NEW YORK – The hamburger may – or may not – be 100 this year, but there’s no disputing that America’s favorite sandwich has grown up.
The burger, once the domain of fast-food joints and backyard barbecues, has stepped out onto the food scene with pizazz.
This year’s Oscar winners dined on In-N-Out Burgers, from a family-owned chain which prides itself on fresh ingredients and quality beef, at a black-tie Academy Awards party. Four-star chefs feature it on their menus, and snappily designed burger shops have proliferated – one in New York fronts as the lobby for a nightclub.
There’s even a documentary film showcasing some of the best hamburgers in America.
“The American palate has grown up over the last 20 years,” said Dave Zino, acting director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s culinary center. “(Consumers) are looking for bold flavors.”
For the home cook looking to expand his or her repertoire, three cookbooks celebrating the versatility of the burger were published in the past few months:
* “Burgers: 50 Recipes Celebrating an American Classic” by Rebecca Bent with Tom Steele ($16.95).
* “Great Burgers” by Bob Sloan ($14.95).
* “Burgers Every Way” by Emily Haft Bloom ($19.95).
“It’s the iconic American sandwich, really, the definitive American food,” Bloom said. “On any given day millions of Americans are eating burgers – even if you’re not eating beef.”
All three books begin with the classic beef burger and explore all its variations, topping them with everything from the ever-popular cheese and onions to avocados or pesto.
The authors also offer alternatives for the beef-averse: mouthwatering chicken, lamb, turkey, veal and fish options.
Basically, Bloom said, “Anything you can bind together from vegetables to Kobe beef is a burger.”
But to the purist, the burger will forever be ground beef served between two slices of bread or on a bun, the same sandwich that began its ascent to becoming America’s most popular meal 100 years ago – maybe.
The hamburger might be accepted as an American invention, but ground beef has been around at least since the warmongering Mongols in the 13th century softened it under their horses’ saddles, eating the tenderized meat raw.
In the 1600s, German sailors returned to port in Hamburg with steak tartare – raw ground beef with egg and spices – from Russia, called it Hamburg Steak and ate it raw or cooked.
As early as 1834, the Hamburg Steak appeared on the menu at Delmonico’s, one of the fanciest restaurants in New York City at the time.
The hamburger’s history becomes murkier when ground beef met bread.
There are at least four claims to creating the first hamburger sandwich, all with their merits and weaknesses, but the moment that the hamburger garnered national attention is generally accepted as being in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair – hence the 100th birthday.
That’s where Davis Fletcher of Austin, Texas, served his version and received glowing reviews from newspapers as far away as New York.
Coincidentally, the ice cream cone also made its debut at the fair.
In 1921 White Castle opened the first chain restaurant devoted to the hamburger and America was quickly captivated by the easy-to-make, inexpensive and succulent sandwich.
By following a few simple suggestions, the home cook can make burgers just as juicy as those found at the best restaurants.
Start with fresh beef. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the more expensive cut of sirloin. Bloom believes that ground chuck is a better choice because sirloin loses its fat and juices, especially on the grill.
Mary Young, the executive director of nutrition for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, recommends trying one of the leaner cuts of beef for the saturated-fat conscious.
When preparing the burgers, the key is not to overwork the meat or the patty will become too dense. Zino recommends that salt be added after the patty has been browned because salt brings out the juices. Seal the juices in, then add salt.
The patty should have a uniform shape, no matter how thick.
“Use a more cylindrical, less oval shape for even thickness to get a nice moist burger throughout,” Bloom said.
When putting the meat to the heat, any pan that conducts temperature evenly will do. A well-used cast-iron skillet adds flavor but a nonstick pan is fine. Avoid using too high a temperature, or the outside of the burger will burn before the inside is done; on a grill, the coals should be hot, not flaming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site says beef should be cooked to 160 degrees.
Using a good offset spatula, flip the burger just once midway through cooking. Do not press down on the burger. The sizzle may dazzle your guests but that appealing sound is the flavor fizzling.
Once the burger is done, it’s time to get creative and add the toppings and condiments. Anything in the fridge is game – and all three cookbooks offer some outrageous combinations.
“There are no hard-and-fast rules,” Bloom said. “Don’t be afraid to experiment.”
Finally, it’s time for the bread, and here you can be just as inventive here as in the other aspects of the burger. Whatever bread you choose, make sure it doesn’t have a tendency to become soggy or crumble, and don’t cut the slices too thick. Lightly toasting a bun – especially on a grill – adds flavor and some structure to the sandwich.
Caesar salad beef burgers on garlic crostini
1pound ground beef (95 percent lean)
2cloves garlic, minced
1/2teaspoon pepper
Salt and pepper
4romaine lettuce leaves
1/4cup freshly shaved or grated Parmesan cheese
For the garlic crostini:
8slices sourdough bread (about 4-by-3-by-1/2-inch)
Extra-virgin olive oil
2large cloves garlic, cut lengthwise into quarters
Combine ground beef, minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties. Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 11 to 13 minutes to medium (160 degrees) doneness, until not pink in center and juices show no pink color, turning occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.
Meanwhile, brush both sides of bread slices lightly with oil, as needed. Place bread around outer edge of grid. Grill a few minutes until lightly toasted, turning once. Remove bread slices from grid. Rub both sides of each slice with a garlic quarter.
Place one lettuce leaf on four of the bread slices; top each with a burger. Sprinkle evenly with cheese; cover with remaining bread slices. Cut burgers in half, if desired.
Cook’s tip: Use a vegetable peeler to quickly shave Parmesan cheese.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 349 cal., 9 g fat (4 g saturated), 69 mg chol., 523 mg sodium, 35 g carbo., 2.3 g fiber, 30 g pro.
From National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
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