12 Make-Ahead Burger Toppings

May 14, 2014

Making your own condiments, pickles, and other burger toppings may take a bit of planning, but the results are in a whole different league than anything you'll find in a store. Start now and upgrade your Memorial Day burgers with 12 recipes for pickles, mustard, ketchups, hot sauces—even home-cured bacon.

Yucatecan Pickled Red Onions (Escabeche de Cebolla) — Red onions soak up the flavors of oregano and cumin in this classic pickle relish.Todd Coleman

Tomatillo and Roasted Green Chile Ketchup — Spicy, tangy, and smooth, tomatillo ketchup can do double-duty: It’s great as a dipping sauce or burger topping, but can also serve as a simmer sauce for meats.Khushbu Shah

This thick, tangy, fresh-tasting tomato ketchup is easy to make at home. See the recipe for Homemade Ketchup »Todd Coleman

Pickled Ramps — Pickling is a great way to preserve ramps, the wild spring onions that overflow at the market for a few weeks each spring. Their garlicky flavor combined with a vinegar kick adds a bright punch to all sorts of dishes.Anna Stockwell

Beet ketchup — Ketchup made with roasted beets has a surprising, slightly earthy flavor—we love it in place of tomato ketchup on turkey burgers. It's easiest to cook it over the course of two days. See the recipe for Beet Ketchup »Khushbu Shah

Pickled Serrano Chiles — Pickled serranos make a versatile condiment that adds tartness and heat to all sorts of dishes; for the tastiest results, allow the pickled peppers to sit in the refrigerator for at least a week before you use them.André Baranowski

These Brazilian pickled chiles are usually served alongside rice and beans, roast pork, or fish, but they're just as delicious atop burgers. For less intense heat, remove the seeds from the chiles before pickling. See the recipe for Brazilian Pickled Chiles »

Hot Sauce — Store-bought hot sauce can't compare to the homemade version.André Baranowski

Our favorite mustard recipe uses brown mustard seeds and Guinness beer, which lends a malty character and hints of sweetness. See the Spicy Guinness Mustard recipe »André Baranowski

Sodas like the Dr. Pepper in this recipe from chef Elizabeth Karmel, often sweeten barbecue sauces across the country. See the recipe for Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce »Todd Coleman

Sweet pickles are a classic burger topping; our recipe includes mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. See the Bread and Butter Pickles recipe »André Baranowski

Home curing is easy and yields a far more flavorful bacon than the store-bought kind. What's more, you can season the bacon any way you like; this recipe calls for a rub of fennel, caraway, rosemary, and thyme. See the recipe for Home Cured Bacon »André Baranowski

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