Ever had a smoked hamburger before? Neither had David Neinstein over at Barque Smokehouse, until recently. “I’ve got a big-ass smoker,” he says, “so why not smoke some burgers?” He’s looking at adding hamburgers to Barque’s menu anyway, and figured Canada Day would be a good time to test them out. People are apparently digging them so far.
The tenderloin patties are rubbed and then smoked at a very low temperature for about 20 minutes. They’re then finished in a pan and topped with sautéed mushrooms, candied bacon and old cheddar. Smoking the burgers before pan frying them helps render the fat, Neinstein says, and adds some smokey flavour, of course.
Lunch service is done for the day — Barque won’t be serving the burgers for dinner — but Neinstein says he’s got a few left to serve at brunch for tomorrow ($12 with a side; anyone who’s curious should head in early, they’re going fast). Keep an eye out for them in the future, too: Neinstein says there’s a good chance they’ll end up on the menu.
Barque Smokehouse, 299 Roncesvalles Ave., 416-532-7700