Culver’s ButterBurgers
The chef uses a weight to press down a spatula over the meat, flattening the burger nice and thin, allowing it to crisp up slightly around the edges of the patty. Culver’s is a restaurant chain known for their ButterBurgers, so-called because they butter their buns before toasting them crispy. They’re also known for their Frozen Custard. Culver’s Frozen Custard is an amazing thing, my friends. Think ice cream, but seriously good - very creamy. They’re also known for their Wisconsin Cheese Curds, which they’ve helped popularize across the United States as the company has grown and opened new restaurants. When I was invited to visit their corporate headquarters in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, I jumped at the chance. I’ve always been curious to get a peek behind the curtain of restaurant operations. As a foodie, you never know what you’re going to learn. And also, I’m a big fan of their ButterBurgers. Bonus! I knew they’d be serving them up, and YES, my friends, I got to enjoy them. Let me tell you about my visit. I met with Joe Koss, President of Culver’s and Quinn Adkins, Culver’s Director of Menu Development, along with an eager support staff making it a very pleasant visit. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, and they all exuded company pride. After the introduction, I was brought into the Culver’s test kitchen to get a firsthand look at how they make their signature ButterBurgers. And, I got to enjoy some! The meat is seared on a hot grill, then served over lightly buttered toasted buns. The key to making their ButterBurgers is exceptional preparation. Their burgers are not charbroiled, but are instead cooked at 425 degrees fahrenheit on a specially designed nickel and chrome surface, 30 seconds per side. As I wandered out to the lobby during a break, I had the luck of bumping into Craig Culver himself. He was on his way down the stairs, and when he noticed my group, he greeted us warmly and engaged us in a bit of conversation. He was genuinely interested in what we do as writers and bloggers. Great guy! The patties are finished off with a whiff of salt and pepper and a slice of Wisconsin cheese, if desired by the customer, and served up on buttered toasted buns, finally customized with selected toppings. Off to a slice of burger heaven it is - not a bad place to be! You can select from a wide variety of burger at Culver’s, just a few of those being the ButterBurger, ButterBurger with Cheese, and Culver’s Deluxe with real Wisconsin cheese. Order a single, double or triple, and they’ll customize (think crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, pickles, sweet red onion and mayo, and more) it for you. I also got to see some of their famous Frozen Custard machines. I imagine they get a lot of use, serving up Frozen Custard to the hungry masses!
Final Notes
I also got to see the original Frozen Custard costume worn in the earlier days to promote business. It doesn’t look very comfortable! I think we can agree, my spicy food loving friends, that our love for spicy food is deeply personal, and it can be a disappointment when a menu item advertised as “spicy” underdelivers. The takeaway here is this – enjoy your ButterBurger as you like it, because it’s quite awesome, or do like you always do and drizzle on some hot sauce. Thank you to Culver’s, and a special thanks to the whole team for your hospitality! Congratulations on celebrating 35 years in business. Learn more about Culver’s and find the restaurant nearest to you!
