The Cattle Call – Interview with Richard Chudy Chef & Food Writer

The Cattle Call – All the beef that’s behind the people who make & connect us to the Burgerverse.

Richard Chudy is a chef, food writer, cooking instructor, and co-owner of the personal chef and catering company The Skinny Beet, with his wife Katie. He is the creator of Boston Burger Blog, which chronicles his ongoing quest to find the best burger in Boston and beyond. He co-hosts the podcast The Skinny Beet Dinner Party and his work has been featured in Boston Magazine, Food Republic, the Boston Globe, and NPR. A graduate of The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, Richard lives in Belmont, MA with his wife.

Name: Richard Chudy

Website: http://www.bostonburgerblog.com

Where do you live: Belmont, MA

Favorite style of Burger: Thin and Griddled.

Favorite Childhood Burger: My mom’s homemade patties, the Papa Burger at Papa Gino’s, and a cheeseburger sub from Newtonville Pizza (not technically a burger but still).

Burger that haunts your dreams at night: In-n-Out double double, animal style. Must be something about only being on the West Coast and the fact that I can almost never get one. But I long for that burger.

What is the one Burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not: So many great places I want to check out in the country and world, but I’ve always wanted to check out the burger at Holeman and Finch.

The secret to making a great Burger: Start with great beef, season aggressively with kosher salt and black pepper and don’t overcook.

Under no circumstances whatsoever, what should NEVER be put on a Burger: People can and should do what they please. As long as the beef is sourced thoughtfully and the burger is crafted with purpose, you’re good to go.

If you could have a Burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them: My wife, back to where we first met, at Back Bay Social Club in Boston.

Please use this space to talk about or plug anything else you want: My new cookbook co-written with my friend and fellow chef Sammy Monsour, called “American Burger Revival” is available now wherever books are sold. Check it out!

Here’s a recipe to give you a preview of all the awesomeness you can expect to get inside the book:

The mustard aisle is quite possibly the most diverse lane in the supermarket. And for good reason—it’s damn easy (and utterly addicting) to make delicious mustard. All you need are some mustard seeds and a little bit of patience. Once you nail the basic technique, there will be no stopping you.

Here’s the secret to super spicy mustard: Get your hands on the freshest seeds and “open” them up by puréeing them. The smoother your purée, the stronger the flavor.

Foolproof Whole Grain Mustard

Yield: 2 cups
Start to finish: 3 days
Active time: 5 minutes

What we love most about this mustard is that you can use this as the base for all other country style mustards. Add beer, wine, garlic, herbs, spices—whatever your heart desires. Simply mix your fancy mustard by hand in a bowl for a rustic approach or place all ingredients in a food processor to amplify the flavors.

2/3 cup yellow mustard seed
2/3 cup brown mustard seed
1 1/3 cups distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Pack all ingredients into an airtight non-reactive container.
2. Store at room temperature for 3 days.

Optional: Pour contents of container into a food processor and pulse for 10 to 15 seconds, just until the seeds begin to pop open. (Or continue to blitz seeds until smooth for a spicier rendition.)

Storage notes: Mustard will keep in the refrigerator for up to three months