Unlock the secrets to the perfect crispy cheeseburger – Fil-Am Chef Alvin Cailan’s way
Brace yourselves for the crunchy, crispy, and ultimately delightful burger experience that will lift your taste buds to cloud nine! Fil-Am chef Alvin Cailan, the brains behind Umami Burger and Eggslut, spills the beans (and cheese!) on his iconic recipe: the Crispy Cheeseburger.
Cailan is undeniably an expert on all burgers. If you know his culinary delights, then you’re probably familiar with his crispy cheeseburger.
It’s similar to your classic cheeseburger, only that the cheese is super crunchy and crispy instead of melting onto the patty. Usually, he also whips it up as a smash burger instead of creating the usual thicker patties.
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In his appearance on the “Rachael Ray Show,” Cailan made his crispy cheeseburger. He also explained the steps involved in achieving the perfect crispy cheeseburger. The recipe’s uniqueness all boils down to the cheese. Here’s how you can achieve that cheesiness perfection:
1. Shred your cheese to perfection
As Chef Cailan said, there’s a secret hack to get that crispiness – shred your own cheese. Say goodbye to pre-shredded cheese with additives that turn your gooey goals into a gummy nightmare.
In a Tasting Table interview, he shared that “Pre-shredded cheese has an additive to it that will make your cheese gummy when it hits the grill. It’s corn starch or something that they put on there.”
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2. Sizzle to your contentment
Imagine this: your cheese atop the sizzling grill forming into an irresistible crispy crown for your patty. Yes, that’s another hack. Let the cheese go crispy before laying it on top of your burger.
3. Keep an eye on your cheese
While it’s on the grill, Chef Cailan suggests that you can’t just walk away and then eventually forget about your cheese. He said, “You have to keep watching it because it’s definitely one of those short-window items that you can burn quickly.”
4. Add some final touches
To fully level up your crispy cheese game, Chef Cailan recommends you add the final flourish— pickles, good sauce, red onions, and buns.
Furthermore, it’s essential to note that cheese is like bacon. It can easily burn up if you won’t monitor it closely. With emphasis on step #3 here!
One of the perks of this recipe is the short cooking time. ChefCailan values efficiency, and he understands you don’t want to spend more time when hunger strikes.
The culinary genius behind Amboy
Chef Alvin Cailan/Photo Credits: complex.com
Chef Alvin Cailan’s recipe book Amboy is his brainchild. Coming from the term “American Boy,” a term for Filipinos who grew up in America, Amboy will let you in on some of his secret cooking hacks and recipes.
Cailan is living his Filipino American dreams through his innovative recipes and simple hacks. He has become one of the most prominent chefs in America’s Filipino food movement.
He is also the host of “The Burger Show” on First We Feast’s YouTube channel. It has garnered over 1 million views and guested popular names like Seth Rogen and Padma Lakshmi.
Growing up in his Filipino family in a foreign country has contributed to his success. He overcame cultural and family expectations to pave his path to his successful career.
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