Bygone Era Burgers

Boulder’s new C Burger is making old-school eating new again with a whole-animal approach

By Kate Jonuska

Diets and food advice ebbs and flows, but some of the best advice, when taken with a little context, comes from Michael Pollan: “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” Though it may be unfamilar to modern eaters, most folks’ Great Grams would definitely recognize beef tallow as food. Made of rendered fat, typically taken from the hard fat around a cow’s kidneys called suet, tallow is slowly cooked down and the moisture evaporates, leaving behind a rich, shelf-stable fat that was once an everyday cooking staple in American kitchens and restaurants. Today, thanks to public health campaigns that pushed for low-fat diets and demonized animal fats, not so much. 

However, with growing interest in whole foods, nose-to-tail eating and traditional cooking fats, many health-conscious eaters are reevaluating the role of animal fat in the diet. And the newly opened C Burger is here for it. The new fast-casual spot on Pearl Street boasts a wicked smash burger that rivals the best, but the niche C Burger aspires to fill is as a delicious and elegant solution to high-quality surplus beef.

“What we bring is a Colorado product and Colorado pride in our regenerative beef. That’s where C Burger shines,” says Bryan Dayton, founder of the local restaurant group Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality, which also includes Boulder fine-dining favorites like Corrida and OAK at Fourteenth. 

In fact, the burger concept originated as part of the whole-animal program at Corrida, where, after steaks were cut and served, a surplus of grass-fed ground beef and beef tallow was left over. Now, rather than being wasted, one makes up all C Burger’s patties and the other fries up its French fries, thereby making the most use of the animal and the resources used to raise it. 

Both choices are taste victories. Smash burgers are known for thin patties, which give the grass-fed flavor of the beef nowhere to hide, and the compression on the grill creates a crust of caramelization and therefore texture that thicker burgers can’t match. Responsibly ranched and processed, the burgers served on soft, simple buns, feel reasonably portioned for the indulgence—at least in single-patty form, though you can double the patties as you dare.

In addition to old-fashioned ideas of animal butchery, C Burger embraces nostalgic flavors on its simple menu, offering classic burgers with cheese, barbecue sauce, green chile or mushrooms. The latter includes a tallow mushroom gravy that feels like Great Grandma’s own. 

Obviously, C Burger makes no bones about not being for every diner, especially vegetarians and vegans, but its use of beef tallow for its fries and sides has been a big draw for its customers so far. 

“Tallow adds a nice touch of umami richness to the French fry itself,” Dayton says. “In fact, when McDonald’s started, tallow was what they used for their French fries, and they went away from it. Now you’re seeing tallow come back for several reasons.” One being that some folks are seeking an alternative to processed foods and seed oils, whether for reasons of allergies or a specific diet, such as Paleo. Certainly, tallow offers minor nutritional benefits such as vitamins A, D, E and K, and about half its fat content consists of monounsaturated fats. Others simply love the richness of flavor tallow adds, which processed oils lack. 

On a recent visit, the evidence was convincing. While the fries don’t taste like beef specifically, they’re thin, crisp and perfectly salted as well as mildly addictive. The table fought to eat them fresh and hot. More surprising was the care taken with the onion rings, which, rather than an afterthought, were just as crisp and flavorful. The menu is rounded out with locally sourced salads, chicken bites and a chicken sandwich as well as homemade soft serve ice cream in vanilla, chocolate and swirl. 

“I’d even love to see if we could use a tallow-based soft serve in the future,” Dayton says. “We use tallow for our cheesecake at Corrida, so it’s challenging, but there are ways.” 

Impressively, C Burger runs with the same polish and care with which Half Eaten Cookie runs Corrida and OAK, despite the meal being refreshingly affordable. The location is prime, service is fast and friendly, and the old-fashioned metal trays and paper burger sleeves feel both sentimental and stylish. The entire concept of C Burger, from its environmental goals to its nostalgic flavors, feels wholesome. 

“No one is touting burgers as health food, because burgers aren’t health food, but they’re a delicious treat and part of the American palate,” Dayton says. “We’re excited to have a great, fun and approachable burger that’s Colorado-focused, because we’re local, too. And we’re here for the long haul.” Great Grandma wouldn’t argue with that.

Get your tallow on—in moderation, of course—at C Burger, 921 Pearl Street, or visit cburgerco.com for more information.