# Hamburger Saturday is coming and I need some good recipes. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 11, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144 "2010-03-11T19:25:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/21 "2010-03-12T05:33:14Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > If you’re not interested in mixing other types of ground meat in, try ground sirloin instead. They were the juiciest and richest burgers I had last summer. Just be carefull. Some ground Sirloin can be too lean and will get dry quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/22 "2010-03-12T05:34:26Z")
I chop up some baby spinach and garlic real fine, add some Parmesan cheese, and mix that in with the ground beef. Per pound of beef: 1 handful of spinach, two cloves of garlic, 1/8 cup of Parmesan cheese. Keep it on the flame less than you normally would for a burger, as the cheese can dry it out otherwise. No condiments or toppings other than a slice of fresh tomato. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/23 "2010-03-12T05:38:19Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Hamburger Saturday is a day that I made up twenty seconds ago where I make a kickass hamburger. I like your style, sir! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/24 "2010-03-12T05:42:22Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Hamburger Saturday is a day that I made up twenty seconds ago I miss Wednesday Night BBQ. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/25 "2010-03-12T05:44:18Z")
I’ve put chopped onion _and_ garlic in the patty itself, before. One time in a patty so large it required one of those soup bread bowls to use as a bun. A sourdough one, to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/26 "2010-03-12T05:48:00Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I have to agree with The Basics – though I admit I prefer garlic salt to regular salt on my burgers. And I confessed to preferring Lawry’s. I don’t know what exactly is in it but someone in their R&D lab figured out how to make my taste buds sit up and say Howdy. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/27 "2010-03-12T05:49:32Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I miss Wednesday Night BBQ. ☹ We (seriously) have Taco Tuesday in our house. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/28 "2010-03-12T06:01:22Z")
Listen closely. I never really liked home made burgers. In fact I once even started a thread about not liking home made burgers. Then last month, Men’s Journal ran a page about how to make the Perfect Burger at home. We’ve been having burgers like mad since then, and each one is better than the last. “Get ready for some tough love. You can make a much better burger in a frying pan than on the grill. Those delicious juices that drop onto the coals . . . ? They’re not supposed to leave the patty - which is why you should . . . make a cast-iron skillet your hardware of choice.” “Back when burgers were done right, the classic places always used a griddle,” says Randy Garutti of Manhattan’s award-winning Shake Shack. “When the juices collect and caramelize, they produce a crust unmatched by anything flame-cooked.” Another bonus is that you really crank the heat up, so you’re done in about 3 minutes, instead of however the hell long it takes on a grill. The technique? Form 1/4lb of ground beef into a ball and drop it into a cast-iron skillet preheated to high heat, after adding a tablespoon of canola oil. After 1 minute, flip it over and smash it down the best you can. Add salt and pepper and let it go another minute. Flip it one more time, salt and pepper, add your cheese, and you’re done when the last minute runs out. For toppings, they recommend minimal and simple (“put away that fried egg.”) American cheese, plum tomatoes, leaf-lettuce. Use a potato bun for its “sponginess” and ability to absorb juices without falling to pieces. Thank me later. References Men’s Journal, Volume 19, number 2, March, 2010 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/29 "2010-03-12T06:07:46Z")
I was just thinking and riffing off that pattymelt-Deli Stylee thing, self, you know what might go good with meat. No self, what? More Meat. You could make a really high quality sirloin pattymelt and top it with a really high quality pastrami. Pastramiburgermelt ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/30 "2010-03-12T06:14:47Z")
**Cisco** - That certainly is one good technique. What I do when I’m in the mood for griddled fast-food style burgers is to form the meat as loosely as possible into a vague ball-shape, put it between two sheets of wax paper, and slam a cast iron pan down on it (or use a tortilla press). Makes 'em nice and thin (some people don’t like the thin style, I actually prefer it to the 1/2 pound pub burger.) They’re nice for 1/6 pounders and when you stack two of those on top of each other with a slice of cheese apiece, perfect fast-food style burger. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/31 "2010-03-12T06:15:13Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Listen closely. > > I never really liked home made burgers. In fact I once even started a thread about not liking home made burgers. Then last month, Men’s Journal ran a page about how to make the Perfect Burger at home. \ > Men’s Journal, Volume 19, number 2, March, 2010 You would think Dopers would know better than to believe everything they read 😛 Actually sounds great and I’ll probably give it a try. I still find it hard to believe that there can be any better flavor than what I get over a grill with hard wood charcol. I guess I just like the smokey/woody taste of the smoke. But I will give your recommendation a chance and will try it… I just have to remember to disconnect the smoke detectors. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/32 "2010-03-12T06:50:08Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > I will give your recommendation a chance and will try it… I just have to remember to disconnect the smoke detectors. Oh yeah, thanks for mentioning that because I forgot. We open the kitchen window and turn the hood fan on high and the smoke alarm still went off once. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/33 "2010-03-12T07:24:20Z")
I also prefer the frying pan over the grill. ---
**Author:** ![Av8trix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@Av8trix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Av8trix)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/34 "2010-03-12T08:16:00Z")
2 lb ground beef package of shredded cheddar (or your favorite) cheese 1/2 c. brown sugar (more or less, according to your taste) salt, pepper, a little garlic powder Mix well and patty out in a hamburger press or by hand. The sugar keeps the meat super juicy, and is especially good when cooked on a grill- the sugar carmelizes a bit. Seriously the best non-fancy burger I’ve ever had. I’ll make up a dozen or so and freeze them to pop on the grill on a don’t-feel-like-cooking night. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/35 "2010-03-12T14:42:05Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > After 1 minute, flip it over and smash it down the best you can. Seconding the smashburger. Most people I know like to make these enormous hamburgers that either don’t have much taste or have so much filler mixed in they taste more like meatloaf than a hamburger. There’s so much more browned surface area using the smash method, they’re much better (IMO, of course). Easily my favorite burger. Here’s the website where I first found the technique. [Link](http://thepauperedchef.com/2008/12/the-smash-technique-and-skinny-burger-perfection.html) ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/36 "2010-03-12T14:59:17Z")
Yeah, give me straight beef over beef with tons of fillers any day. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/37 "2010-03-12T15:02:18Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > We (seriously) have Taco Tuesday in our house. Our house has “Pizza Friday.” ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/38 "2010-03-12T15:02:34Z")
Other generic toppings that haven’t been mentioned are salsa and pico de gallo. Home made is always better. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/39 "2010-03-12T16:21:25Z")
> [@Terraplane](#): > > Seconding the smashburger. Most people I know like to make these enormous hamburgers that either don’t have much taste or have so much filler mixed in they taste more like meatloaf than a hamburger. There’s so much more browned surface area using the smash method, they’re much better (IMO, of course). Easily my favorite burger. > > Here’s the website where I first found the technique. [Link](http://thepauperedchef.com/2008/12/the-smash-technique-and-skinny-burger-perfection.html) I would mash it prior to cooking it. Mashing during cooking forces fat out of the burger, making it less juicy. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144/40 "2010-03-12T16:57:26Z")
I also prefer the frying pan burger, though I really do love any burger higher than McDonald’s on the food chain. My personal favorite is about a third of a pound of fresh ground sirloin with some kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper mixed in, mashed down to patty form before cooking. Cook on high heat to medium rare, flipping as needed; about 30 seconds before it’s done, you add your slice or two of extra sharp cheddar to get it nice and melty. My preferred toppings are the bacon that I was frying in the other pan, and the best BBQ sauce that I have available. I know what I’m doing for the Selection Show this Sunday. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hamburger-saturday-is-coming-and-i-need-some-good-recipes/532144.md?page=3)