The Genius Way Bobby Flay Adds Crunch To His Burgers

There's an unusual way Bobby Flay adds crunch to his burgers that will have you feeling like a kid again. Per Food Network, the "Iron Chef" likes to layer potato chips between the burger and the bun of the house burger he serves up at Bobby's Burger Palace. After topping a typical cheeseburger with some red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce, and horseradish mustard, Flay adds a "big handful" of chips. He explains that the chips and the melted cheese become part of each other and, in turn, become part of the burger, giving it all kinds of texture and feels for your mouth and taste buds.

This very well may be one of the best cooking tips from Flay. He calls this addition "crunchified," and honestly, while potato chips on a sandwich may seem like a novel invention, this is one of those toppings that if you know, you know. Flay even said, "Some of you may have added chips to your sandwiches as kids, and if people ever told you that you were nuts, I'm here to say that you're not!" That's all the validation that the chip and sandwich-loving community needs.

Why does this cruchification work? The only ingredients Bobby Flay uses to season his burgers are salt and pepper, so they aren't dominated by one flavor. Potato chips are salty and a little greasy by nature. That savory element, along with the crispy bite they add to this sandwich, make them a perfect but surprising topping for your backyard burger. The potato chips also play nicely in your mouth when juxtaposed with the softness of the bun. 

What you will enjoy about this addition is you can use whatever chips you have in your pantry. Sour cream and onion chips for a ranch vibe, barbecue for a little sweetness, salt and vinegar if you want a tangy crunch with your burger, or even some jalapeño flavored chips for a spicy taste. But don't feel trapped by using just potato chips. A good salty tortilla chip, either plain or seasoned with some type of cheesy spice, can help create an entirely new crunchified burger experience.

But a burger is not the only sandwich that deserves a layer of chips. You can use Flay's crunchification for just about any sandwich you love. Reinvent your classic BLT and transform it into a PC BLT — a potato chip, bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. We recommend Lays Potato Chips with Waves because they're on the meaty side and work well with the acidic tomato, fatty bacon, and the earthy but delicate lettuce, all flanked by two squishy slices of bread. While quite satiating, it will leave you licking your lips and thinking of the next one.

For your next tuna fish sandwich, add some Cape Cod Kettle Cooked Potato Chips with sea salt and cracked black pepper. The crunch is the perfect contrast to a mayo-rich traditional tuna salad, and the sea salt and black pepper add that extra seasoning that complements this sandwich filling and makes it pop. And the next time you serve up your favorite Sloppy Joe, don't forget the Fritos. Crush them up so they mix into the tomato-y sweet hamburger filling, and your kids will never want this dish any other way.