# What's a burger ring? (New Zealand movie reference) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527 "2016-06-27T15:40:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [June 27, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/1 "2016-06-27T15:40:36Z")
Listening to NPR this morning, I heard a reference from an New Zealand film to ‘burger rings’. What’s a burger ring? I googled it, and there are apparently metal rings to make round burger patties. (Why would you need a tool to do that? 😕 ) This utensil seems an odd thing to mention given the dialogue (which I don’t clearly remember). Do ‘burger rings’ have a different meaning in Enn-Zed? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/2 "2016-06-27T15:43:35Z")
It’s a [corn snack](http://youcarewhatwethink.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/burger-rings-mordor-new-zealand.html), ringed in shape, orange in hue, and meaty in artificial flavour. They were a staple during my school years. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/3 "2016-06-27T17:25:14Z")
It’s a criminal enterprise that distributes hot hamburgers. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/4 "2016-06-27T17:35:53Z")
It’s something a Kiwi wears on his finger, for a little snack. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/5 "2016-06-27T17:51:21Z")
It is a ring to rule all the Burger Kings of [del]Middle Earth[/del] New Zealand. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/6 "2016-06-27T18:26:55Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > It’s a [corn snack](http://youcarewhatwethink.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/burger-rings-mordor-new-zealand.html), ringed in shape, orange in hue, and meaty in artificial flavour. They were a staple during my school years. Thanks, **GuanoLad**. (I think I’ll stick to chicharrones though. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/7 "2016-06-27T21:04:16Z")
Hm. Frito-Lay spends so much time searching for new flavors, maybe they should try White Castle [Funyuns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funyuns). ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/8 "2016-06-27T23:13:37Z")
Does anyone make hamburgers in a ring? It would be kind of cool if someone did… ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/9 "2016-06-28T00:00:37Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Does anyone make hamburgers in a ring? It would be kind of cool if someone did… Mickey Rooney owned a short-lived restaurant chain called “Weenie Whirl” that sold circular hot dogs. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/10 "2016-06-28T01:14:13Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > It’s something a Kiwi wears on his finger, for a little snack. That’s truer than you may realise. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/11 "2016-06-28T01:31:48Z")
I had dinner at a buffet place in Christchurch that had “squid rings”. I didn’t try them. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/12 "2016-06-28T01:45:56Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I had dinner at a buffet place in Christchurch that had “squid rings”. I didn’t try them. Known in the states (and Italy) as calamari. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/13 "2016-06-28T01:52:14Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Does anyone make hamburgers in a ring? It would be kind of cool if someone did… On a bagel. > [@RealityChuck](#): > > Known in the states (and Italy) as calamari. I like the tentacles best. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/14 "2016-06-28T08:57:38Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Does anyone make hamburgers in a ring? It would be kind of cool if someone did… > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > On a bagel. I’d eat this… ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/15 "2016-06-28T11:16:51Z")
I can see shaping burgers inside a ring. Makes nice, uniform patties that can be frozen and slapped on a grill. I have something like that at home, but it’s a cylinder with plastic disks to keep the patties separate. Eggs can also be fried inside a metal ring. Keeps them from running over the bottom of the pan. This is how they make Egg McMuffins. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/16 "2016-06-28T11:56:40Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Does anyone make hamburgers in a ring? It would be kind of cool if someone did… My mother has a tool for making hamburgers which is a plastic round ring with two identical plastic lids. You put a lid as the bottom, place the meat in the box thus formed, press on it with the top and voilà, perfectly round patties. Many butcher shops have the heavy-duty version: it’s metal, makes two patties (which may be oblong or round), and the lids aren’t pressed by hand but with a lever. Searching for burger shaping machine tends to give me industrial versions, but _máquina de hacer hamburguesas_ brings up small-scale and industrial both. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/17 "2016-06-28T15:28:45Z")
I just put a quarter-pound of ground beef on a piece of plastic wrap, fold the plastic over it, and smash it with a pan. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/18 "2016-06-29T01:22:52Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Makes nice, uniform patties that can be frozen and slapped on a grill. I have something like that at home, but it’s a cylinder with plastic disks to keep the patties separate. A perennial [favourite](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O81OIvZD-Gg). ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/19 "2016-06-29T01:27:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I just put a quarter-pound of ground beef on a piece of plastic wrap, fold the plastic over it, and smash it with a pan. I use my actual hands. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527/20 "2016-06-29T01:29:54Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > It’s a [corn snack](http://youcarewhatwethink.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/burger-rings-mordor-new-zealand.html), ringed in shape, orange in hue, and meaty in artificial flavour. They were a staple during my school years. Lordy Sweet Jesus. These are truly the End Days. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-burger-ring-new-zealand-movie-reference/758527.md?page=2)