O.C. Fair’s Chowdown Challenge crowns new burger king

Day five of the 2011 Orange County Fair lived up to this summer’s “Let’s Eat” billing by featuring a battle of the burgers for the ages.

Hipster gourmet food trucks rolled into the O.C. Fairgrounds late Thursday afternoon to square off in a burger-cooking contest against the more traditional purveyors of fair fare and other greasy delights.

It was beefy and it was boisterous but, in the end, the sizzling cook-off ended with The Burnt Truck being crowned the 2011 burger king. Their BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger with fried quail egg beat out The Burger Joint’s 4-pound Belly Buster Burger, which boasts 10 slices of cheese, 30 pickle slices and an 18 oz. bun that has to be cooked in a cake pan.

Every Thursday, there will be Chowdown Challenges, pitting a traditional Fair vendor against a gourmet food truck. On July 28th, Chicken Charlie will go head-to-head against the OC Food Truck in the Deep-Fried Dessert Chowdown in Park Plaza.