Guides · BB52 Burgers

Burger school

Pastrami Burger vs Classic Burger: What's the Difference?

Sliced, smoked brisket instead of a ground patty — a different cut, a different process, a different burger entirely.

Short answer

A classic burger uses a ground beef patty seared on a grill or griddle. A pastrami burger uses sliced, house-smoked beef brisket instead — smokier, more textured, and closer to a deli sandwich than a traditional burger.

Pastrami and a classic burger patty start from completely different places. One is ground meat, formed and seared fresh. The other is a whole cut, cured and smoked over time, then sliced.

How the process differs

  • Classic patty — ground beef, formed loosely, seared hot and fast for a crust via the Maillard reaction.
  • Pastrami — a whole brisket, cured, seasoned, and smoked low and slow over hours, then sliced thin or thick for serving.

The result is a completely different texture: a classic patty is uniform and juicy throughout, while pastrami has that distinct sliced, slightly chewy, deeply smoky character that comes from hours of low-temperature cooking.

Why it needs different toppings

Pastrami's smoky, salty intensity calls for something sharp to cut through it — mustard rather than a sweeter secret sauce, and a simple pickle rather than a loaded topping stack. A classic burger has more room to carry richer sauces and more toppings without getting overwhelming.

On the BB52 menu

The Pastrami Burger — 160g house-smoked beef brisket, homemade mustard sauce, cucumber pickles, pretzel bun. See the full menu →

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Frequently asked

What's the difference between a pastrami burger and a classic burger?
A classic burger uses a ground beef patty seared on a grill or griddle. A pastrami burger uses sliced, house-smoked beef brisket instead — smokier, more textured, and closer to a deli sandwich than a traditional burger.
Does BB52 have a pastrami burger?
Yes — the Pastrami Burger, made with 160g of house-smoked beef brisket, homemade mustard sauce, cucumber pickles, on a pretzel bun.
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