The Best Hamburger in the World

Stoo

Well-known member
Six months ago, in another thread (Spielburgers), there was a brief exchange between myself and Pale Horse about great hamburgers...
Me said:
I'm always on the quest for the PERFECT hamburger (and I think I've found it) but will leave none untasted, given the opportunity.
Pale Horse said:
Do tell...
The one I was referring to is the from a restaurant in Montreal called, L'Anecdote (which is not a chain restaurant. It's the only one). In my globe-trotting, I always make an effort to try a local hamburger wherever I go and Anecdote's still remain the unconquered, absolute, BEST burgers I've ever tasted. (Even though it's in my home city, this is not a biased opinion. They are that good & incredibly delicious!(y))

https://www.google.ca/#hl=en&sugexp...059bd108695f2c&bpcl=35277026&biw=1600&bih=776

In some circles, hamburgers are a low-brow meal but their tastiness cannot be denied. To me, they are a G_d given creation and the Manna from Heaven.

I often make my own but they just aren't good enough. Don't what I'm doing wrong so I wish to know the formula for making a fantastic one.

Considering The Raven has members from all over the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, I would LOVE to know where GREAT burgers can be found (or how to make them). Please, tell me about which ones rock your world!:D

Hamburger_BetterOffDead.jpg
 
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Goodeknight

New member
First I'd say the quality and freshness of the meat. Hamburger ground that day preferably. It loses flavor pretty quickly. People will certainly debate about black angus beef, buffalo, etc. I don't care for them myself. Just a high quality, fresh meat from the butcher (ground that day).

While gas grills are considered upscale nowadays, you can't beat charcoal for grilling. On our gas grill, though, I like to use regular ground beef with lots of fat in it. (not that lean, wussy stuff) That way, a lot of grease drips down, causing flames and smoke, giving it that grilled taste. And regular ground beef holds together better than lean beef. I cook them fast so they get pretty well done on the outside, while keeping their moisture. Another way I keep them moist is by flipping as little as possible. Every time you flip you lose all that fat that bubbles up to the top. (You can also cover them inside the grill to keep the heat more even across the top.)

If I use seasoning, I only put it on the patty. I don't mix it all the way through. If you mix it in, you use 5 times as much to get half the flavor.

Good quality for other ingredients is essential, too. Kaiser rolls or some other favorite. Grill them for a bit to get them a little toasty to work well with a moist burger. Your personal fav pickles. Garden grown, real tomatoes. I personally like Duke's mayo and sea salt, too. Melt a good cheese while it's still on the grill.

Now I gotta run. The grill is calling me...
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
Stoo, what's on the burgers at L'Anecdote?

Goodeknight< i agree with everything you said about cooking up a good burger. Thanks for the tip on the seasoning. I will try that.

Here in Oz, burgers are important, but the honest to goodness old fashioned burger is not easy to find. Along with fish n chips, burgers were par for the course on days at the beach or picnics. There is a small chain here in Brisabane called Burger Urge who do make excellent gourmet burgers and charge for them. They are like a meal on a plate in that they are large enough that eating with hands is nigh impossible.

But for the homemade burger one can indulge anything they want. As well as the right patty (rissole) formula, the bread is important and whether toasting or not is personal preference or just how you feel at the time. I always like to butter the bread.

For a works burger, ingredients may include the meat (rissole or thin cut steak), sizzled bacon, fried egg, caramelised onion, sliced pickled beetroot, lettuce (iceberg or otherwise), sliced ripe tomato, a pineapple ring!, sliced cucumber, sliced cheddar cheese and preferred sauce, usually a good bbq one. And plenty of napkins, cos this things gonna be messy to eat!
 

Stoo

Well-known member
kongisking said:
Look no further than your local McDonalds.

:p
Kong, it's too bad that you weren't around during the trippy, glorious day of McDee's.

Dig this groovy, near-psychedelic, hamburger commercial!

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/e4JgvTOdhtQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
Gourmet Burgers

Here's a recipe I will be trying on the grill here shortly. Summer is almost over in CA this week. Today's high is 95f. But the nights are shorter and are cool. That means while I'm watching football on Sunday's, I can grill without getting heat stroke.

Farmhouse Bacon Cheeseburger
from The Good Stuff Cookbook
serves 6

What can make the All-American burger better? Its simple?add cheese, add bacon.

30 ounces ground sirloin
6 potato buns, cut in half
Canola oil
1 pound applewood-smoked bacon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices American cheese
6 leaves iceberg lettuce
6 ruby red tomato slices
6 red onion slices
12 pickle slices
About 1 cup Good Stuff Sauce (see recipe below)

To make the patties, roll six 5-ounce sirloin balls, and form each ball into a patty. Arrange on a tray, cover, and refrigerate. Line a plate with paper towels.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add just enough oil to cover the entire bottom. When the oil begins to smoke, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on the paper towels. Drain off the fat from the skillet but do not wipe clean.

Reduce the heat to medium and place the patties into the same skillet. Season the patties with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Flip, and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Place 3 strips of bacon and 1 slice of the cheese on each patty and continue to cook 2 minutes more for medium-rare doneness. Cover with a lid for the last 30 seconds to melt the cheese.

Toast the buns. Set aside.

To assemble the burgers, place 1 patty on 1 toasted bun bottom. Top the patty with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice, and 2 pickle slices. Dress with some of the sauce. Cover with the bun top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Don?t forget to wrap the sandwiches in wax paper. Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes and serve.

Good Stuff Sauce (makes about 2 cups)
After reading several books and articles on Americans and the hamburgers they love, my mother found that people?s favorite sauces were different takes on Thousand Island dressing (ketchup and mayo). At one of our family tastings, Mike Colletti, a chef I met at Le Cirque, and I came up with our twist on it?we locked ourselves in the kitchen and added a little something to the sauce to give it a real kick.

2 cups Homemade Basic Mayonnaise (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, molasses, vinegar, and salt to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Homemade Basic Mayonnaise (makes about 2 cups)
In France, they used to make fun of me about my love of Hellmann?s, but if you ask me, it?s pretty damn good. If you want to go the extra mile, though, it doesn?t get any more basic than this recipe.

2 large eggs
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups grapeseed oil

Add the eggs, mustard, vinegar, and salt to a food processor or blender. Process for 30 seconds in the food processor, or for 10 seconds in the blender. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil slowly at first, then add in a thin, steady stream until all the oil is added and the mixture is smooth. Stop the motor and taste. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little hot water. If too thin, process a little longer. The mayonnaise can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

cheeseburger-2.jpg


Soon enough though, I'll get out and try some in established houses of hefer.
 

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
7HvZo.jpg


'Round in these parts we really like our dark rye bread instead of those wheat buns you generally utilize for a burger. And I've got to say, the taste is something quite unique.


While not the exact specimen in the picture, I actually had something rather similar-looking just a few hours ago. Apart from the dark bun, it had some of the more usual suspects, such as lettuce, sliced pickles and tomatoes, cheddar cheese and onion-mayo sauce or whatever the hell you're supposed to call it.

Besides the bread bit, it did also have another distinguishing feature; instead of ground beef, the meaty part came from lamb.


The best burger on this sorry Earth? Don't know if I've devoured enough to make that call, but definitely something to try for anyone who considers him- or herself a connoisseur on the subject.
 

Goodeknight

New member
Today I partook of a delicious Waffle House cheeseburger, with a double side of hash browns with cheese, hot sauce, and ketchup.

I figured it would be pretty empty in there, and it was. A local news station recently reported they found lots of rats there, coming in thru holes in the roof. I actually ordered my burger "Hold the onions. Hold the rats." I got a big laugh with that one.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Loving your posts, guys.(y) Nice to read some burger-related personal experience & ancecdotes.

@Goodeknight: Although I use a gas BBQ because it's so much easier to start up, I agree about the better taste of an old-fashioned charcoal grille. It definitely makes a difference! Like you, I also like to let the grease drip down to get a nice flame going underneath. It's a hard call, though. If too much drips out, the meat won't be as juicy. And, yes, one rule I've learned is to only flip ONCE.

Re. the fatty beef holding together better than lean: This could be one of my problems because I have trouble making making a nice, solid patty. Mine often crumble or break apart and it's very frustrating. A friend told me to mix an egg in with the ground beef to help it stick together. Have you ever tried this?

@Mickiana: L'Anecdote, offers the standard trimmings as you like (no pineapple slices, though;)) but they do have different kinds of meat like lamb, chicken...and even deer (a Bambi burger?!?) but I've never tried those. Another characteristic of the restaurant that I like is their retro furniture & decor. It's real, vintage '50 stuff and not replicas like so many other places (Ex. Céline Dion's chain, Nickels).

Burger Urge in Brisbane sounds interesting. Speaking of not eating with hands: After first moving to Switzerland, I was highly amused to see elderly gentlemen eating regular-sized burgers with a knife & fork!:D

Pineapple on a burger? Never heard of that before. Must be a West Pacific thing!:)

@Pale Horse: Being so close to a hot grille in the California heat must be brutal so I'm glad that things are cooling down for you. For winters in Montreal, I park my BBQ near the patio door before the snow falls. That way, I only need to shovel a small area between the door and the grille and, during a bitterly cold January, it's a novel perk to cook outside. Here in The Switz, BBQs aren't very popular and it's not easy to find the equipment. Even so, my apartment has a big balcony but I'm not allowed to BBQ on it!:mad:(n)

A cheeseburger with bacon is the ultimate. The best burger chain in Canada is Harvey's. Char-grilled, theirs beat any other chain by a mile and, not only do they have double burgers but TRIPLE. Try a Harvey's triple with bacon & cheese and you're in heart-attack heaven.

@Finn: That looks rather odd but tasty, nonetheless. I like rye bread and would definitely try that if it's what the Finns prefer. Always up for trying what the locals eat. Are there any Finnish burger restaurant chains? Are BBQs popular in your corner of this beautiful Earth?:confused:

Harvey_s-logo-0A76225975-seeklogo.com.gif
 

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
I won't make any promises, but there is a Fuddruckers™ down the street from me, here. Chain burgers, may be worth a review.

Now, how to get my money from Finn and the Raven, back...

Stoo said:
Here in The Switz, BBQs aren't very popular and it's not easy to find the equipment. Even so, my apartment has a big balcony but I'm not allowed to BBQ on it!:mad:(n)

I have a new in box electric grill I received as an (unwanted) gift. I'd be happy to ship it your way. Good indoors and out....
 

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
Stoo said:
Are there any Finnish burger restaurant chains?
Well, there's Hesburger, though I've never found their products anything special. Homemade is usually my way.

If you wish to give their products a shot however... apart from good ol' Land of the Finns, they do seem to have some joints in Germany and around Eastern Europe as well. Don't know though whether rye burgers are on the menu on the southern side of the Baltic Sea.

In general, the map of burger chains are pretty sorry in these parts. Technically we have a choice between Hesburger or McDonald's, and a handful of local eateries in the bigger cities. Rye burgers have been a Hesburger staple for quite some time now, but incidentally, the local MCDs started serving them a few years back as well. The majority of the menus in both brands still consist of regular wheat bun burgers though, so it's not like rye dominates the market.

Albeit I know many people who prefer them, yours truly included.

Stoo said:
Are BBQs popular in your corner of this beautiful Earth?
As a matter of fact, they are. We do have this culture of technically every family owning a summer retreat in the countryside (size ranging from small cottages to luxury villas) and BBQing is relatively common part of it. Some of the best meals I had just last summer was when we hit the coals with my dad at my parents' place.

Also, incidentally, I have some friends who have grills on their balconies. It is technically something that breaks the general safety regulations, but since it's somewhat customary, many people turn a blind eye to it.
 

Goodeknight

New member
Stoo said:
@Goodeknight:
Re. the fatty beef holding together better than lean: This could be one of my problems because I have trouble making making a nice, solid patty. Mine often crumble or break apart and it's very frustrating. A friend told me to mix an egg in with the ground beef to help it stick together. Have you ever tried this?

I have tried the egg trick with lean beef, and it does work pretty well. Doesn't seem to change the taste, either.

Two notes about that:

1) There's a place in Roanoke, VA, (where I used to live) called Texas Tavern. They put together burgers there for me with cheese, pickle, a fried egg, tomato, and chili. Mmmmm. Eat that and you'll be "remembering it" for at least 24 hours.

2) I heard tell for many years that McDonalds is the largest purchaser of cow eyeballs worldwide, and that they use them to help their burgers stick together. However, Snopes refutes this. Just a rumor.....or so they say....
 

kongisking

Active member
Stoo said:
Kong, it's too bad that you weren't around during the trippy, glorious day of McDee's.

Dig this groovy, near-psychedelic, hamburger commercial!

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/e4JgvTOdhtQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Holy cow, it's like The Wizard of Oz, McDonald's Edition!

:p
 

Dr. Gonzo

New member
I'm not sure if it's a chain or not, I recall someone telling me it was, but there was/is a burger joint called Louis Burger in Compton CA, I think they more or less specialized in Chili, anyway I remember their chili burger being amazing.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
kongisking said:
Holy cow, it's like The Wizard of Oz, McDonald's Edition!
Heh, Kong...It's actually "Wizard of Oz" -> "H.R. Pufnstuf" -> "McDonald's".

McDonald's hired set designers and costume makers from Sid & Marty Krofft's, "H.R. Pufnstuf", and got sued for plagarism in the mid-to-late '70s. That's why you don't see Mayor McCheese, Big Mac, etc. anymore. Mayor McCheese was considered a rip-off of H.R. Pufnstuf, himself (because he was the mayor and had a big yellow head). Big Mac was considered a rip-off of Cling & Clang (because they were British 'bobby' policemen) and yadda, yaddy, yadda...

Those were they glory days of McDonald's. When winning hockey & baseball teams were privileged to go on special trips riding the Big Mac Bus, like I did. ($50 to anyone who can give me photos of the interior.)

Question: Where were Sid & Marty Krofft born & raised?
Answer: In Montreal!(y)
 

Montana Smith

Active member
I don't eat hamburgers, but the best Hamburger in the world that I know of is Tiny.

Obergefreiter Wolfgang Ewald Leo Helmuth Creutzfeldt, is one of the main characters in Sven Hassel's novels. He is a member of V Company's II platoon, commanded by the Old Man. Hamburger from the Reeperbahn; was a bicycling courier with a communist past; a giant of size and therefore a bully; more or less illiterate and not very smart, but still sneaky and deep down not as bad as he'd seem. Joined the Foreign Legion after the war.

He is referenced as Tiny, Little John, Little Brother, Lillebror, Pikkuveli, Petit Frere, Le Petit, according to different languages.

He is described as a seven foot tall gorilla-like ruffian, weighing 260lbs (16st 4oz) and his first words are "Here! Beer! Five glasses at once." He is, of course, beaten in his fight with the Legionnaire but manages to get his own back through various means. He initially only befriends Pluto, both being Hamburgers and both sharing a large size, but after Pluto is killed, he learns to like Porta and the Legionnaire and the rest of his comrades.

In Comrades Of War, Tiny tells the story of his time in prison Brückenkopf 3, Torgau where he had his arm broken in three places and his little toe torn off with pincers.

Tiny cannot read or write according to Assignment Gestapo. He has one ear missing plus a finger and a toe at various times. He joined the army at sixteen following advice from the 'holy men' who ran the school of correction where he seems to have spent most of his childhood. He was "marked down barmy by the Army psychopaths" in 1938 by order of Herr General der Kavallerie Knochenhauer, Commander of 10th Army Corps, Hamburg. He has an excellent knack of appearing to be completely stupid as and when it suits him.

Tiny ends up in Sven's company ('Return To The Eastern Front' Chapter 8 of Wheels Of Terror), spends his time quarrelling with everyone, and gets warnings from von Barring and threats from the Old Un.


http://svenhassel.wikia.com/wiki/Tiny


I wouldn't try eating Tiny. I know where he's been.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
@Pale Horse: Such a very kind offer of your (unwanted) electric grille, Pale, but I actually bought one a few years ago to get around the Swiss BBQ restriction. Truth be told, mine doesn't really do the job well so, when I cook meat over here, I often fry it in olive oil. (It's a substitute that I've come to accept.) Perhaps you have some neighbours or relatives who you can give your unwanted gift to?

Fuddruckers sounds fun. Give a review if you ever get down the street and try 'em out.:whip:

@Finn: Hesburgers, eh? I will probably be in Germany in a couple of weeks so will definitely give them a go if I find one. Thanks for the tip.:hat: No Burger King in your area?

Nice to know that McDonald's offers rye bread burgers in Finland. Their marketing schemes (past & present) is of great interest to me I've always wondered why they didn't continue their McPoutine trial-run in Quebec. Conforming with local desires is one of the best pursuits they've ever taken.

Also good to hear that BBQs are a firm part of Finnish culture and that you had some fine grilling with your dad.(y)

@Dr. Gonzo: I've never had a chili burger but recommendations like yours are exactly what I'm searching for. Thanks, buddy.:) Next time I'm in California...

Louis Burgers sounds like an oblique reference to the pivotal Battle of Louisbourg (Canada, 1758)

@Montana Smiffy: You're such a ham! Why don't you eat burgers?:confused: They are delicious.

@goodeknight: THAT'S IT! I even remember the upholstery on the couches. What a wonderfual flashback! Thanks a BILLION, Goodie!:hat: Not being one to welch on a promise...if a 'virtual' $50 (non-USD funds) isn't satisfactory, then PM me your mailing address.

50Canada_Burger.jpg


Re. Cow eyeballs: Are they available at retail? Forget the egg-sticky trick, I want some eyeballs!:p
 
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kongisking

Active member
Stoo said:
Heh, Kong...It's actually "Wizard of Oz" -> "H.R. Pufnstuf" -> "McDonald's".

McDonald's hired set designers and costume makers from Sid & Marty Krofft's, "H.R. Pufnstuf", and got sued for plagarism in the mid-to-late '70s. That's why you don't see Mayor McCheese, Big Mac, etc. anymore. Mayor McCheese was considered a rip-off of H.R. Pufnstuf, himself (because he was the mayor and had a big yellow head). Big Mac was considered a rip-off of Cling & Clang (because they were British 'bobby' policemen) and yadda, yaddy, yadda...

Those were they glory days of McDonald's. When winning hockey & baseball teams were privileged to go on special trips riding the Big Mac Bus, like I did. ($50 to anyone who can give me photos of the interior.)

Question: Where were Sid & Marty Krofft born & raised?
Answer: In Montreal!(y)

Wow, never knew any of that about H.R. Pufnstuf.

In all seriousness, though, I haven't had enough burgers to really properly judge which would be the best. I'll leave that task to you fine gentlefolk...:hat:
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
Has no one in the Americas or elsewhere heard of pineapple on a hamburger? I don't know the origins of this, I presumed it may have been American. It might be an Australian thing then! For instance we enjoy a pizza called The Hawaiian which is ham and pineapple on top of the mozzarella.

The acidic sweetness of pineapple goes well with the typical burger, but especially so when you have bacon in there too. It adds a bit of a 'tropical' flavour which is perfectly suited to a summer's lunch at the beach in my corner of the world.

I love all the ideas for variations posted here. I'm putting weight on just reading the menu!
 
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