One Tasty Burger

The hamburger is named after the German city of Hamburg. The modern hamburger as we know it was invented to address the need for affordable food for the emergence of the working and middle class during the industrialization era. Since I began eating hamburgers 40 years ago, the one consistent ingredient was the meat...it was consistent and boring. Hamburgers were not made tasty by the meat. Great taste always had to do with a special sauce or bun or onion jam....anything but the meat. My mom used to make the best burgers! Eventually, I couldn't order burgers at a restaurant because they didn't stand up to my mom's. When I was old enough she taught me the secret. So, my foodie friends, I am sharing with you my decades old recipe of a burger that is all about the meat...and don't think it's about putting short rib or foie gras inside the meat. My burger has simple ingredients and makes all the difference. No condiments needed, but always welcomed!

Ingredient List:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1-2 tbsp McCormick's Perfect Pinch Steak Seasoning
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
• 1-2 cups Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Directions:

Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add McCormick's steak seasoning to the egg so it looks like a layer of steak seasoning on top of the egg. Beat it again to mix the seasoning into the egg....anyone who makes good scrambled eggs knows the trick is to add the salt and pepper before beating the egg. The next step is adding the ground beef to the bowl. Also add the mustard and BBQ sauce. Roll up your sleeves and massage all the ingredients into the meat so you get one consistent ball of meat. At this point, if you lift a handful of meat above the bowl, it should break apart and fall back into the bowl. Start adding the bread crumbs to thicken the meat mixture. Add just enough so when you grab a chunk of meat and lift it above the bowl, it does not fall apart or does so very slowly. Now you are ready to shape it into round patties. Like cookie dough, take a chunk in your hand and roll it in your palms into a ball. Place it on a plate or wax paper and flatten with your hand to about a half to three quarter inch thick. You are now ready to cook. Cook them however you like...grill, oven, fry pan...just like a normal burger. Add cheese or not and whichever bun you prefer. I myself favor potato rolls. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Ok, Ok. I know what you're thinking...it sounds like a meatloaf recipe. It can also double up as a meatloaf baking in the oven at 350 degrees for 60 minutes (assumes triple the ingredients above). Having enjoyed cooking for many years, I learned that adding seasoning (typically salt and pepper) before or during the cooking stage is much more effective than adding it afterwards. Why put BBQ sauce or mustard on top of your burger when you can add it evenly to every bite and cook the flavor into the burger?

When we finally resolve the Covid-19 crises, I look forward to inviting many friends over for weekend BBQs and making my burgers for all to enjoy. I hope everyone tries my recipe and look forward to trying some of the other recipes submitted to this Challenge.