Imagine savoring the North Fork’s finest flavors, perfectly sandwiched between two buns. Introducing our guide to making the ultimate “North Fork burgers,” crafted with ingredients sourced exclusively from local farms and markets. Fire up your grill, fetch a side of North Fork Potato Chips, and dig in!
The Farmhouse Burger
Local farm-raised Charolais beef topped with a dollop of local, all-natural spicy-sweet jam gives this burger a rustic, farm-to-table feel. Let’s break it down:
THE BREAD Begin with a brioche bun from Blue Duck Bakery, renowned for its artisanal breads. Sturdy and reliable, it’s the quintessential base to balance out the more intense flavors of the burger.
THE PATTY For the juiciest, farm-fresh ground beef, take a trip to McCall Wines — where burger nights are a summertime staple. The vineyard sells its own grass-fed, Charolais beef frozen by the pound or in a four-pack of 6-ounce patties.
THE CHEESE At the Village Cheese Shop in Mattituck, the experts vouch for pairing this burger with Huntsman: An English cheese that harmoniously entwines firm and mild Double Gloucester with strong and creamy Stilton blue cheese.
THE WORKS Now, for the finishing touches! Add a pinch of some sweet heat with Shade Tree Nursery’s hot pepper jelly, crafted from fresh bell peppers that are grown at their 20-acre farm on Herricks Lane in Jamesport. Next, grab a jar of crunchy, tangy Backyard Brine pickles to complement the spicy sweetness. The wholesale pickle brand is based in Cutchogue, but you can find their products at local shops like Jamesport Country Store and Harbes Family Farm. We’d recommend their crinkle cut, “Bread and Butter’’ pickle chips, a classic brine that’s sweetened with a brown sugar mixture and maple syrup. Amp up the flavor with two crispy, thinly sliced pieces of bacon from 8 Hands farm, a sustainable family farm that offers organic, pasture-raised meats in Cutchogue. Finish up your burger creation by adding a handful of wild arugula from Satur Farms.
The Greek Garden Burger
Packed with a medley of locally sourced veggies, this burger takes advantage of the North Fork’s abundant harvests of fresh produce all atop a chicken patty.
THE BREAD We opted for a glossy pretzel roll from Bayview Market & Farms for this burger. Baked in-house, the rolls are subtly salty and wonderfully soft.
THE PATTY To form the patty, take high-quality ground chicken sourced from Center Cuts, a local Mattituck butcher, and blend it with a generous portion of creamy feta cheese from Goodale Farms, fresh spinach from Sang Lee Farms, minced local garlic from Herricks Lane Farm, and a pinch of breadcrumbs made-in-house at Lombardi’s Love Lane Market.
THE VEGGIES Now, go ahead and generously pile local veggies onto your burger. Some of our favorite additions sourced from North Fork farms include juicy tomatoes from KK’s Farm in Southold, crisp red onions from Golden Earthworm Organic Farm, and refreshing mesclun lettuce from Deep Roots Farm.
THE FINISHING TOUCH The pièce de résistance that ties this burger together is a homemade tzatziki dressing from Agora The Little Greek Market in Mattituck. This delightful yogurt dip is crafted with strained Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, dill, and a touch of salt.
BEST BURGERS
Craving a burger from beyond your own kitchen? Here are our 2023 editors’ picks of the best burgers on the North Fork:
Barrow Food House, Aquebogue
Cliff’s Rendezvous, Riverhead
Ellen’s on Front, Greenport
First & South, Greenport
The North Fork Shack, Southold
