Introducing the Popcorn Burger: The Crunchy Twist You Didn’t Know You Needed for Owensboro Burger Week!

Owensboro Burger Week 2025 gets underway on Friday, March 7th and burger lovers around the Tristate are gearing up to tackle this year's lineup of creative and tasty entries. There are roughly 50 burgers competing for top honors this year.

READ MORE: Meet the Burgers: See Photos of the 2025 Owensboro Burger Week $8 Burgers

If you haven't yet mapped out your plan of attack, Katy Tierney's Burger Week guide will be incredibly helpful to you. It's a comprehensive list of each participating restaurant and burger and her guide comes complete with tips on how to survive Owensboro Burger Week.

READ MORE: Download Your Official Guide to Owensboro Burger Week 2025

In 2024, there were over 50,000 burgers sold during Owensboro Burger Week and we're expecting that record to be shattered this year.

One of the event sponsors is Hill View Farms Meats. Hill View, by the way, has four different competing restaurants using their beef patties in this year's competition.  Hill View owner Jim Gilles and I have created our own Burger Week tradition. Basically, I go to his store and create hamburgers using ingredients sold there. This year, I made three burgers- The Captain Rodney's Pork-a-Palooza Burger, the 'Apple of My Eye' Burger and this beauty. Introducing the Popcorn Burger!

Now, you're probably asking what in the heck a Popcorn Burger is. Well, I decided to create a burger that celebrates everything you love about movie popcorn and the most popular popcorn varieties and flavors.

Here's how to make it.

THE POPCORN BURGER

Ground Beef Patties (I used Hill View Farms Meats' beef patties)

Popcorn Salt

Shredded White Cheddar Cheese

Sesame Seed Buns

Butter

Microwave Popcorn (the brand and variety of your choice)

Caramel Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Sprinkle popcorn salt on both sides of each hamburger patty you plan to cook. Let the patties sit for about a half hour to really absorb that salt. How much you use is really all a matter of personal taste. Just make sure you don't over salt.

3) Melt some butter in a large skillet over low-medium heat. Fry your popcorn-salted burgers in all of that delicious butter. What goes better with popcorn that melted butter??

4) Butter the top and bottom of the sesame seed buns and toast them in the oven.

5) Microwave popcorn according to label directions.

5) Once the burgers (and buns and popcorn) are finished cooking, it's time to craft your Popcorn Burger.

6) Drizzle caramel on the bottom bun (I used about a tablespoon), then rest your burger on top of it. Top the burger with a big handful of shredded white cheddar cheese. Top the cheese with a handful of microwaved popcorn. Drizzle the entire creation with caramel. Then lightly dust the burger with popcorn salt.

The Popcorn Burger is the perfect blend of salty and sweet. It was definitely the crowd favorite at Hill View Farms Meats. I think it will be a crowd favorite at your place too.

Enjoy!