May is National Hamburger Month and to further honor this All-American sandwich, May 28 has been named as Hamburger Day.

The hamburgers were first created in Hamburg, German. Street vendors sold a beef patty covered in onions and spices. In the mid-1800s German immigrants brought this tasty dish called hamburger steak with them and it soon became a popular item in restaurants.

Once in the United States, the hamburger jumped from the plate to the bun. There are many contested stories as to who made the first hamburger. The Library of Congress credits Louis Lassen, owner of a lunch wagon in New Haven, Connecticut, for selling the first hamburger and steak sandwich in this country in 1895. This too is debated. It is known that the first burgers were served between two slices of bread plain or toasted. An Oklahoma farmer is given credit for serving a hamburger on a bun in 1891. But it was at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1904 where the hamburger on a bun created a sensation. The rest is history.

American entrepreneurs willing to invest their money, their ideas, and work hours upon hours of promotions are responsible for the hamburger and its accompaniments we enjoy today.

The hamburger is one of the world’s most popular foods.

There are several dozen types of hamburgers; for example, naming a few: cheeseburgers, chili burgers, BBQ burgers, California burgers, buffalo burgers; and the list goes on and on.

Following World II due to the beginning of fast-food chains such as McDonald’s and In-N-Out Burger 1948, Burger King 1954 and Wendy’s 1969, the hamburger spread globally.

Americans consume 50 billion hamburgers annually which figures out to be 3 per person each week.

There are 50,000 burger joints located across this country. California has the most with Texas a close second and Florida being third. Ohio is fourth and Illinois is fifth.

Burgers account for roughly 60 percent of all sandwiches sold.

Seventy-one percent of all beef sold in a restaurant is in form of a burger.

Wimpy, anyone?

How many remember Wimpy, the character who joined the Popeye comic strip in the 1930s? Wimpy loved his hamburgers and was always conning his way to get one. “I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” This character spawned a chain of hamburger restaurants called Wimpy’s that flourished for over a decade.

References: “History and Legends of Hamburgers,” “Who Invented the Hamburger,” “How the Burger Became an Iconic American Food,” and “Where the Hamburger Began.”

A SIMPLE HAMBURGERi

1 lb. ground chuck 
1 Tbs. grated onion
2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
4 buns or rolls

Combine beef, onion and Worcestershire. Mix just until combined. Gently shape into 4 patties, about ¾-inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before cooking. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Season the outside of the burgers with salt and pepper. Cook burgers about 4-6 minutes per side or until they reach the desired doneness. Place on bun and add desired condiments.

These hamburgers can also be cooked in a non-stick frying pan.

SUGGESTED HAMBURGER TOPPINGS

Think beyond ketchup and mustard. Add barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, or even a little hot sauce or Thousand Island dressing. Then there are tomato, lettuce, pickles, and red onion which are classic toppings but try bacon, mushrooms, or even fried eggs.

HAMBURGER TIPS

Use 80/20 lean ground beef so you have a little fat for great flavor. Combine the meat mixture just until mixed; over-mixing will make tough burger patties. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to add a dent to the center of each patty. This will keep it from bulging in the center. To enhance your hamburger try adding an egg to the ground beef. An egg lends moisture and helps bind the patties. Seasonings, herbs, and sauces are exceptionally good additions.

Always toast the buns. Hamburgers can be frozen (raw or cooked and cooled) with parchment paper between each patty for up to a month in the freezer.

CALIFORNIA HAMBURGER

2 lbs. ground chuck beef 
4 slices of cheese
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tomato
Ketchup
4 hamburger buns
Lettuce, mayonnaise, and ketchup

Prepare the tomato and get the lettuce all set up. Get your grill pan hot. Salt and pepper the ground beef and then divide into 4 portions. Flatten into patties that are about ½ inch larger than the buns. Do the thumbprint in center of each patty. Grill burgers about 4 minutes on the first side. Cook until you reach the correct temperature, usually 3-4 minutes for medium; longer for well done. Add cheese about a minute before you pull the burgers off the grill. Add ketchup and mayonnaise to bottom of the bun. Place tomato and lettuce on top of hamburger; it keeps that bun from getting too soggy from the tomato.

THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE HAMBURGER
“The Golden Boy”

Robert Van de Jeen of the Netherlands created this magnificent hamburger during the Covid epidemic hoping to increase business. It took him five months of experimenting before he finalized the high quality expensive ingredients such as Japanese Wagyu beef, Alaska king crab, white truffles and Begula caviar. The bun was covered in edible gold leaf ensuring golden fingers for the diner. It was sold to Remia International, a Netherland business conglomerate.

The price in American dollars—$5,964.\

A GREAT HAMBURGER

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
½ c. finely chopped onion
2 tsp. beef bouillon
1 Tbs. oil
4 buns of choice
Tomato and lettuce

Combine ground beef, onion and bouillon in a bowl. Blend well. Shape into patties. Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 4 minutes. Turn burgers and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until personal desired doneness. Assemble hamburger on bun with tomato slice and lettuce. Makes 4.

GRILLED CHEESEBURGER

1 lb. ground beef
½ c. onion, minced
¼ c. parsley, minced
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 
¼ tsp. sea salt 
½ tsp. black pepper
4 slices cheese slices of choice
3 hamburger buns 
3 slices bacon (optional) 

Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Combine the ground beef, onion, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide the meat mixture into 6 balls. Press ball into 4-inch patties. Stack the cheese slices and cut into thirds. Arrange cheese over 3 of the patties. Place the remaining patties over the cheese and press edges together tightly. Flatten the burgers to 1⁄2-inch thickness. Grill to medium doneness, about 4 minutes per side; more for well done. Place the burgers on buns, top with bacon and serve with your favorite condiments.