Today’s food spotlight is on the Hamburger.

There’s some controversy over the origin of the hamburger because its two basic ingredients, bread and beef, had been prepared and consumed separately for many years before they were combined. Some have pointed to a recipe for “Hamburgh sausages” on toasted bread, published in The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse in 1747. White Castle traces the origin of the hamburger to Hamburg, Germany, with its invention by Otto Kuase. According to legend, Louis Lassen invented the burger in 1900 at his small restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut. He placed a beef patty between two slices of bread and added cheese and condiments, creating the first “hamburger sandwich”.

The term “hamburger” comes from Hamburg in Germany, where a minced beef style dish was first created. Before it was called a hamburger it had many names including; “chopped beef”, hamburger steak, hamburger Rundstück and liberty sandwiches.

Hamburgers were called “liberty sandwiches” during World War I because of anti-German sentiment in the United States. Many Americans believed that hamburgers came from Germany, and antipathy towards anything German was at an all-time high during the war. To detach their favorite junk food from any German identity, Americans used to call them “liberty sandwiches”.

Here are some details about the history of the hamburger:

• White Castle traces the origin of the hamburger to Hamburg, Germany, with its invention by Otto Kuase
• “Hamburger Charlie” Nagreen is credited with inventing the hamburger at the Seymour Fair in Wisconsin in 1885
• Oscar Weber Bilby made the first true hamburger by serving a patty sandwiched within the first hamburger bun in 1891.
• Walter Anderson made the first hamburger bun as it exists today in 1916.
• The name “Hamburg steak” was shortened to simply “hamburger” over time.

Frankly, it hardly matters to me. I just love hamburgers, even though I don’t know who to thank.

 

The First Hamburger Restaurant

Louis’ Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut claims to be the first fast food restaurant to serve hamburgers and the oldest hamburger restaurant in the United States. The restaurant opened in 1895 as a small lunch wagon and was one of the first places in the U.S. to serve steak sandwiches.

The Liberty of Congress has recognized Louis’ Lunch as the birthplace of the hamburger sandwich. The restaurant has been featured in many print and television spots, including The Travel Channel, The Food Network, Zagat, and Food and Wine Magazine.

One popular story goes that in 1900, a customer asked for something he could eat on the go, so owner Louis Lassen improvised by giving him a patty of the restaurant’s steak trimmings between two pieces of toast.

 

Here are some fun facts about hamburgers:

• The hamburger became popular in the US in 1904 after being introduced at the St. Louis World’s Fair
• Americans eat about 50 billion hamburgers a year.
• The average American eats a hamburger three times a week.
• Nearly 60% of all sandwiches sold worldwide are hamburgers.
• The name “hamburger” comes from the seaport town of Hamburg, Germany
• The first burger was invented in 1900 by Louis Lassen at his small restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut
• Lassen’s burgers are still served at Louis Lunch, a small hamburger shack in New Haven
• The “Hamburger Hall of Fame” is located in Seymour, Wisconsin
• White Castle was the first hamburger chain, founded in Wichita, Kansas
• If you put all the hamburgers Americans eat in a year in a straight line, they would circle the earth 32 times.

 

Here Is a Hamburger Recipe For You To Try:

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds ground chuck (80/20)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Toppings:

• 6 buns , toasted, if desired
• 6 slices cheddar cheese , or your favorite cheese
• 6 Lettuce leaves
• 1 Beefsteak tomato , sliced
• ½ of a Red or white onion , thinly sliced
• 6 Pickle slices

 

Instructions:

1. Make burger seasoning by combining all spices in a bowl. Set aside.

 

2. Divide ground chuck into 6 equal portions and gently from into ½ inch thick patties that are wider than the burger buns (as they will shrink). Use your thumb to press an indentation into the center of each patty. Cover and set aside.
3. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Just before cooking, sprinkle seasoning over the patties, then place on hot grill, indent-side up. Close grill lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the bottom of the burger is seared and juices are accumulating on top of the burger. Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes or until the beef reaches 160 degrees F.
4. Place cheese on burgers during the last minute of cooking. Remove to a plate and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving in a bun, with toppings.

 

National Hamburger Day is celebrated annually. This day celebrates America’s most iconic food, the hamburger. Americans eat over 50 billion burgers a year, so it’s only fitting to set aside a whole day for these special sandwiches. Many restaurants celebrate the occasion with discounts and freebies on hamburgers. National Hamburger Day.

We’d love to hear about your favorite hamburger.