The Meatstick at One Eared Stag

Welcome to Chefs in the Kitchen, a series that explores ingredients and dissects noteworthy dishes. In honor of The Five Days of Meat and Meat on a Stick Power Hour, here's the meatstick at One Eared Stag.

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[All photos: Matthew Wong]

OK, so a hamburger isn't actually meat on a stick, but with the name "meatstick," we couldn't resist. Once an off-the-menu, hush-hush item, it's now a regular lunch item at One Eared Stag. Like so many Atlanta burgers, it's a double-stack and features house pickles, paper-thin shaved white onion, American cheese, and a house brioche bun.

The grass-fed chuck is ground in house and seasoned with salt, pepper, and slab bacon. However, the pork flavor doesn't come through; it just adds an extra salty, savory layer of flavor. Smashed flat and griddled, the patties come away with a dark brown, crunchy crust. The cheese adds to the already-rich concoction, and the pickles and onion add enough acidity to cut through it all. The bun is dense enough to stand up to beef and melty cheese, but it doesn't dominate. Everything gets topped off with a side of fries.

It all comes together to form one of the absolute best burgers in the city.

· All One Eared Stag Coverage [-EATL-]
· The Five Days of Meat [-EATL-]