Christmas burgers have become something of a festive tradition, with chefs around the UK competing to create bigger, crazier burgers each year. If you fancy one last blow-out before Christmas Day, here are eight meaty masterpieces to try.
Burgers and Beers have created the Yippee-Ki-Yay burger, inspired by their favourite festive flick – Die Hard. Their succulent fried turkey leg is topped with bacon, sausage meat, sprouts, Monterey Jack cheese, and cranberry mayo, all packed into a toasted cranberry bun. Bring your hungriest mates along and order the Christmas poutine too – fries topped with turkey gravy, bacon, sprouts and cheese curds.
If you’re not into turkey, you might enjoy Shake Shack’s Xmas Shack – crispy chicken topped with Gruyère cheese, pickled shallots, sliced kale, cranberry bacon chutney, and gravy mayo. Their Covent Garden branch is definitely the most festive – wrap up warm and dine beneath the mistletoe and glitter balls in the Market Building.
You’ll need to unhinge your jaw like a snake to eat this one, but it’s worth every messy mouthful. This burger has it all – a 7oz beef patty, buttermilk fried turkey, roast ham, deep fried stuffing and sprouts, spiced red cabbage, Monterey Jack cheese, cranberry sauce, and a drizzle of turkey gravy. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s served with goose fat roasties and more gravy for dipping. We need a nap just thinking about it.
If you’re not into turkey or sprouts, the Honest Burgers Christmas special could be the one for you. Back on the menu until the end of December, their beef patty is topped with smoked bacon, deep-fried camembert, cranberry sauce and rocket. Served with their famous rosemary salted chips, it’s the best £12.50 you’ll spend this season.
Almost Famous (Manchester / Leeds / Liverpool)
Behold, the ‘Son of a Nutcracker’ – another contender for the ‘how do I even eat this?’ pile. The burger wizards at Almost Famous have taken their classic cheeseburger and added a sausage patty, buttermilk fried turkey goujons, festive slaw, and three incredible sauces – cranberry-bacon jam, JD and cola BBQ sauce, and brandy butter peppercorn sauce. There’s even a sausage roll and a pig in blanket on top, because it wouldn’t be Christmas without them!
Looking for something that won’t leave you in a week-long meat coma? Head to Giraffe for a festive turkey burger topped with bacon, brie, and apple-cranberry relish. It’s on their Christmas menu, which is a total bargain at £15.95 for two courses. Save room for the gingerbread cheesecake or treat yourself to a salted caramel espresso Martini. ‘Tis the season…
Our list would be incomplete without Hawksmoor’s legendary Christmas burger. There are two patties – one turkey, one pork – topped with crispy bacon, sprout tops, spiced cranberry ketchup and a slice of Ogleshield cheese. There’s turkey graving on the side for dipping – just be careful not to drip down your Christmas jumper. Try it for yourself at their Spitalfields Bar or their steakhouses in Edinburgh and Manchester.
There’s a sleigh-load of Christmas specials on the menu at Lazybones – perfect if you’re planning a last-minute get-together with friends or work mates. For their Crimbo-ger, they’ve topped buttermilk fried turkey with pigs in blankets, fried sprout tops, and spiced cranberry ketchup. There’s turkey gravy on the side, a mince pie brownie sundae for dessert, and Christmas cocktails to get you in the party mood.
