Knife-Fork-Spoon

Burgers, Burgers, and More Burgers

Almost everyone who eats meat loves a good hamburger. When I was a kid, I could count on having hamburgers at least once a week. They weren’t fancy, and our condiments were usually limited to catsup, mustard, onion, and dill pickles. During the summer, however, there were always fresh, homegrown tomatoes to add to the mix.

And you could forget about asking for your burger to be cooked any way other than well done. And believe me, Mom’s well done was well done. Picture a hockey puck. There was little moisture left in the burgers. But it didn’t matter. We were happy with hamburgers.

I went off to college, and my taste buds got an education. You didn’t have to be satisfied with a bone-dry hamburger. You could order them rare, medium rare, medium . . . or well. Sadly, many places today refuse to cook any beef product less than well done. But, their well done is much different from what I had in my mother’s kitchen. And there are so many other things you can use to top your burger. And get this: burgers don’t even have to be made from beef! There are even alternatives for vegetarians.  With my newfound knowledge, I was in burger heaven.

The Meat

Most burgers are made from beef. In my local market, shoppers can choose from three varieties: ground beef, ground round, and ground sirloin. Ground beef is usually the least expensive, but it has the highest fat content. According to some people, that makes it the best tasting. That, of course, is a personal preference.

Rather than go by names, I pay most attention to the lean/fat content. In my local market, you can find ground beef with lean to fat ratios of 75 percent lean/25 percent fat, 80 percent lean/20 percent fat, 85 percent lean/15 percent fat, 90 percent lean/10 percent fat, and 95 percent lean/5 percent fat. For hamburger patties, I generally buy the 85/15. It’s still relatively inexpensive, not as fat as some, and I like the taste. But again, it’s personal preference.

Consider buying a cut of beef and grinding it yourself into hamburger. You’ll know what’s in it, plus you’ll know when it was ground.

If you don’t eat beef or are simply looking for a change, most stores carry ground chicken, ground turkey, and ground lamb. Keep in mind that these may produce a dryer burger, so you need to keep that in mind when cooking. Like beef, you can buy chicken, turkey, and lamb and grind it at home. You might even save some money.

Making the Patty

There’s nothing wrong with a basic patty. But, there are ways that it can be tweaked into a more flavorful meal.

• Do you have a favorite meatball or meatloaf recipe? Turn it into burgers.
• Are you into onions? Sweat some chopped onions, let cool, and then add to the burger mixture. If not precooked, onions may not be cooked completely by the time the burger is at your preferred level of doneness. If you don’t mind the flavor of partially cooked onions, you can skip the sweating.
  
• Love the extra flavor that roasted red pepper adds to a dish? Chop some and add to the meat. If you’re using freshly roasted ones, be sure to let them cool first. Store-bought ones in a jar can add moisture to the burger as well.
• Cheese, are you a cheese lover? Add shredded cheese or cut cheese into very small pieces and add to the burger mixture. Grated Parmesan and Romano work as well.
  
• Take a look at your herbs and spices. Pepper, basil, cumin, oregano, and even cinnamon can add a special touch to your burger. And don’t forget onion powder (or dehydrated flakes) and garlic powder.
• Sauteed mushrooms, cooled and chopped, can give a flavor boost.

Liquids can flavor the burger mixture as well, but they should be added with caution. Try a bit of Italian or Caesar dressing, mustard, wine, stock, or beer.

When forming your burger patties, keep handling of the meat to a minimum. Excessive handling can make the meat tougher.

Most people salt their burgers as they cook. One of the nice things about “doctoring” the burger meat is that you might find salt unnecessary. And many of us could do with less salt. But, if you want to add salt, do not do so until you flip the burger. Salt draws out the liquid in the meat, thereby making for a dry burger.

Dressing the Burger

You may choose the most basic condiments for your burger–catsup, mustard, onion, pickle–or you may decide to dress it up a bit. There are almost limitless options available to the burger lover.

• Love your catsup and mustard? There’s no reason not to use them. But, perhaps once in a while, jazz them up a bit. Finely chop some onion and put it in the catsup (onion powder will work, too). Add some hot sauce or horseradish for some zing. And have you seen the variety of mustard available now! Choose a new one; don’t get mired in the everyday yellow mustard (though I must admit I love it).
• Ummm, pickles. A burger without pickles might as well be naked as far as I’m concerned; I don’t care what else is on it. Instead of the standard dill or sweet pickle, try bread and butter pickles, or pickled peppers, or even watermelon pickles. Take a look at your store’s pickle and relish aisle. There are a lot to choose from. Be adventurous and try something new.
• Onions. They’re pretty standard for burgers. Substitute a big slice of red onion for the usual Spanish or Walla Walla onion. The flavor’s a bit more subtle, but it’s very good. If you’re grilling your burgers, grill some onion slices along with them.
• Cheese please. To me, cheese is one of the best food inventions ever. And I like all kinds of cheese. Yet, when it comes to burgers, I usually stick to American or cheddar. But, I occasionally venture into the wild side. Monterrey Jack is a good option as is muenster. So are Gouda, brie, and mozzarella. And don’t forget the smoked version of those cheeses.
• Let us add some lettuce for the burger to sit on. Iceberg is good, but try romaine. Or, skip the lettuce altogether and use fresh spinach or basil leaves.
• If you want something really different–and tasty–top your burger with slices of avocado or a dollop of guacamole.
  

Those are just a few of the options available to burger lovers. Now, such a well-seasoned, well-dressed burger should be served on the best bun/roll there is. But whether you choose to put your burger on a hearty, homemade, store-bought bun, the star will be what’s inside.