By Flavor & The Menu
May 12, 2021

Jamie Carawan

Even outside the chicken wing arena, Buffalo Wild Wings can throw down with the best of them. After honing its technique for the last two years, Jamie Carawan, VP of Brand Menu & Culinary, says the sports bar landed on a process that yields a darn good burger. “All our burgers are double-meat and double-cheese. They are simply seasoned, then smashed and seared on the griddle to get good caramelization,” he says. “Our new Bacon Smashed Hatch Chile Burger leverages this technique and includes a few new twists that add texture and flavor.”

To build it, both patties are smashed over bacon bits, incorporating what Carawan describes as “a nice bacon bark.” Double stacks of Hatch chiles “deliver a deep roasted character and an earthy finish, along with consistent heat. They are only available from this one spot in the world [New Mexico] and carry a great story,” says Carawan. Hatch chiles are the one new SKU brought in for this menu item—everything else is pulled from the existing pantry. “Operationally, this makes training and execution on a large scale much easier,” he says.