A 13-Year-Old’s Championship Burger with Pork Rinds
Just 15 miles outside downtown Memphis, Guy Fieri crossed the state line into Mississippi to visit Memphis Barbecue Company. Out of roughly 100 barbecue joints in the area, this one stood out—and not just for the smoked meats. The real star of this segment was a burger created by a teenage culinary prodigy.
Five-Time Mississippi State Hamburger Champion
Melissa runs Memphis Barbecue Company, but her 13-year-old daughter Lauren serves as head hostess—and that’s not all. Lauren is a five-time Mississippi state hamburger champion, having competed in her first competition at just six years old with her own original recipe. That recipe evolved into one of the restaurant’s top sellers: the Crunch Burger.
When Guy asked what makes it crunch, the answer surprised even him: pork rinds. But these aren’t store-bought chicharrones. The restaurant makes their own by taking smoked dehydrated pork fat and frying it fresh.
Don't lose this list! Drop your email and we'll send it to you, so you've got it handy next time you're hungry or planning a trip.
How They Build the Crunch Burger
The process starts with frying up those house-made pork rinds and hitting them with a little barbecue rub while they’re still hot. Meanwhile, the burger itself comes together with serious attention to detail.
The burger features two patties, smashed out with what Guy called “nice technique.” The hamburger seasoning is a blend of minced onion, garlic, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Each patty gets topped with the restaurant’s spicy barbecue sauce—the same base they use for their other barbecue sauces—followed by cheddar cheese.
Then comes what they called “the secret stuff”: juke sauce. As Lauren explained, juke sauce comes from down in Mississippi joints. The burger gets finished with fresh produce and crowned with those crispy, house-fried pork rinds.
Guy’s Verdict
Guy didn’t hold back on this one. He described it as “a fistful of hamburger” with “so many different flavors.” His play-by-play was enthusiastic: “The juke sauce is great too. Burgers cooked perfectly, nice melt on the cheese, you got all the produce you need in there, but when you get that extra little crunch out of that chicharrone—dynamite burger.”
His final assessment hit all the marks: “Cooked right, seasoned right, enough ingredients, ridiculously too big, and the chicharrones made it.” He even smashed down on that pork rind layer to really lock in the crunch, calling the whole thing “really killer.”
Tips from the Kitchen
If you want to recreate some of this magic at home, here’s what the segment revealed:
Make your own pork rinds: Start with smoked dehydrated pork fat and fry it fresh. Season immediately with barbecue rub while still hot.
Smash your patties: The smash technique gives you better crust and texture on each burger.
Layer your sauces: The spicy barbecue sauce goes directly on the patty before the cheese, letting it meld during cooking. The juke sauce comes after, adding another dimension without getting lost.
This segment proves that great recipes can come from anywhere—even a six-year-old competing in her first hamburger championship. Much like when Guy discovered a standout smoked chicken salad sandwich, sometimes the best dishes come from unexpected sources with original ideas.
Looking for more spots Guy has visited? Check out our restaurant directory to find Triple D locations near you.