Creating The All-American Hamburger

Photo: Wikimedia

Each year, Americans consume about 38 billion hamburgers. An enduring favorite, hamburgers are an iconic American food. 

But what do Americans define as the classic American hamburger? 

According to the recent survey conducted by the Caravan Opinion Research Corporation for The Johnny Rockets Group restaurant chain, Americans still prefer the classics. 

Despite the advent of gourmet hamburgers, 74 percent of Americans believe the cheeseburger best embodies the classic American hamburger. 

Eighty-six percent of Americans also prefer beef hamburgers over turkey or veggie patties. 

When it comes to toppings, most respondents agree simplicity is key, with 40 percent choosing raw onions over grilled.

What is the secret to cooking your own classic cheeseburger? 

"From my personal experience, the best way to create that mouthwatering balance of beef and cheese is to grill the meat with the cheese on top," says Mike Shumsky, Johnny Rockets chairman and chief executive officer. "A true cheeseburger connoisseur will wait until the meat is fully cooked, then add a slice of cheese and cover for 30 seconds so that the cheese melts perfectly."

Here's a recipe for the restaurant's classic cheeseburger, the Rocket Single:

Rocket Single

Hamburger bun
Special sauce (mix Thousand Island dressing, Dijon mustard and hot sauce to taste)
1 slice of cheddar cheese
1/3 lb. fresh ground beef, seasoned, hand-pressed and grilled
Fresh lettuce
Ripe tomato
Onion (sliced)

Grill the hamburger, according to preference, until its internal temperature reaches 160º F. Place cheese on top and cover for another 30 seconds. Place in a bun. Mix dressing and spread it on the bun. Layer on tomato, lettuce and onion. 

How do you make a hamburger a classic? Grill the meat with the cheese on the top, says one popular hamburger chain. Cover for 30 seconds to make the cheese melt perfectly.

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Taco Pie

This is an easy recipe that also allows you to make use of those crumbs that accumulate in the bottom of the taco chip bags!  (My husband really loves taco chips, so maybe we end up with more crumbs than your average household. . .)

• 1 pound hamburger
• 1 small onion chopped
• taco seasoning or chili seasoning
• 1 cup sliced black olives
• 2 cups crushed taco chips
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup of warm water
• 1 package of dry yeast (or 2 teaspoons bulk yeast)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dry oatmeal

Cook hamburger, add onions and add taco seasoning or chili seasoning to taste.  Add olives and sour cream. Heat well. 

Crust: Dissolve yeast in warm water, add remaining ingredients and roll out to fit a large pie pan.

Sprinkle one cup of crushed taco chips over the crust. Add meat mixture. Put remaining taco chips on top of the meat. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the chips.

Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Note: If you would rather not use taco seasoning or chili seasoning (due to problems with acid reflux or heartburn), I have used catsup in the recipe. My husband and I laugh about it because in one of those "you know you live in Wisconsin if" things, one of the items is, "you know you live in Wisconsin if you think catsup is just a little too spicy." Norwegians don't seem to care much for really spicy food. My husband is not of Norwegian descent, but I am . . .

Author: LeAnn R. Ralph

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Making Hamburger Recipes is Easy and Fun

Hamburger - Photo: Pixabay

When I was a kid Wimpy from the old Popeye cartoon show was one of my favorite characters because he expressed a deep love and obsession with hamburgers on a bun. Wimpy was always looking for hamburgers and wasn’t happy unless his plate was piled high with steaming hot hamburgers.

Even though I could only eat one, I easily related to Wimpy’s love of hamburgers, especially cheeseburgers. As I grew up I discovered how easy it was to make a meal out of cooking hamburgers and putting them on a hamburger bun. Add a little ketchup or hamburger sauce and you’ve got yourself a quick lunch or dinner.

While I’m not sure about the real history of the hamburger (a couple of towns claim to be the home of the original burger) I do know that they’re popularity spread quickly. Online you can find recipes for hamburger pattie or how to make foil hamburgers over the fire. But some of the best hamburger recipes don’t even involve a bun.

Online you can find recipes for hamburger stew, hamburger goulash, hamburger casserole, hamburger jerky, hamburger chowder, hamburger gravy, hamburger steak, hamburger with stuffed green peppers, hamburger macaroni soup, hamburger stroganoff, hamburger pie, and other easy hamburger recipes with egg, bread crumbs, and onion.

There’s even secret fast food hamburger recipes that expose how to make the popular McDonald’s hamburger, Wendy’s hamburger, and White Castle hamburgers. So, you don’t have to borrow money to buy hamburgers and promise to “pay you back on Tuesday” like Wimpy. You can just whip up one of your yummy recipes the next time you have a craving for the savory taste of a hamburger.

Author: Donna Monday

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