How to Assemble the Ultimate Summer Burger Board with Kentucky Cattlemen's Beef
I am so excited to partner with Kentucky Cattlemen’s Beef to bring you the Ultimate Summer Burger Board just in time for your summer cookouts and Memorial Day Weekend festivities! Kentucky Cattlemen’s fresh, natural (no artificial ingredients, minimally processed) beef is sourced from Kentucky farm families who share a commitment to animal care and the environment. When you buy Kentucky Cattlemen’s Ground Beef you can feel confident in purchasing a great tasting product while supporting local Kentucky (which I love!). You can truly taste the difference in the quality of this beef, so I was thrilled to feature it on this board.
Summer cookout food is my favorite food, and this board features all the best parts in one place! This spread has everything you need to build the most delicious burgers all in one spot- all the toppings, buns, classic cookout sides, and more! Your guests will love being able to mix and match different toppings, combinations, and flavors. Perfect for your next summer cookout, lake days, or poolside dinners! Find all the ingredients you need as well as instructions to assemble below!
xoxo
Emily
the following amounts make an extra large size board to feed 6-10 people (adjust the burger/ground beef amounts accordingly depending on how many burgers each person wants; also adjust baked beans/potato salad according to amount of guests; you will have plenty of all other items up to 12-15 burgers or more)
2-3 lbs. 80/20 Kentucky Cattlemen’s Ground Beef (depending on the size of your burgers, each pound can make about 4 burgers; adjust according to how many you will be feeding!)
salt and pepper
2-4 types of hamburger buns of your choice: I used onion buns, classic sesame seeds buns, brioche buns, and pretzel buns
one head/bunch of iceburg lettuce
one small bag of shredded lettuce
1-2 fresh tomatoes
1 red onion
1 white/yellow onion
2-3 types of pickles: I used bread and butter horseradish pickles and dill pickle spears.
1 small jar banana pepper rings
3-4 types of sliced cheese: I used Vermont white cheddar, baby swiss, pepperjack, and colby
4-6 oz beer cheese spread
3-4 oz Gorgonzola crumbles
1/4-1/3 cup mayo
1/4-1/3 cup ketchup
1/4-1/3 cup yellow mustard
1/4-1/3 cup stone ground mustard
1/4-1/3 cup Boar’s Head Chipotle Gourmaise
1/4-1/3 cup Boar’s Head Pepperhouse Gourmaise
1/4-1/3 cup creamy horseradish sauce
3-4 ounces cooked bacon slices
16 oz baked beans
14 oz potato salad (make your own or get pre-prepared/ storebought!)
Ruffle’s potato chips or your favorite classic potato chips
The first step is to prepare your burgers! I had my husband start grilling while I prepared the rest of the board so they were still hot and fresh when we served! Adjust this step according to your schedule- you may want to prepare the entire board and grill last. 80/20 ground beef is the perfect blend for burgers. Divide each pound into 4 equal sections and form into patties. Add a little salt and pepper to your patties before putting them on the grill. Using a meat thermometer, make sure to cook each burger to 160°F internal temperature. Find more burger recipes and grilling tips on the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Beef website here.
Now you can begin preparing your board. I used an extra large tray for mine (about 32x20)- you will need a very large tray, platter, or serving board or you can use multiple smaller boards! Begin by placing the largest items first, which was the buns for me. I did a different stack of buns in each corner, making sure there was plenty of space between each. I placed about 3-4 buns of each kind on the board but you can adjust according to the space you have and how many guest you’re feeding.
Next I placed the pickles (I was able to fit both kinds in one bowl), baked beans (warm up/cook first), potato salad, and shredded lettuce all in their own medium sized bowls. I again placed these closer to the middle but all on different sides of the board (basically at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock) with plenty of space in between.
I added the cheeses next, tearing most slices in half and layering them in small piles throughout the board (one pile for each kind). I placed the beer cheese and Gorgonzola each in a small bowl and placed those at opposite ends of the board.
My burgers got added in next right in the center. I made a small pile here and you can stack it as high as you like. We grilled some burgers will cheese already on and some without.
Next add in your condiments. I used small bowls/cups for all of these and scattered them throughout the board. I also added the banana peppers to a small bowl during this step. I paid extra attention to space out those similar in color like the mustards. Be sure to add a small spoon, spreader, or knife to a few or all of these before serving.
Now you can finish off your board by filling in the remaining areas with your veggies and chips! Slice your onions and tomatoes. The onions and tomatoes worked great layered along a couple edges of my board where I had some empty spots to fill. You can also add the bacon here and make a small pile wherever you have an odd-shaped crevice to fill.
Fill the remaining small holes with potato chips then garnish any remaining empty spots with lettuce. I tore this into smaller pieces and used it a lot along the edges, and also tucking underneath bowls and other items.
Serve immediately, allow your guests to build their own burgers, and enjoy!
