Recipes worthy of a burger whisperer

Whether you like your burgers stripped-down and lean, basted in butter or super-sized, there's a recipe here you'll want to save.

Our opinionated experts also share their strong, sometimes conflicting opinions on how to make the best burger.

Let's start with Josh Ozersky, who has strong feelings about low-fat hamburgers.

"A lean burger is an abominable object," says Ozersky, author of "The Hamburger: A History." "Everything that is valuable in the meat lies in the fat. The way I think of it is, the fat is the meat and meat is the vegetable."

The prevailing wisdom in traditional burger making is using an 80 percent lean ground beef.

This fatty variety of meat creates a sublime patty that oozes meaty juice with each bite.

Low-fat varieties too often result in patties that are lean, but lousy.

"You can go 90/10, but it doesn't have the same sort of bite to it, and doesn't make a great burger," says Frank Proto, executive chef at Landmarc, a New York bistro.

He also isn't impressed by most efforts to add fillers or other ingredients to moisten lean beef.

"You put that stuff in and it's not only a binder but also an extender. Does it make the texture any better? Yeah, but it starts to taste like a meatloaf," he says.

Ozersky says the best way to make a lean burger is to make a smaller burger.

A quarter-pound patty of 80 percent lean beef has 290 calories and 23 grams of fat. The half pounders served at most restaurants pack 580 calories and 46 grams of fat.

Not willing to downsize? Cut 85 percent beef with lean ground buffalo, ostrich or emu. A half-pound burger made from a 1-to-1 ratio of 85 percent beef agd buffalo, for example, sports 450 calories and 30 grams of fat.

Here's how to do it:

LEANER BEEF BURGER

1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef

1 pound ground buffalo

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Heat a grill to medium-high.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Form the mixture into 4 patties.

When the grill is ready, coat the grates with cooking spray or rub them with an oil-soaked paper towel held by tongs. Grill the burgers for 5 to 8 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness. Serves 4.

Bobby Flay obviously isn't counting the calories for this recipe, which bastes burgers in garlic butter. If you like, add fresh herbs or Worcestershire sauce to the butter to boost the flavor even more.

GARLIC BUTTER BURGER

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

4 cloves garlic

1/2 small shallot, chopped