buffalo- It’s Not Just For Wings! These 12 Recipes Will Hit the Spot
We have a very popular “Meal Prep Like a Pro” series that is widely shared on social media. You can check out the posts here:
Meal Prep Like a Pro: Part One
Meal Prep Like a Pro: Part Two
Meal Prep Like a Pro: Part Three- The Lunch List
Meal Prep Like a Pro: The School Lunch Edition – No Parents Allowed!
If you love to grill, you’ll love following our Grill Master board on Pinterest! Pop in and check it out!
Happy grilling!
Allison
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