Building A Better Burger

Published July 3, 2014 at 5:17 PM PDT

If a hamburger could talk it just might be able to sing. And if that hamburger could sing, the song would most likely be the Star-Spangled Banner.

There are few foods that can be considered more American.

This Fourth of July more than 74 million Americans will fire up the grill, and they will barbeque more than $200 million worth of hamburger.

So what's the best way to cook a burger – on a grill or on a skillet? What's the best kind of ground beef to use? Do you go with good, old-fashioned mustard and ketchup, or something more exotic, like wasabi mayonnaise, pickled beets, maybe even a fried egg?

And if you don't want to be bothered with home-cooking: where are the best places hamburger joints in Las Vegas?

We explore the many incarnations of the great American Hamburger in this discussion.

GUESTS

Chris Palmeri, owner of Naked City Pizza Shop

Jim Begley, writer, Las Vegas Weekly

Christina Wilson, executive Chef of Gordon Ramsay Burger, former Hell’s Kitchen Winner