The Dish: The perfect burger for summer grilling season with Walter Gouldsbury from Gouldsburger's

The popular Haddonfield, New Jersey restaurant just opened a new express location at Logan Square in Center City Philadelphia.

Thursday, May 23, 2024
The Dish: The perfect burger for grilling season from Gouldsburger's
With the heat climbing, it's officially grilling season and we're tackling the perfect burger: juicy, well dressed, and cooked to perfection.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With the heat climbing, it's officially grilling season and we're tackling the perfect burger: juicy, well dressed, and cooked to perfection.

I checked in with the experts at Gouldsburger's for "Cheeseburger 101."

Gouldsburger's co-owner Walter Gouldsbury says the perfect burger blend is all about a precise ratio.

"We use a 70/30 blend, lean to fat ratio," he says. "It makes a juicy burger. We go for USDA prime brisket beef."

Gouldsburger's made a name for itself in Haddonfield, New Jersey. They just opened a brand new spot in Logan Square in Center City three weeks ago.

"This is more of a Gouldsburger's Express," Gouldsbury says. "This is the express model for the office crowd, for people who are coming in quick."

But today, we're taking our time with their signature 7-ounce burger, and they let us in on a few secrets

"The critical thing with any burger is you need to season it very nicely and generously with salt, pepper, a little garlic powder, and a little something else I can't tell you on camera. It's a secret there," Gouldsbury says.

I'll work on that secret - but the burger goes straight to the grill. We are using a griddle, but Gouldsbury says the same techniques apply.

Rule Number 1:

"Don't play with the burger too much. Let it sit. Let it get a nice crust. Don't push down on it, because all you are doing is pushing all the fat out, all the juice," he says.

Rule Number 2:

You get one flip. Just one.

"You can't play with it, don't fidget with the burger," he says. "Let it sit. Be patient. Then, we're going to flip it over and get a nice little crust on the other side."

While the burger cooks, toast your buns at the same time, on the same grill.

Now, it's time for the cheese.

"I'm a yellow guy on my burger," he says. "Some people think we are using Cheez Whiz. It's not. It's our Cooper Sharp yellow. We are one of the few people using it."

Rule Number 3:

"Do not be afraid to use the meat thermometer," Gouldsbury says. "There's no shame in that game. We'd rather be safe than sorry."

Once it's cooked to your liking, it's time for toppings.

I asked about the secret spice again. No dice!

They dress their burgers with shredded lettuce, thinly sliced onions, pickles and ketchup.

Rule Number 4:

"Let the burger rest," he says. "Let it sit, let the juices take a break, before cutting into it."

Opening up Gouldsberger's Express for the Center City office crowd

The Dish: The perfect burger for summer grilling season with Walter Gouldsbury from Gouldsburger's

Two and a half years ago, Gouldsbury teamed up with co-owner David Murray for Crumb Sandwich Joint in Haddonfield.

"We do homemade focaccia bread and house roasted meats," Gouldsbury says. "Everything's made by hand."

Then, they ventured into burgers.

"David was like, let's call it Gouldsburger's," Gouldsbury says. "It has a catch to it!"

In less than three years, they now have seven restaurants.

"We have a saying: 'When it stops being fun, we'll stop expanding,'" Murray says. "So far, so good."

The new Center City Gouldsburger's is their first spot across the bridge.

Murray says it started with an Instagram message from a Gouldsburger's fan, who happened to know real estate.

"My first response was, 'Absolutely not.'" Murray says. "I said, 'Thank you so much for reaching out, but unfortunately, at this time we have no desire. Jersey is where we're going to stay.'"

They ended up taking a peek and they were sold.

"We fell in love with the space and the people," Murray says.

So, they went for it, creating a lunch spot for the more fast-paced city crowd. Right now, it's still sort of a best kept secret in the heart of Logan Square.

"There's no sign out front yet," Murray says. "We don't have DoorDash or Grub Hub yet. When we say soft opening, we mean really soft opening."

They also serve cheesesteaks, salads and something called "Don's Shoe Dog." It's a riff on a nostalgic throwback meal.

"Back in the younger days, my kids always had hot dogs and macaroni and cheese," says Don Peacock, their managing partner in Center City.

Peacock elevated the old kid favorite with some bacon, toasted bread crumbs and cherry peppers.

"It's the lunch of champions," he laughs.

For more information or to view their full menu, visit: Gouldsburgers.com.