Culver’s CurderBurger vs. Tim’s BurgerCurder: A Taste Test

First, let me start with some background on Culver’s for those who don’t have one in their area. It’s fantastic. Now that we’re all caught up, let’s get to it. Back in 2021, Culver’s debuted a limited-time-only burger to their lineup: The CurderBurger. They describe it as:

A one-of-a-kind cheesy delight, the Deluxe ButterBurger® is topped with a crown of golden fried cheese, offering a warm, buttery crunch and gooey cheddar in every bite. The cheese crown is made of a blend of yellow and white cheddar cheese curds, all surrounded by crispy seasoned breadcrumbs – making for a perfect cheesy topping to the classic ButterBurger guests know and love.

I immediately had to have it. So, about a year later, I did. And then, a thought. What if I made the inverse of the CurderBurger? A burger in the middle of one giant battered and deep-fried cheese curd. The BurgerCurder. There’s a fine line between stupidity and genius, and this idea would certainly land somewhere near it. I immediately set out to create this abomination. So, about three years later, I did. Let that inspire you to never give up on your dreams. How did they match up?

Culver’s CurderBurger

Here it was in my hands. If I had to describe it, I’d say it was a one-of-a-kind cheesy delight. A Deluxe Butterburger topped with a crown of golden friend cheese, offering a warm, buttery crunch and gooey cheddar in every bite.

Listen, it’s a burger with a breaded and fried disc of cheese on top of it. It’s a good idea. It tastes good. I could probably go without the veggies and mayo, but that’s because I’m a sick freak who typically orders my cheeseburgers plain.

I’m a big fan of fast food restaurants taking wild swings, but I couldn’t help but think there’s a wilder swing to take here. So I looked at myself in the rear view mirror and had a heart to heart with my reflection. That’s when it hit me. BurgerCurder. I had no idea how I’d do it, but if you don’t get out of your comfort zone every now and then, you risk a boring life. And I wasn’t content to just exist. I wanted to be somebody. Somebody that successfully deep fried a burger inside some cheese curds.

Tim’s BurgerCurder

I wanted to make this as close to a Culver’s cheese curd as possible, so I started by Googling “Culver’s cheese curd recipe” and was able to find a recipe based on this recipe. They’re really the same thing, but I appreciate the internet ecosystem endlessly copying itself.

Sidebar: Culver’s cheese curds are somewhat controversial. A lot of people don’t like them or think they’re a bad example of a cheese curd. I take the strong stance that I both agree and disagree. They’re perfectly fine for what they are, but there are better out there.

Back to the BurgerCurder. My thought was, I’ll take this recipe and just scale it up. I need enough cheese curds to cover a burger, and then I’ll coat the whole thing in flour, egg wash, and Italian breadcrumbs, then deep fry it. Should be simple, right?

Actually, yeah, it was just that simple. I guess I’ve been underrating my own cooking abilities. The only hiccup was getting the cheese curds to stick together enough to coat the burger. I had hoped I could just smush them into each other to create a nice cheese layer, but that proved fruitless. So, I used the kitchen’s best multitool and microwaved the hell out of them until they melted enough to form around the burger patty.

Success. The next step was to coat it in the flour and breadcrumbs, then freeze it for about an hour. This went off without a hitch and I started to get pretty confident. My stupid idea was about to be smart. I was an entrepreneur. Hell yeah.

Now for the deep frying. I’ve never deep fried anything at home before, so again, I consulted the internet.  I poured an excessive amount of canola oil because I read that’s what Culver’s uses and I’m nothing if not a very serious food journalist. Then I got it up to the internet’s recommended 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The moment of truth was close.

It came out exactly as I had imagined. My pride was to a level I had never experienced before. I brought something into this world that was so beautiful, so perfect. I knew what it was like to give birth. I was about to take a bite.

Mixed feelings. I knew what it was like to raise children. The BurgerCurder was fried to perfection outside, but the cheese was unfortunately not melted as much as I had hoped. I think the perfect version of this would have the cheese and burger melt into your mouth like a delicious, liquefied cow. In this version, the burger inside got lost in the crunchy exterior and rubbery interior. I wanted it to be so much more.

But there was still potential here. And that’s how it goes when you try something new. You figure it out as you go, you learn what works, what doesn’t, and through trial and error you can achieve higher heights, add a new color to your tapestry of life, gain a bigger appreciation for life and all its wonders. So I dipped my deep fried cheeseburger in ranch and felt proud of myself. I wasn’t a genius, but I explored that line and learned an important lesson. Deep fry your BurgerCurder for maybe a minute or two more.

And that sometimes a stupid idea is worth pursuing. Because greatness can be found if you just keep frying.

I will not be apologizing for that pun.

Culver’s CurderBurger vs. Tim’s BurgerCurder: Culver’s CurderBurger (For Now)

Culver’s CurderBurger is available generally yearly at some point. Tim’s BurgerCurder is available in any kitchen at any time that wishes to try to achieve greatness. 

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