I had to make burgers for a party. One of the guest couple observe some religious restrictions when it comes to beef.

So I asked Google which parts of a cow are kosher.

Google AI's response, " It depends on the cow's religion."

LOL!

dcarch

No Ketchup, no cheese. Yes, to caramelized onions, mustard, dill pickles, lettuce and tomatoes if they are beefsteak tomatoes.

ETA - I forgot, my bun has to be toasted or I don't bother having one.

DH is prepping hamburgers right now. Slow-cooking onions and mushrooms. I love the onions on a burger, along with a slice of a fresh summer tomato, ketchup, maybe lettuce, on a brioche or bakery hamburger bun.

Accompanied by my favorite ”Gramma’s potato salad” from the deli counter, I don’t know whose Gramma it is but I prefer it to the ”regular” potato salad at fhe counter. (DH likes French fries, I prefer potato salad.)

I do like fast food burgers from time to time! Although, at Culver’s (maybe that’s just a midwestern chain, out of Wisconsin), I’ve started enjoying their fish sandwich and roast beef sandwich.

Edit: I didn’t realize Dh had picked up corn at the farmers’ market Saturday, so we had that. The potato salad will wait till tomorrow.

Corn on the cob could be its own thread but I know it can become quite contentious!

Another potential controversy: if I have cheese, I choose a slice of American. Like on a grilled cheese, it melts perfectly with a creamy texture.

I had a lamb burger in Iceland. It may have been the most delicious thing I ate during the entire trip. It was dressed with lamb bacon, salad (lettuce), cucumber, tomatoes, cheese, and chipotle mayo. DSIL and I are going to try to duplicate it. I have no idea how the meat was seasoned. If you’ve got any suggestions, please let me know.

“Corn on the cob could be its own thread but I know it can become quite contentious!”

Agree! I do LOVE corn season!🌽💛

I'm not asking... but I had no idea that corn was contentious! Good corn is good raw or any way you want to cook it. It's really hard to wreck corn.

Re lamb burgers, it depends on the lamb. Baby milk fed doesn't really want bbq cooking, but it has very delicate flavor, so either respect it and go lightly, maybe just a little salt, or declare it bland and mix tender herbs in. If it's a few months in pasture, and more flavorful, consider what you like with lamb. I, personally, adore lamb, hate it with garlic cloves stuffed in (though basted with garlic wine sauce is divine) and won't eat it with anything mint, but if you really like thoose, figure out how to bring it to burgers. Maybe a mint take on chimmichurri. Or regular chimmichurri (judiciously) or on. Or cardamom, mace and parsley. Or the kinds of spices you'd put in barbecue sauce, but no sugar. Just remember, Iceland are famous for their lamb and things always taste better when you're tire and hungry while travelling.

bbstx:: that Icelantic (sort of) lamb sounds devine. Let us know how your experiment turns out. Buried deep within this thread lies a recipe for Argentine-style burgers. Though far away from Iceland, HA-HA, it's worth a look for your lamb. It's given to us by chloebud.

pbath:: corn on the cob contentious?? Really?? you should start a thread!

I’m not sure why any thread about food becomes contentious because it shouldn’t matter to any of us what others prefer. I find it intersting to learn what and how others eat!

Oh, no no, I don’t want to get into the gastronomical physics of the ”best” way to prepare corn on the cob!

I will, at the risk of starting another controversy. recall this: when I was younger and taking classes at l’Alliance Française, and meeting young French folk in my city, we had a kind of pot-luck get-together at my place. My contribution was corn-on-the-cob on the hibachi, and our French friends were dubious. Corn on the cob is for the animals, they said. Corn OFF the cob is for people. However, they came, they ate, they believed.

There can be no controversy that the best corn, is right off the stalk. We used to have farms around where you could get corn off the wagon coming in from the field. All the fields are now townhouse developments and empty shopping centers.

bbstx, I’ve posted this before but this recipe from Weber is a favorite for us. I make them into burger patties vs meatballs. They’re good as is with ground lamb/beef, and I often use all lamb. For the sauce, I like Ina G’s Tzatziki recipe instead of the one here.

Weber's Mount Olympus Meatball Kabobs

Serves 4-6

Meatballs:
2 medium garlic cloves
1 small red or yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
3/4 pound ground lamb
3/4 pound ground beef
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika

Sauce (or your favorite tzatziki):
4 ounces English cucumber
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 T. olive oil
2 T. finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce

For Meatballs: Finely chop garlic, onion and mint. Combine in large bowl with lamb, beef and remaining meatball ingredients. Blend lightly with your hands until well combined. Form into meatballs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter (you should have 20-25 meatballs). Thread long, wide skewers through meatballs, about 4 or 5 per skewer, leaving a little room between each meatball. Place kabobs on baking sheet, cover and chill for 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

For Sauce: Grate cucumber. Drain in colander and squeeze out most of moisture. In medium bowl, whisk together cucumber and remaining sauce ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve (can be made 1-2 days in advance).

Lightly brush or spray kabobs on all sides with olive oil. Grill over direct medium heat until fully cooked, 8-10 minutes, gently rotating meatballs 2 or 3 times during grilling. Serve warm with the sauce.

Elmer, in your post of yesterday, you used the word ”palette”. i believe the word ”palate”, with a totally different meaning , is the more appropriate word.. i suggest you spend a bit of time researching the definitions. for your ease of reference, there may be a dictionary, here in gw. i am a lousy typist but my message seems clear enough. that is palate.

you also indicated that you like to learn info andpeople throw rocks at you because of your propensity to learn. nah nah, you gotta develop your intellectual sensitivity. people hate your guts because you cannot control the critical parent living in your head. westy westsider40

edit the aboveto say that, for me, adding a slice of cheese to a burger, adds a cheesy taste to a beefy burger. doesnt make itbeefier. everyone is different.

hmmm, I thought we were talking about burgers?

“Sure. Back in high school days, my Catholic girlfriend took birth control pills.

What's your point?”

OMG

“Do you use egg-free mayo? (Normal mayo is made with eggs, you must know that)”

I guess I'm a quasi-vegetarian. I haven't had red meat in 40 years, although I was raised eating it and in my early years, fed it to my kids. There are three exceptions a week going off the vegetarian lifestyle. I have a small turkey burger, one boneless grilled chicken thigh, and 1/2 pound of salmon . Just the thought of eating especially veal or lamb, makes me nauseous, and I have said there would be many totally repulsed if the slaughterhouses had glass walls. Interestingly, both my kids and my grandkids don't eat meat either, making that decision on their own.

I wouldn't lump lamb and veal together. In terms of animal welfare there is a big difference. In many countries the latter is intensively raised, being taken from the mother early, fed a diet lacking iron and fibre and confined in dark crates to keep the meat soft and pale. Lamb is raised with the mother outdoors. Very different. There is a trend here now for higher welfare veal. Left longer with the mother, better fed and raised with space and light often outdoors.

Elmer, I think you meant Merriam-Webster.

This is Miriam Webster🤠

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Webster

I did. Now corrected.

Gosh that’s pretty rude, Elmer 😕

I’m starting to believe what others say about you.

I thought you liked to learn things. My comment was not unnecessary. It was part of the conversation, I thought.

I felt kind of sorry for you as there were some very unkind comments in this thread about you. I thought they were cruel, in fact.

Maybe you are what they say.

I can delete my comment if it makes you feel better.

I actually learned who Miriam Webster is. What a handle to have.

Elmer, you make me laugh!

That’s a good thing.

I don't hate pompous blowhards. I do hate bullies. But the best way to deal with the former is to ignore them. Simply don't engage. Let them escalate, let them have their childish tantrum. If it becomes bullying, unfortunately I can't do here what I would do in person because I would be banned. Bullies are cowards. We have one amongst us. They know it, many of us know it. Online bullies can only do it because people allow it. Don't respond. What they gonna do? Take your lunch money?

wildchild, I know that. But I truly do feel sorry for Elmer. I think he wants to belong but just doesn’t know how. I think he could be lonely. I’ve seen him say some very nice things. I’ve also seen the opposite, unfortunately.

I really thought he’d laugh at himself for mixing up Miriam Webster with Merriam-Webster. It’s kind of funny when you think about it.

Elmer, takes himself way too seriously.

Baloney is another topping some folks prefer on their burger, although I'm not too fond of it.

nyuk! ^^^^

I love burgers. When I make them at home, I use brioche buns, toasted in butter. I melt the cheese on top, a lot of it. I put mayo, a little ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions on mine. SO likes mayo, ketchup, onion, bacon and cheese. When I make patty melts, which I count as a form of burger, I toast both sides of white sandwich bread in butter, and I make my patty melt sauce. The sauce is a mix of mayo, ketchup, louisiana hot sauce, garlic power, onion powder and pepper. Mix and let it sit while the meat cooks. Melt the cheese on top, cook some onions in the same pan as the meat patties and put em on top of the patty. Slather both sides of the bread with the sauce before putting the cheesy oniony patty on the bread. With tater tots on the side. Patty melts go with tater tots.

When we get one out, I alway just order one with everything, and eat what they give me, as everyones "everything" isn't the same from place to place. I do not typically like lettuce on hot things like burgers, but if they come with it I eat it without complaint. I just wouldn't put it on a burger i make myself.

I hate burgers made out of anything other than beef.

Elmer, are you tryiig too hard?

I like eat and cook burgers

I toast both sides of white sandwich bread in butter, and I make my patty melt sauce. The sauce is a mix of mayo, ketchup, louisiana hot sauce, garlic power, onion powder and pepper. Mix and let it sit while the meat cooks. Melt the cheese on top, cook some onions in the same pan as the meat patties and put em on top of the patty. Slather both sides of the bread with the sauce before putting the cheesy oniony patty on the bread. With tater tots on the side. Patty melts go with tater tots.

Thank you for the description. I wanted a burger tonight, didn't have burger buns and too lazy to bake some. I'm going to try this. And I have some nice sweet Vidor onions to cook for the topping.

Just a clarification: That is an individualized version of a patty melt. The original patty melt from Tiny Naylor's in L.A. is a flat top grilled hamburger patty with grilled onions and swiss cheese on flat top toasted deli rye bread. It's made more or less the way a short order grilled cheese is. Done right (and it's pretty hard to ruin a patty melt), it's a Wonder of the culinary world. What you make for yourself, of course, is open to your imagination. :)

Don't have rye, but will use Swiss for my cheese tonight. Thank you for your contribution also. As they say, it takes a village to make a patty melt.

Thanks wildchild, I'm the first to admit I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, sometimes short a brick for a load and live with a low wattage bulb in my head.

Does anyone remember that Friendly's used to serve hamburgers on bread?

My University used to sell (probably still does) grilled cheese sandwiches with a hamburger patty inside. They called it a patty melt. I never knew that actual patty melts contained onions. I loved my University's version. But I suppose those with onions would be good too

In my area a Patty Melt is always a burger on grilled rye with cheese and grilled onions. That is what one would expect to be served most anywhere on the west coast. A burger with fixings on grilled sourdough is often called a Frisco burger or sometimes a California burger if it has avocado in it. I have also come across burgers listed as French dip burgers that are a burger on a French roll with aus jus for dipping. Drive-ins back in the day used to commonly have a larger oval shaped burger on a French roll they called steak burgers. You don't see those much anymore.

When I was growing up, we ate a lot of hamburger and unless it was a gathering or BBQ we never had buns for hamburger sandwiches...it was always served on bread. We didn't think much of it or call it anything special, but no special fixings like fried onions either. When I was a young married, we often had burger dips because roast beef was $$. Baguette or french roll with hamburger patty and au jus.

“In my area a Patty Melt is always a burger on grilled rye with cheese and grilled onions. That is what one would expect to be served most anywhere on the west coast.”

Same here in NY. I love them!

East coast and west coast, it's odd the Midwest never used Rye bread on patty melts, or maybe I didn't get out enough. The only sandwich I remember using Rye was the Reuben, and since Rye is my favorite bread for breakfast sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches I'll need to try it with burgers.

Flashing back in time to the early 70's I was an overnight fry cook at the once popular Sambo's restaurant and the patty melt was made with two slices of grilled Texas toast, a burger and two slices of cheese with no grilled onions, so maybe this is why I didn't care for it much and need to try grilled onions and rye.

What's also odd is the restaurant chain originated on the west coast of California without using onions and Rye on the patty melts made at their chain of restaurants. The original Sambo's restaurant finally changed it's name in 2020 to Chad's, and another oddity the west coast allowed the restaurant to survive as long as it did with the old name, while the other 1.100 locations closed or were renamed in the early 1980's. Have any of you west coast people ever visited the original restaurant before they changed the name and did they still have the paintings displayed around the fry cook stations of Jumbo, Black Mumbo and the tiger?

.

Not the original, but there was a Little Black Sambo's at the Oregon coast forever. It had the cast of characters on the front and, of course on the menus. It was great for breakfast. Ha! Remembering those names would get you the win in a trivia game, for sure.

Interesting tid bit about the story. The original child was southern Indian/Tamil hence the style of clothing but to the British back in the day it was common to call all people of color Black. It is the illustrations from over the years that turned Sambo into an actual black child. The tigers are a give away.

My husband makes his own usually Rye flour buns and I always use bread for hamburgers. No onions though.

patriciae

I remember having that book as a child. I remember the tigers running around so fast that they turned into butter!

And then served up on pancakes!

I liked Sambo's. There was one near my first job, and an affordable hot lunch. Funny about what they called "patty melt". I don't think I every looked at that. I have no issues with Amylou's sauced up version, but never did I actually see and notice one that didn't have grilled onions. Sourdough subbed for rye, yes, likely because they didn't use enough rye to keep it fresh. I get it though. Back then one didn't have loaded grilled cheese. There might be an extra ingredient, like how some fry it in mayo, or some hot sauce in it, or something, but if there was bacon and onions, or anything that kicked down the proportion of the cheese, it was a grilled sandwich, not a grilled cheese, And it's not like "patty melt" is a trademark or anything. The expectation might be onions and swiss, but if the menu says it's just cheese on Texas toast and that's what you're served, well, okay. I would never have ordered that, though. 😉 I was sad when they had to close. I get the inappropriateness of the wording, and the illustations they had at the restaurant (which made me cringe), but I loved the book, too, and in mine, the boy was definitely from the tiger part of the world. The story works just as well as "little Sambo", and I've seen newer books about "little Sundar" or whatever. Still, as Wildchild also said, the commonly accepted form of the patty melt is not the one from that place. Whether Tiny Naylor's was the first, nobody knows, but it's the one that the rest copied,

Sambos was a great family restaurant. Fun place to take the kids and good for late night breakfasts. I wish they held their ground on the nonsense that they were insensitive. Little Black Sambo was Indian and I never heard an East Indian whine about the story who presented him as a HERO. The whole nonsense was probably started by some early "woke" white person. Same idiots who went after Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben. Children exposed to the book didn't grow up racist. Every child admired the little boy who saved the village.

wildchild, I loved the story but I don’t remember him saving the village.

eta I do remember him wearing very snazzy clothing.

It was revisionist illustrations that turned Sambo into an obvious stereotypical pickaninny and that was the offensive part. There are apparently a gazillion versions of the story. It can be difficult for some people to understand that calling adult black people aunt and uncle might not be being perceived as marks of respect in spite of the intentions. I leave it up to them to decide. I thought the story was interesting but nothing to get in a dither about. Even as a child I wondered why there were tigers in Africa.

But we are here to discuss hamburger sandwiches.

patriciae

You’re quite right patriciae! We’re straying.

It was just fun to think back about books one had as a child.

I can still picture the King of the Elephants eating the poisonous mushrooms and dying in the Babar books. He was drawn all green and wrinkled. It left an impression on me.

Yes, back to burgers. 🤠

eta Maybe not mushroom burgers, though.

roxsol I guess that was the impression I got as a four or five year old. In my mind the tigers would eat people and he would save them. But I still go outside the box in my interpetations of things. DH and I were just talking about that. I recently went to see a stage play of "A Few Good Men". One of the lawyers is supposed to be laid back and someone who takes the easy way out. At the trial they were in dress blues and I noticed he was missing a button on his jacket. I thought "What a cool touch, he shows up to a court martial missing a button. That's an interesting bit of creative license. I wonder who thought of that regarding his character." Later I saw pictures of the cast, and his jacket had all four buttons. So he may have just lost it that night for all I know. But I noticed and my mind went straight to the thought of it being on purpose. I was an early reader and imagination often took me to alternative scenarios I guess.