2023 Detroit Burger Battle: Aljoom's BBQ in Dearborn Heights declared winner
Thousands of burger samples topped with ingredients from spicy cheese to crunchy onions and spread with special sauces, took center stage at Sunday’s 2023 Detroit Burger Battle at Eastern Market.
And at the end of the sunny and hot afternoon when the aroma of sizzling burgers filled the air and lines were long, the first time was a charm for a burger with a barbecue theme piled high with ingredients.
Aljoom’s BBQ Burger from Aljoom’s BBQ and Burger Shack in Dearborn Heights was deemed the best, taking home the 2023 Detroit Burger Battle trophy and a $1,000 prize.
“It’s like the best day ever … I feel amazing,” said Ali Aljoom, chef and owner. “All the hard work I put in. People believed in it, the same thing I believe in.”
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When the BBQ Burger reached the judge’s table, the burger was big and standing mighty tall. Full disclosure, I was a judge along with Detroit News restaurant critic Melody Baetens; Chuck Bennett, Detroit News society columnist; Megan Woods from WDIV-TV; and Braylon Edwards, a former NFL and University of Michigan player.
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Aljoom’s BBQ Burger is a tasty assembly of ingredients. First, the beef is Halal Black Angus beef patties and smoked beef brisket. Then there are two kinds of cheese, American and Swiss cheese. From there comes the assembly of toppings. There’s homemade barbecue sauce, crispy fried onions, and candied beef bacon. All this is set between a lightly grilled, large sesame seed bun.
You definitely needed two hands to pick up the burger and take a bite. Once you did, it was a mouthful. But it was all there, the perfectly cooked patty, the smoky brisket, a barbecue sauce that was not overpowering, and crunchy onions. The burger was the sum of all its ingredients in taste and presentation.
Ahead of the judging, Aljoom said he came prepared and confident.
“I told Vinny (Fontana, an event organizer) to get my trophy ready,” Aljoom said.
Aljoom said the competition is something he’s dreamed of doing and loved everything about the Burger Battle.
“This means the world to me,” he said. “I am making my family proud, making my team proud, it means the world to me.”
You’ll find Aljoom’s BBQ inside the Burger Shack on Telegraph Road in Dearborn Heights. The burger and barbecue spot opened in 2015, Aljoom said.
Sunday's Burger Battle was the 8th annual burger competition. Event organizer Scott Rutterbush said this year, a dozen restaurants competed and nearly 2,000 people were expected. The beef for the burgers, Rutterbush said, was provided by Wolverine Packing.
“Restaurants were allowed to customize their own blend,” Rutterbush said. “Chefs can also choose the size (of burger patties.)”
For the event, the crowd votes for their favorite burger, sending the top five vote-getters to the judge's table. There’s the overall winner, followed by second and third-place winners. The crowd also votes for the burger with the best presentation and People Choice.
The competition was tough. Last year’s winner, Max Hardy, from Coop Detroit, was back to defend his title but didn’t make it to the judge’s table. Kozy Lounge in Hazel Park, a 2019 Burger Battle winner, was in the top 5 and won People’s Choice for its Shawarma Burger.
Here are the finalists and winners
2023 Burger Battle winner
BBQ Burger
Aljoom’s BBQ, Dearborn Heights
From Ali Aljoom, owner and chef of Aljoom’s BBQ. The burger featured a halal beef patty, smoked brisket, American and Swiss cheese, homemade barbecue sauce, crunchy onions, and candied beef bacon. Aljoom’s is inside Burger Shack, 8606 N. Telegraph Rd., Dearborn Heights; 313-769-5100 or getburgershack.com.
Second place
Brunch Burger
Host Restaurant, Utica
The Brunch Burger featured a brisket patty paired with crispy kale, grilled onions, a black pepper truffle aioli, and havarti cheese all on a brioche bun. The final topping was a sunny-side-up egg. Host is located at 7759 Auburn Rd., Utica; 586-488-0134 or hostutica.com.
Third place
Stack’em Burger
Iceburg, Dearborn
This burger was stacked with 100% Halal beef, grilled turkey, turkey pastrami, corned beef, Iceburg sauce, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles and spicy habanero cheese.
22145 W. Outer Drive, Dearborn; 313-768-5111 or iceburgdearborn.com.
Finalist and People’s Choice winner
Shawarma Burger
Kozy Lounge, Hazel Park
The owners of Kozy Lounge Shawarma Burger had all the fixings of shawarma. It was topped with their housemade toum (garlic sauce), sliced cucumbers, shawarma seasoning, and tzatziki sauce. 150 E. 10 Mile Road, Hazel Park: 248-547-5017 or kozylounge.com.
Best Presentation
Surf and Turf Burger
Great Lakes Burger and Pizza Bar, Detroit
A chef-signature burger, the restaurant in Greektown tops a beef patty with garlic butter lobster and shrimp, cheese, spinach, grilled onions, candied bacon, and herb mayo. 1224 Randolph St., Detroit; 313-800-5169 or greatlakesburgerbars.com.
Finalist
BBQ Rodeo Burger
BurgerFi, Northville Township
The beef patty was topped with barbecue sauce, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, and haystack onions. A final touch was the BurgerFi name seared on the top bun. 18801 Traditions Drive, Northville Township; 248-308-3532 or burgerfi.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2023 Detroit Burger Battle: Aljooms BBQ in Dearborn Heights is winner
