Between two slices

No Americana food out there has the history, the passion or the royalty of the hamburger.

What is it about meat on bread? Any kid in America could tell you, not exactly in words,

but rather with a juicy smile. This crown is not to copy a processing chain giant,

but to remind that this humble homemade handful rules!

BEST HAMBURGER IN TOWN 
MOM’S BURGER

When I was just a toddler-sized guy, my mom and her sister owned a little burger stand and soda fountain. Folks drove from as far as forty miles away just to have one of their burgers.

I imagine you’re thinking (knowing me) some big fancy gourmet burger, with lots of exotic additions and imported French-sounding toppings. Nope. Just a simple, fresh, good homemade burger. At home, my dad always was first to say ‘Your mom sure makes the best burgers!’ I couldn’t help but believe it too. In the fifties and sixties, burgers were THE food.
I was a lucky kid.

So, here’s to you, Mom, and your famous burgers. I’m bringing in a little of my perspective, but so that it is said, no one ever made a better burger than you!

Choose good, fresh ground chuck (she did it herself with a crank grinder), medium grind, about an 85/15 fat ratio. This cut of beef is a good ground option for fat content -- not too much fat, good marbleizing of that fat with the muscle, and obtainable at a decent price. The next choice option I’d say was the ‘round’ cut. Then perhaps sirloin. I’m not a fan of veal, controversy included, but you can make that call.

The preparation is basic, keep the meat cold until cooking, and don’t overwork the ground meat, especially with warm tools or hands. Mom never added breadcrumbs, binders or fancy spices; we all preferred the flavor of the meat, with salt and pepper and let that stand proud.

Press about 1/3 to 1/2 pound of cold medium-ground meat into a patty about five to seven inches in diameter (make sure the cooked size and shape will match with the bun size and shape) on a small square sheet of wax paper, and ½ to one-inch thick max, pre-cooked. We’ve all seen those ‘gourmet’ burgers that are way over an inch thick like a hockey puck meatloaf, smaller than the bread, and topped with a huge crunchy bun – and I find myself asking, 

‘Who can get their mouth around that?’ 

Hey, not even me!

Press the meat bits together carefully and barely firm, but not so that the meat will ‘squish’ between the fingers. With the patty rotating with the wax paper square, and the hand flat on the patty, use a thumb pressing up against the forefinger covering the patty edge to bring the disc of meat’s edge in to a flat vertical border, like a ‘checker’ game piece. Loose crumbly and thin edges could break away during cooking, so a firm, consistent presentation all 'round is best. Indent the patty slightly in the center with the middle joint of two or three fingers. This will help keep the patty from ‘bulging up’ in the middle during cooking as the perimeter shrinks.

Salt and pepper (use my homemade spice rub if you wish - a mix of equal parts salt, paprika, dry mustard and garlic powder - and the aforementioned black, or white, pepper) the patties, both sides, and stack individually on the wax paper squares, and set in the refrigerator or cooler while preparing the grill, and preparing the condiments and the buns (which by the way, fresh-baked as possible is best).

Use the wax paper to bring the chilled firm patty to the grill surface, peeling the paper off as they are applied to the med-hot grill. Cook till browned and red juices just beginning to release on the top. Turn each patty only once on the heat on a BBQ grate or in a sauté grill pan. Do NOT EVER push, squish, mash or press the cooking patty. The only result of this bad habit is wringing out any juices, drying out the meat, and risking breaking the patty up into and perhaps pushing through the grill bars. Bring to done, which for a burger is a hearty pink/red inside or close to it either way. Undercooked hamburger meat will not yet have a firm, resistant texture -- being just too mushy, not to mention the sanitary issues. Overcooked meats lose most of the fresh meat flavor and moisture. With those ill-cooked goals, one shouldn’t eat beef burgers then, not for what a burger is all about: The perfect flavor and texture of grilled beef.

On flipping the patty to the second side, begin to grill the buns, they will reach a moist, warm state by the time the burger is ready. The big difference is to grill the bun. Not a dry grill (as is often done on a BBQ), rendering the bread to some crunchy dryness similar to Styrofoam – but rather with a gentle, thin application of butter or heart-healthy margarine or a brush of olive oil on each bun. Grill/fry on a flat metal surface like a frying pan – not metal rungs as a BBQ offers – at the same time as the second side of the burger, so both come off the grill hot, moist, tender and ready, and the only crisp to the bun is the lightly browned part that was on the grill. If using the BBQ, and if not inserting a pan over the flames to grill the buns (keep the handle off the heat), then at least lay out one or two layers of aluminum foil on the BBQ surface for the buns to grill on, instead of the bare grate. The goal is a lightly golden-crisp bottom, with a moist and pliable top

At the same time, if cheese is desired, this is the time to apply the slices of cheese (grated cheese is too difficult to ‘aim’). Get inventive, beyond just the usual cheddar or Swiss; try Emmental, fontina, bleu, provolone, Muenster or Brie – or experiment using your ‘ear’. I don’t encourage processed cheese slices, popular as they are, you should know me by now, but you do have to please the kids. Actually, this may be the only time I might allow that option – the taste and melt ARE quite traditional.  Perhaps processed AND a rich 'real' cheese.  You never know, they might find it interesting to try something new. If a sprinkle of sliced raw onion (very thin-sliced crisp sweet red onion is the preferred choice) is desired, likewise this is the time.  Grilled segments of green onion are VERY tasty.

And fresh companion ingredients. That means fresh tomato, fresh lettuce, good quality pickles, and good mayo and catsup. I personally don’t care for mustard on my burger. Don’t get me wrong; I love mustard – but oddly, not on a burger. Of course, you can make your own call.

Just before the patty is finished, set the top bun over the patty or over the cheese and/or onions to bring it to a good melt and hold the melted cheese and onions in place (or sautéed mushrooms or your choice of ingredients of small dice, if chosen – which the cheese kind of 'glues' together). The mayo, lettuce, tomato and ketchup can be applied on the bottom bun half – mayo/ketchup (or a quality thousand island dressing) first, then the lettuce, then the tomato slices and pickles. The first waterproofing layers of mayonnaise and lettuce will keep the bottom bun from getting sogged-out from the good juices of the tomato, pickles and meat. 

All is good, I can smell it now.

As a kid I loved my burgers on sliced hearty bread (just like a sandwich) instead of the usual grilled buns. And I still do. Just go for a great, hearty chewy bread -- like sourdough, multigrain, English muffin, rye or peasant bread – a texture that'll stand up to the weight and handling – and you’ll find a deliciously fun difference in the bite.

Options: Nuts and roasted meats have been culinary buddies for ages. We sometimes forget that with preparing a hamburger. Along with or instead of the thin smear of mayonnaise, apply also a thin spread of a quality peanut butter – crunchy or smooth, on that bottom bread bun right after grilling. Incredible!

Mix the ground beef with a portion of ground pork or prepared sausage link innards for a richer taste, just cook more to a VERY light pink. 

Lish.

A wonderful variety to the onion selection: Pickled onions! (in this book, next up)

For me, the hamburger favorite choice is sautéed onions to just beginning to caramelize, and in the sauté, sliced mushrooms and fresh garlic – all topped with Swiss, Gruyère, or pepper jack cheese. The burger cooked medium-rare (red), with mayo, tomato, pickles (and that wonderful plus, the pickled onions), crisp lettuce, and bingo! Juice running down the arm . . . many napkins in reach . . . a big smile on my face. Home-made fries with garlic? Just bury me now.

Bacon and sliced avocado – a match made in heaven ------- Roasted red or poblano peppers with pepper jack cheese --------- Mashed black/pinto/red beans with crunched Fritos chips under a layer of cheddar over the patty ----------- Sliced bananas with that peanut butter? I want to stand up and salute.

Options, again: If the meat of cattle isn’t your option, then try bison. It is less fatty, better for digestion and richer in taste. Or ground fowl (turkey, chicken, ostrich or duck) make an excellent and interestingly delicious alternative. Sausage patties are decadent, but also a tasty alternative to beef. Or even a Mediterranean/Greek direction with luscious ground lamb, topped with Tzatziki sauce (with grilled green peppers, feta cheese, lemon zest, rosemary, mint and a pinch of cinnamon).  Cook to med/med-rare.  

The less fatty meats may cook somewhat drier, so in these cases, some moisture additives may be necessary. I find adding just a teaspoonful of small curd cottage cheese per burger patty (carefully folded together) gives perfect moisture, without excess fat.

In Paris, there was a popular dish called ‘les œufs à cheval ’ (lay-zouf osh-val) meaning ‘eggs on horseback’. Well, sadly to many, horse was a regular meat option in the market there and I thought it was a horsemeat dish and avoided it at all costs. I finally found out that it is a ground beef burger with a fried egg on top. To my relief and happy mouth, it was great! Try adding atop your burger a medium-well-fried egg, with the yolk still thick like melted cheese. C’est si bon!

Vegetarian burger: If avoiding the use of meat altogether, the last option I’m giving here is a super-delicious surprise. Obtain portabella mushrooms, as smooth and fresh as possible, about five or six inches in diameter. Each should be clean, brushed with a clean moist sponge or paper towel. The stem should be trimmed of any woody texture, more than likely up to the cap. The cap should have evenly placed minor gills on the underside. If not, these can be scraped out gently with a small spoon, if you like. Baste/brush the whole cap in olive or canola oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, garlic powder or minced fresh garlic (or you can marinate as with meat, in a favorite vinaigrette or a mustard/oil/vinegar with sautéed chile pepper blend for a half hour to two hours), and sauté gently in a pan with a bit of butter for flavor, or over direct heat on a lower setting on the BBQ, covered but under supervision to ensure that they cook till tender without burning. But yes, a bit of caramelization is the perfect goal (3-5 minutes per side). Assemble with or without cheese the same as with the burgers above, with any of the desired accents.

Listen to this – a portabella burger with melted shaved Parmesan, avocado and peanut butter? Stand back!

PICKLED ONIONS

and

PICKLED VEGGIES

As a condiment, a salad ingredient, or a side ‘chutney’ associate, these pickled tasty additions to your plate are well worth paying attention to. By nature, they give a refreshing lift to the palate (good as between courses) and a nice crunch to the mouth.

The following suggestions of preparation are fairly simple and not too much ‘cooking’ – so the kids can assist and become involved. Knowing they were part of the success of the meal makes a big mark in the little ones’ self-esteem and feeling of being part of the project. Just be careful in the chopping and cutting; if the little ones are too small for handling a knife, then measuring, mixing and stirring are a good part of this recipe.

Tools: cutting board, saucepan, sealable containers for refrigeration

Prep:

Take two medium or one large-sized red onion, sweet onion – and also any 'hot' onion that you have in the pantry that's just too hot to use raw – and slice in half from pole-to-pole. Remove the skin and the tail end (the fuzzy root end holds it together while slicing). Then slice each half into ⅛ to ¼ inch thick slices across the width, making ‘half moons’ of onion. If a fairly large onion, slice those halves in half from pole to pole and make ‘quarter moons’. With hands, pick all the onion pieces loose from one another and place them in heat-tolerant bowl or resealable container.

Take one or two medium banana-sized cucumbers -- English hothouse, Asian or East Asian, Armenian or Persian (thin, edible skin, with minor seeds – or a conventional cucumber peeled and halved lengthwise and seeds carefully scraped out with a teaspoon) and slice into thin, about 1/8 to 1/16 of an inch ‘coins’ (this is where a ‘mandolin’ style slicer comes in perfectly) sprinkle with several hefty pinches of salt throughout and toss, let set at least ten minutes, rinse and drain of any excess water and salt, and place in heat-tolerant bowl or resealable container. 

For both the onion and cucumber pieces (or alternate veggies listed below), in a saucepan add 11/2  cups rice wine vinegar, grape wine vinegar and/or apple cider vinegar, half cup water, along with a heaping tablespoonful each of sugar, lemon or lime juice and their zest, and pickling spices (a prepared mix of caraway seed, mustard seed, celery seed, tumeric, minced dill, garlic, peppercorns) and a half teaspoon of salt.  Bring just to a boil, shut off heat to steep the flavors a bit then pour over onions/cucumbers - immerse/stir to keep all moist - at least half an hour.  Let set till cool, then transfer all to a sealed container and chill well for at least one hour to several hours (multiply all the ingredients for a larger batch.) (The unrefrigerated creation may be used while still warm on the burgers).  The longer it sets, the better. The red onions will turn pink all through, and they will lose the hard ‘hot’ edge of even the oldest onions you may have in the pantry. This works also for ginger and horseradish.  The cucumbers will stay crisp yet delightfully refreshing in their sweet/sour take from the pickling. When served, individually or the two together in the sweet vinegar with a sprinkling of white or black sesame seeds as an appetizer salad or palate cleanser between courses.

These two marry exceptionally well with a hamburger or hot dog – or any Mexican dish – especially TACOS!, Asian dish, potato/macaroni salad, or with chili, sandwiches, cool green salads, deviled eggs – and the ideas go on and on.  Be sure to drain first. 

The pickling gives the same punch and crunch that conventional jarred pickles give – yet raises the bar as far as a new taste and texture. Try adding store-bought pickled ginger found in the Asian section (or try making your own), tossed all together with the onions and cucumbers, it becomes a fun and bright flavor side.

Options: Try other onion-like 'heat' vegetables such as sliced table radishes, thin-planked daikon radishes, fennel, elephant garlic and larger-sized shallots. Some root-type veggies can be considered such as normally hot thin-sliced ginger, horseradish, and also the calmer carrots, turnips, sweet or hot peppers, parsnips, and beets. Cucumber-oriented vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash and okra may be also thin sliced and prepared the same way. Very thin sliced rounds of citrus are a great treat, and cabbage and firm leaf style veggies make a nice crunch. Hard-boiled eggs have long been a favorite pickle choice, but I like to do red beet slices or shreds and eggs together with the vinegar and spices, as the red color makes the eggs more visibly tantalizing.




do you relish corn?  Well, then

Corn relish:  Remove fresh kernels from two to three of the sweet type corn ears, or one quality 12 oz frozen package corn, thawed in the refrigerator and drained (optional:  Brief ‘dry’ grilling with a minimum of butter and a tsp of sugar on non-stick pan on high heat, or roasting quickly in a broiler – either method brought to a slight char would be an excellent idea).  To this add one small red onion finely diced ¼ inch (1/2 cup); three or four radishes, grated on large hole; one small red jalapeno or a red Serrano pepper (if you can find them, otherwise green) seeded/stemmed/deveined and finely chopped (and/or two or three jarred pickled cherry peppers, seeded/stemmed and medium chopped); one minced clove fresh garlic, and one or two green onions (white and green) thin sliced.  Place all in saucepan with ½ cup cider vinegar or wine (champagne or sherry) vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar/honey, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cumin and ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper.  Bring just to a simmer, stirring well, and remove from heat.  Cool to room temperature and add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2-3 tsp fresh chopped cilantro (or parsley, tarragon or watercress) and the zest and juice of a lime and chill, well-sealed, in refrigerator till cold, stirring/swirling occasionally.  Serve chunky, straining excess liquid with spoon at serving.