The present work quantifies the impact of fuel chemistry on burning modes using premixed dimethyl ether (DME), ethanol (EtOH) and methane flames in a back-to-burnt opposed jet configuration. The study considers equivalence ratios 0 ≤ Φ ≤ 1, resulting in a Damköhler (Da) number range 0.06 ≤  Da  ≤ 5.1. Multi-scale turbulence (Re ≃ 19,550 and Ret ≃ 360) is generated by means of a cross fractal grid and kept constant along with the enthalpy of the hot combustion products (THCP = 1700 K) of the counterflow stream. The mean turbulent rate of strain exceeds the laminar extinction rate for all flames. Simultaneous Mie scattering, OH-PLIF and PIV are used to identify reactants, mixing, weakly reacting, strongly reacting and product fluids. The relative balance between conventional flame propagation and auto-ignition based combustion is highlighted using suitably defined Da numbers and a more rapid transition towards self-sustained (e.g. flamelet type) combustion is observed for DME. The strain rate distribution on the reactant fluid surface for methane remains similar to the (non-reactive) mixing layer (), while DME and EtOH flames gradually detach from the stagnation plane with increasing Φ leading to stabilisation in regions with lower compressive rates of strain. The study further provides information on the conditions leading to burning mode transitions via (i) multi-fluid probabilities, (ii) structural flow field information and turbulence-flame interactions delineated by means of conditional (iii) velocity statistics and (iv) the rate of strain along fluid iso-contours.